The local Community Action office contacted our extension office about holding classes related to growing your own food. As the nutrition education assistant I agreed and enlisted the help of the family and consumer science agent and Agriculture and Natural Resources agent. These classes were meant for the general public and especially low income families who require at least one attendance of a class to qualify for Garden voucher assistance program supplied by the USDA. The voucher can only be spent on plants and seeds related to food such as fruits and vegetables, soil and containers for growing them etc. The aim is to help these families to subsidize their food resources by growing some food themselves. I used materials from the UK Healthy Choices for Everybody Curriculum. I also encouraged the participants to sign on to my classes I had 8 enrolled and most of these are continuing in other classes.

We held 3 meeting at the Lake Cumberland Community Action office, first we covered my plate and learning the basics on gardening and planning your food garden. We gave out recipes and information on what plants would grow well in our area. Second meeting the FCS agent discussed transplanting seedlings, seasonal planting and home preserving, canning, freezing and drying. While I discussed how to use your produce in different recipes and different ways. The last class our ANR agent included soil sampling before they start gardening, Types on gardens, direct planting in ground or raised beds, and water saving ideas. I covered food safety and safe harvesting of produce and again recipes for using the produce with no waste.

The LCCA agency was given 38 vouchers originally, however at the classes/meetings we had on average 30 participants each time, and we also had 12 home bound individuals that we put together a take home package that the LCCA Office distributed because their office is not handicapped friendly. The LCCA outreach director said that  they would put in a request for extra if other agencies did not use their vouchers. We were ecstatic to learn they received 105 vouchers that were given out to families in need.  Many of the participants from this program are now attending more of our programs. We are now waiting to survey participants on how their gardens went, what and how much they grew.