Spring into Green has been a long-established area-wide program in the Purchase Area. This event brings participants from all eight counties to gain new information from educational workshops and demonstrations. The event was hosted virtually last year, and participants were excited to have the event back in person for 2022. Spring into Green: In the Garden edition, was hosted by the Purchase Area Family and Consumer Science agents at the Graves County Extension Office. Speakers at this year’s event discussed topics related to the garden. Topics discussed included ‘Gardening in Containers’, ‘Cooking with Herbs’, and ‘Growing Flowers.’ The goal of this event was to teach participants about the health benefits and sustainability of gardening practices such as raised beds and container gardening. Participants learned how to utilize locally grown/sourced produce in their everyday practices such as meal prep.

Of the eighty-three (83) participants 72% were first-time program participants.  80% of participants stated they gained knowledge in how to utilize space with container gardens. 90% of participants stated that they gained a greater understanding of the health benefits of using fresh herbs in cooking. 69% of participants stated they plan to start growing their own herbs/produce. Participants stated that they never gave much thought to where their fresh produce came from and will start to make a more conscious effort. Several participants stated, “Learning more about buying and growing local herbs and produce is very useful information.” One participant stated that “the speakers inspired me to try new methods when it comes to gardening and using my produce.”