After Covid, in late 2021 and early 2022 our county seen a large influx of people who chose to sale their urban homes and purchase a small farm in a more rural area. Elliott County was a prime location for, work from home employees, because of the low cost of land and the fiber optic, high speed internet available here. 

The gardening club program started as a way to help folks that had recently moved to the area learn basic gardening and preservation skills, so they could take what they learned and apply it to their own fruit and vegetable gardens. When discussed throughout the county, there seem to be a lot of interest but as the starting date of the club arrived and time to plant our vegetable garden was here, we sadly had no participants. A volunteer and myself, went ahead and planted the garden as we had already prepped the garden earlier in the year and purchased seeds and transplants to raise. 

The Elliott County Extension Office staff continued to raise and tend to the 2022 garden and was able to harvest some great produce from the garden. We wanted to help someone in need with the vegetable and came up with the idea to donate all the produced from the failed program to the local nursing home!

The donation included several rounds of Cucumbers, Half runner Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers, and a few squash. 

It was reported that the residents at the nursing home really enjoyed the vegetables. Some of the residents who were able,  not only enjoyed eating the fresh produce but also enjoyed getting help string the beans and help with some of the preparation like they use to do in years past.    

This program was able to provide vegetables to about 15-20 nursing home residents. 

The 2023 Ext. Office Garden has been plant and is coming up well. We have more help this year with the garden as the inmates at the Eastern KY Correctional Facility have volunteered to help us keep the garden up with hopes we will be able to donate even more fresh produce for the great folks at the local nursing home.