Local Community Support

I would just like to take the time to thank some groups that have been very supportive of the Lend-A-Hand Center Grow Appalachia Gardening Program this year.

Organizations including the Knox County Board of Education, the Knox County Health Department, the Barbourville Garden Club, Spread the Health Appalachia, Barbourville Tourism, Union College, and the Knox County Cooperative Extension Service have been very helpful in putting on programs. The Daniel Boone Festival Committee also helped advertise the Knox County Farmers’ Market in conjunction with Knox County’s biggest yearly event.

On May 6^th, in the midst of finals week I made a presentation to the Barbourville Woman’s Club about the Grow Appalachia program highlighting the community gardens and farmers’ market. The women of the organization were eager to hear about the gardening program and many women in the club have become some of the greatest supporters of the Knox County Farmers’ Market.

The media has also been very helpful in covering the gardening program and the Knox County Farmers’ Market. The Corbin Times-Tribune and Barbourville Mountain Advocate have supported our events and taken pictures at many of them.

     

Throughout the year, our program has made a point to try to buy local and support local businesses and farmers. Suppliers including Four Seasons in Barbourville, Benge Farm Supply in London, Pat’s Plants and More run by Pat and Bill Hacker in Cranes Nest, Overbey’s Greenhouse outside of London, and Mills Greenhouse in Turkey Creek have made the gardening program possible. These businesses do a wonderful job providing quality products, knowledgeable service, and a friendly atmosphere. The transplants from the greenhouses did wonderfully this year. We hope to be able to continue relationships with all these wonderful organizations and people in the coming years.