It may still be winter, but it’s never too early to start thinking about spring gardening classes! As we look forward to warmer days ahead, we’re studying up on garden planning, planting, and maintenance so we can spread that knowledge throughout and beyond the Grow Appalachia community.

For our first Grow Appalachia meeting of the year, we gathered for our second annual community seed swap. Avid gardeners from around the region braved the January cold to share and add to their family heirloom seed collections. One family shared six different types of old-fashioned bean seeds, one of which has been in the same family for 150 years. Another popular seed was the hard-to-find musk melon, a local delicacy tasting very much like cantaloupe.

In addition to the seeds that Grow Appalachia participants shared, the Daughters of the American Revolution donated over 14,000 seed packets to give out to the community. Chapters as far away as Maine and Washington sent in everything from local maize to specialty greens. Each person at the seed swap came away with a grocery bag full of seeds for their gardens.

Here are our upcoming Grow Appalachia events. All classes are free and open to the public. They will be held in the Mike Mullins Cultural Heritage Center at the Hindman Settlement School, 51 Center Street Hindman, KY 41822.

 

Garden Planning Class

Tuesday 2/19/19 at 6:00pm

Learn how to plan a successful garden.

 

Intensive Gardening Class

Tuesday 3/19/19 at 6:00pm

Learn how to grow a bountiful garden that produces food from spring through fall.

 

Pastured Poultry Class

Tuesday 4/2/19 at 6:00pm

Learn the ins and outs of raising backyard meat chickens.

 

Garden Maintenance Class

Tuesday 4/16/19 at 6:00pm

Learn how to maintain a healthy garden through the spring and summer.

 

Marketing Your Garden Class

Tuesday 5/7/19 at 6:00pm

Learn how to market and sell your produce at the farmers market.