Hey! India Keller here from the Alderson, WV Grow Appalachia site. Two of our Grow Appalachia supported community gardens – Alderson Community Food Hub and Alderson Elementary School – sold produce at the Community Market today. The bounty on offer consisted of okra, cucumbers, yellow squash, tomatoes, peppers, beets, green beans, and melons.

We harvested two Moons and Stars watermelons from the ACFH garden, but we weren’t convinced they were actually ripe, and didn’t sell either. I learned a new technique for testing ripeness from another vendor – squeeze the melon and if it squeaks, it’s ready. I think I’ll have to experience this one to believe it.

The best part of Market today was a visit from Billy, a Grow Appalachia participant who is recovering from a recent heart attack (Market was his first outing since coming home from the hospital). Billy’s been gardening since he was a boy and is full of local wisdom. We are so grateful to have him as a member of our community, and hope he has more energy to pour into his family’s garden soon.

We are also hoping for rain. It has been very dry here, and our gardens are ever so thirsty!