In the spring of 2022, the Horticulture Agent and Harrison County Extension offered a “Free Gardening Giveaway” program for the community.  On the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd Fridays of February, March and April, people could stop by the extension office to pick up that week’s packet of free giveaways.  Each week focused on a different plant category.  Each week’s giveaway included free seeds as well as growing information.    Fifty packets were made for each week.  When individuals picked up the giveaway, they included their demographics, and many decided to be added on to the Horticulture Newsletter mailing list.   The giveaway was advertised in the local newspaper each week, in the monthly Horticulture Newsletter and on the Harrison County Horticulture Facebook page.

The giveaways began in February where we started off with Introductory Information.  This packet included spring gardening information, directions for starting seeds, gardening fact sheets from KSU and NEP.  The second week focused on Cole Crops and included cole crop seeds, the publication “Sustainable Disease Management of Cole Crops in the Home Garden” and the NEP publication on Broccoli.  The third week was all about Leafy Greens.  Participants received leafy green crops seeds, KSU Fact Sheets on Mustard Greens, Lettuce, and Turnips, NEP publications on growing Collards and Kale, and a UK publication on “Sustainable Disease Management of Leafy Green Crops in the Home Garden”.

In March the giveaways continued.  Week one was information on Roots, Tubers, and Bulbs.  Each packet included KSU Fact Sheets on Carrots, Onions, Green Onions, Radishes, and Garlic, NEP publications on Beets and Radishes, and a wide selection of root crop seeds.  Week two of March focused on Legume crops for the garden.  The giveaway for that week was legume crop seeds, the “Sustainable Disease Management of Legume Vegetable Crops in the Home Garden” publication, the NEP publication “Growing Your Own – Green Beans”, and a KSU fact sheet on Okra.   Finishing up March, participants received information on Solanaceous Crops.  Solanaceous crop seeds were distributed along with KSU fact sheets on Tomatoes and Eggplant, NEP publication “Growing Your Own – Peppers”, and “Sustainable Disease Management of Solanaceous Crops in the Home Garden”.

The first three weeks in April included more gardening giveaways for the community.  The first Friday in April was all about Cucurbit Crops.  Many cucurbit crop seeds were given out as well as KSU fact sheets on Cumbers and Summer Squash, and the publication “Sustainable Disease Management of Cucurbit Crops in the Home Garden”.  The following week was focused on growing Herbs.  Each person received a grab bag including a variety of herb seeds and KSU fact sheets “Growing Herbs in Containers” and “Harvesting and Using Herbs”.  The final week of the program was dedicated to flowers and participants received a wide variety of annual and perennial flower seeds along with growing information.

This program was very well received by the community.  We had some participants that had never been introduced to extension.  This program brought people into the extension office which resulted in more awareness of programs offered, increased numbers of program attendance and increased numbers of those receiving the Horticulture newsletter.   This is a program that I intend to offer again next year due to the success of this year.