This year, Grow Your Own has partnered up with BlueField Library. The hard part about teaching is when you feel like you can help and assist more people, but they might not be in your area or region. BlueField Library is helping us with that opportunity by providing a location for participants in their region to be able to come to the library and sit down with their Master Gardener, Mickey. Every month, when we teach our classes, the library hosts them in person with a table and tv set up, so locals can come sit down as a community and watch it together. They then have the opportunity to ask questions directly with me or go hands-on in the library garden with Mickey as she shows and presents the information we just shared. We’re loving the feedback and ability to reach out to others beyond just our local footprint.

Photos by participants who have attended and their harvest!

From Mickey, at the Bluefield Library!

“Hi. My name is Mickey Pellillo. This is my 2nd year in GYO. I am also a Master Gardener. I volunteer at the Bluefield Branch of the Tazewell County Library. We have a fantastic garden there which is open for community participation. I also volunteer at the Wade Center Children’s Garden and have my own small backyard garden.

Last year in GYO, I really enjoyed the face to face classes with other participants and the hands on work/activities in the Tazewell garden. We even hosted a couple of the sessions at the library inviting community members to join. This year to add back in the personal and hands on experience,we have partnered with ASD and GYO. The library and Master Gardeners host the Tuesday class zooms at the library with a Master gardener present to answer questions or provide additional resources and invites the community to join in. The library provides a related children’s activity so parents can watch the zooms without distraction. During about first session the kids made potatoes boxes. A scarecrow and painted rocks are up next.

In addition, the first Tuesday of each month, there is a hands on activity in the garden related to the previous lesson. All GYO folks, their families, and everyone in the community are welcome to join in any or all of these sessions!”