SNAP-Ed Success Story 2021-2022

Nancy Owens-Sr. Nutrition Education Program/SNAP-Ed Assistant

Seed to Sell

The Allen County Senior Nutrition Education Program (NEP) Assistant, Family Consumer Science Agent, Agricultural and Natural Resource Agent and the 4-H Youth Development Agent partnered up to develop a Seed to Sell program for the youth of Allen County. With the food prices at the grocery store on the rise. It is important to know how to grow your produce at home. 

The Seed to Sell program developed to teach youth about gardening. The youth will attend 4 in person sessions and 2 farmers market days. Session 1 included at the beginning receiving a garden kit that included vegetable seed, transplants, gloves, hand tools, the cost difference, and nutrition facts about the produce. If the youth needed a garden spot tilled the ANR agent would go out to their homes and show the youth how to till the garden. Session 2 included the growing and maintenance of the plants. Session 3 included vegetable harvesting, nutritious recipes and getting ready for the Farmers Market. Session 4 included recipes for the farmers market, marketing, and communication. The students also had to create a farms name and learn how to market the produce. The last 2 sessions included going to the Farmers Market and selling the produce. There were volunteers from the local farmers market and garden club to help with the program also. This program will also help the local farmers market growth.  

The families of Allen County have shared their enthusiasm about the project by posting pictures online of their children planting the seeds, growing, harvesting, and selling the produce. During a time when the world is coming out of a crisis the Senior NEP Assistant, FCS, ANR and 4-H Agents successfully implemented a gardening program. The small success of children planting seeds, tasting the vegetables they grew, learning new ways to prepare and market them will hopefully inspire a desire to plant and learn more about gardening. In the long-term, this could help combat food insecurity in Allen County.