Spring time is here!

We are ready to face any challenges that arises this growing season. First, it was a snow storm, 2nd was flooding, now hopefully mother nature will calm down and let the party begin. We have had two in person class meetings this year. We have a face book page for the ones that are unable to attend classes. We post videos for them to watch and comment on for class credits. We handed out onion sets, trellis, black plastic cover and a bag of Jack’s Dead Bug & Copper to help eliminate the garden pests and diseases.  We have many new participates this year that I’m eager to work with and share their garden stories with you.

New Partnership to Grow Appalachia Program

The David school students that volunteered to help us in the garden & workshop were heaven sent that day. We accomplished a lot in the short time they had there. The students helped build shelves and mount up rows in the garden. The David school has their own garden space and many high tunnels. One of the board member’s would like to partner with us. I’m looking forward to working with them this year.

Utilizing space at the mission

This year we have decided to utilize as much space as possible to grow food at St. Vincent Mission. Erin, Gracie and her family cleaned up the hillside to plant food that vine to sell at the Farmer’s Market and provide to the community in the Food Pantry. Jerica helped me clean the fence to use for a trellis for our peas on the shady side of the garden. Peas don’t like the heat, therefore, we will try to plant them on the fence to further our harvest this season.

Gardening Tills My Soul!

We finally started tilling gardens for our participates. Due to the weather conditions we got a late start this year. This year we will encourage the able bodied participates to till their own gardens. We will drop off the tiller while we till a participate that is unable to do it themselves. Afterwards, we will pick up the tiller on the way back to the mission. John has been on our program for two years now. We provided the tiller and he did a wonderful job tilling his own garden. Chris Johnson (Intern) and I tilled 5 raised beds at the College. We are on a roll now!

Donation Time!

Thank you David Cook for your resources on tarps during our monthly zoom meeting. We contacted Fairway Signs and they donated 10 tarps for our gardens. He stated that he will contact us every time there is more available to pick up. I’m hoping to get enough for my garden participates and the missions gardens. I encourage other counties to contact the sign places in your county too.