Scott Christian Care Center (SCCC) partners with the University of Tennessee Extension to implement a “Let’s Grow Tennessee” pilot program to teach “no-dig” gardening techniques to food bank participants.   This program teaches people how to grow food with limited resources.

Our participants jumped in and helped create a dynamic community garden beside the food bank, utilizing straw bales, plastic totes for container gardening, soil/compost mixture dumped on cardboard for a “no dig” garden bed and a raised bed made from reclaimed lumber and pallet wood.   We also utilized shredded paper and cardboard as mulch as a way to suppress weeds and decrease water usage.  “Eat Smart at Home” nutrition curriculum was offered to the participants to teach basic nutrition and food preparation skills in addition to the weekly hands-on gardening workshops.

It has been so exciting to see their progress and their enthusiasm.   Three of our participants are first time gardeners and have successfully planted small gardens at their home.  All of our participants have increased their vegetable consumption and have tried at least one new vegetable.  They are eager to continue the program with a fall/winter garden.  They have even created a club “Growing Gardeners” and are making plans to double the size of next year’s garden and recruit new members.

The production from our small garden has included:

  • Over 100 lbs. of tomatoes
  • A 5 gallon bucket of okra
  • A 5 gallon bucket of peppers
  • 2 watermelons
  • 2 dozen zucchini
  • 2 gallons of Amaranth
  • Basil and parsley
  • Soon to Harvest Sweet potatoes and grain from the Amaranth