Marcelle St. Germain

Step by Step, Big Ugly

Summer temperatures and conditions have been with us now for a week or so but the cold, wet, winter would not let go of us during the month of April.  The planting of potatoes and cabbages took place when there were brief interludes from the rain.  Some gardeners report that their cabbage plants took a hit in the very cold, frosty nights that came to us in April. Potatoes seemed have done better with the atypical spring conditions.

Many thanks to the folks at Community Food Initiatives in Athens, Ohio, who provided us with a ton of seed potatoes for gardeners in Lincoln and Logan Counties. Their assistance has allowed us to spread our thinning resources out.

This year we have had the pleasure of working with a local market gardener from Wyoming County.   Lacey Toler, has raised all of our plants this year and provided us with some new kinds of tomatoes to grow including Paul Robeson and Claude Brown (a big yellow tomato)  Mr. Toler also provided us with cabbages and broccoli, tomatoes and peppers.   His efforts have been very much appreciated.

Martin’s Produce & Supply in Liberty, Kentucky has been our go to place for untreated corn seed and other seed supplies.  Anna, who coordinates the purchases there has been so helpful to us in obtaining the supplies we need.  Their prices are certainly hard to beat.

Due to our partial loss of funding, we are sorely missing some items that we have enjoyed in the past.  Topping that list:  chicks – which we have provided for many for gardeners in the spring.   Those fresh eggs come the fall have been a true delight in the Grow Appalachia program.