Greetings!

We are just coming off of our big event for the season – Linwood Alive’s annual Farm to Fork Dinner, where this year we raised over $5000.  Time is donated by decorators, chefs, musicians, yoga teachers and more. Watching the pillars of our community band together to get this event underway is always amazing, and culminates in a wonderful evening of delicious food from our Grow Appalachia community garden, drink, music and shopping.  It’s not difficult to sell tickets to this event, but we do have a contingent of volunteers out letting both locals and visitors know that for a small fee they’ll have an evening filled with entertainment and deliciousness, with all funds going to a great cause!  We are also very lucky that the weather has cooperated each year, something not to be counted on at all.

 

The other new thing that we are doing is introducing a theme/lesson into each Farmer’s Market.  Coming up we have BBQ and You!, Live Music and Lemonade, and a Salsa Competition.  Last week we had Tie Dye at the Market.  This boosts attendance which in turn boosts revenue, and requires very little additional work since it is common for us to have food and drinks available at each Farmers Market.  Turning each market into an event not only makes it more interesting for locals, it is also more attractive for tourists.  We like it when tourists spend money!

In garden news….our gardens are FINALLY starting to produce a bounty.  This year saw a very slow start, but we’re gaining steam and momentum now!  So are the pests, but that’s another story :-).

Peace,

Kelley