New Year, New Plants, New Problem

As we look forward to a  new gardening season with Grow Appalachia, in hopes of less stressors and worries, we begin our seed orders, priming up the greenhouse and getting busy in the dirt so to speak.  We were focused with meeting the challenges we had last year and hoping to not encounter the same this year.  Originally this blog was planned to be titled New Year, New Plants and then March came in like a lion.  While the year seemed to be going smoothly, this week our office was flooded with the recent flooding as well as the greenhouse, shed and storage area.  The tractor was able to be moved in time before; however, the new tiller did not fair so well as it was under about 4-5 feet of water.  Many of our new seedlings got some heavy duty watering with flood water as well as greenhouse supplies, furniture and more.   Once the flood water went down, we were left with mud and muck as well as an array of trash and more.  Our program assistant began diligently cleaning on the greenhouse and hoping to get it back up and running.  With gloves and muck boots in tow, he worked many long hours in hopes of restoring the greenhouse to somewhat a normal functioning space for him to bring life to new plants.  At this point, he has succeeded although we have had quite a loss.  Nevertheless, we will prevail and this will just be a somewhat minor setback.

On another note, we have several people sign up as 1st time gardeners on our program this year.  Most of these found out by word of mouth of friends and family.  Everyone is raring to go at this time.  Once we get back into the office, grafting classes and many other ways of presenting programs to our gardeners will ensue.  Small fruit orders will be going out as well as more seeds purchased.  Each year we hope to bring a bigger and better program to the participants of this program at the Martin County Cooperative Extension Office.