Increasing cost of food and access to a consistent supply of nutritious foods has become a challenge across the U.S and Kentucky.

To support Ohio County’s limited resource citizens in attaining nutritious vegetables, the ANR agent again provided garden kits, to the Hartford & Fordsville Food Banks, but also assisted the Senior Citizens Program in Ohio Co. with their raised bed garden, by expanding the number of beds available for produce.

Garden Kits:

The garden kits contained enough seed for a family of four, to grow green beans, zucchini squash, summer squash, cucumbers, and beets. The kits also contained general gardening publications from U.K. & KSU, publications specific for the vegetables & herbs seeds provided, SNAP publications, “Healthy at Home” newsletters, nutrition articles, recipes, and gardening calendars. The kits were distributed to:

1. Hartford Food Bank – 802 families; 2000 total family members
2. Fordsville Food Bank – 85 families; 327 total family members

Senior Citizens Gardening Program:

ANR agent assisted with expansion of the raised beds – from 6 beds to 10 beds – this year.  The raised beds make it easier for participants to work in the garden area. A variety of garden produce is raised, such as beets, tomatoes, green beans, yellow squash, zuchinni squash, onions, cucumbers, broccoli, cabbage and others, Al produce is used in meals prepared v for the Seniors Center meals, which are provided four days a week. The Senior Center participants work with the garden thoughout the summer to care for the produce. 

1. Senior Citizens Program – 43 total participants         

Impacts seen include:

1. 25% of families receiving the Food Bank packets, planted a garden for the first time
2. 70% canned or froze produce for winter consumption 
3. One family canned 50 pints of pickled cucumbers, 30 jars of squash and 40 jars of green beans to share with 3 other families
4. All the senior citizens enjoy the process of raising their own food which used in the meals prepared for them.

Testimonials from participating garden packet families:

1. “Having the garden gave us easy access to nutritious vegetables”
2. “I love going into my backyard to pick my own vegetables, rather than going to the grocery. This way I know they are fresh.”

The problem

The educational program response

The participants/target audience

Other partners (if applicable)

Program impact or participant response.