–High Rocks Young Farmers 2021, Hillsboro, WV

I wanted to join because I love to be outside and working with my hands.  My grandparents and parents have a garden every year and I’m always helping them in the garden. When I heard about this job, I figured it would be really good for me and be a good first job for me. I have been here for a week now and I have learned that is good to have a cover crop to help the soil to stay loose and keep it full of nutrients for the next planting season, and the other plants yield more fruits and vegetables.

As I have grown to be a “local foods vet” I have learned quite a bit compared to when I first started. Lately we have been working on the High Rocks high tunnel and it has been both a blast and a learning experience, between taking inventories and learning about the essential parts of the tunnel and how it majorly increases the growing season duration, overall, it has been fun getting to understand how everything works and as well as getting to know the local foods team a little better. We have been blessed with some fresh faces and that truly was a highlight, and the extra hands really make things so much easier, and we get stuff done a whole lot more efficiently.

I joined Grow Appalachian about 4 weeks ago. I decided to work here because I figured it’s a secondary job I could do after school and make money. I’m trying to save up my money and work as much as I can to invest in a better form of transportation and I figured this job would help me out some to reach my goal. Another reason I joined this job is because I see Grow Appalachia people across the road building a high tunnel and I like building houses. I helped a lot with my family’s garden when I was younger, and I figured this would be a great learning experience as well.