This month has started out very good for us here at St. Vincent Mission, we have been able to help with fencing for 6 families. I had one of my participants write me a small story about here move here to the Appalachia’s.

My name is Ginger and I moved to Southeast Kentucky with my family in 2023. We left behind several large gardens and arrived here on raw rocky mountain land. We brought with us a ton of dreams, our chickens, rabbits, pots of herbs, baby trees and flowers to use here. It was daunting to think of starting over but we are thrilled to be making our home here.

Our first-year gardening here was one of creativity and imagination. We grew bushels of peppers in one raised bed in our front yard made of old roofing tin. We grew cucumbers trellised on empty animal cages. Tomatoes vined their way up our chicken and turkey runs (with protection). Herbs outgrew their pots and thrived in that rocky mountain soil. Some of our baby trees didn’t make it but a lot did and they are now permanently placed in the emerging food forest behind our house. We even bought some new ones and they are waking up beautifully this spring. We discovered that we have productive Paw Paw and Pear trees already established on our land, what a delight!

This year has come with some challenges, as a family we have expanded our raised bed gardens and started all of our plants from seed. My four-year-old LOVES to plant things and is the first one ready to harvest. I have been able to participate in some classes at the local extension offices and my four-year-old and I have been blessed to be a part of Grow Appalachia. He looks forward to every meeting! We look forward to learning more about how to grow all the things we love to eat here in the beautiful mountains of Southeast Kentucky.