Due to the low health rating for Clay County families and the high percentage of our adults (33% of our adults don’t meet standard activity) 43% are considered overweight and 18% of our adults with diabetes; the Family & Consumer Science Agent presented Plate It Up sessions using Plate It Up recipes and Preserving Program using USDA recipes.  Eighty attendees came to four sessions.  These sessions were advertised on Facebook, web page, newspaper, radio and newsletter.  The Grow Appalachia group must attend one session every year to meet their grant guidelines.  Plate It Up recipes promotes growing and purchasing local foods and the increase consumption of fruits and vegetables.

Two Plate It Up recipes are highlighted monthly at the local grocery store produce department with an average of 76 recipes cards picked up a month.

Participants are:  

…increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables

… increasing knowledge of food preparation skills and food safety

…  purchasing or grow vegetables or fruit to sell at farmers market or for their own consumption

… purchasing or growing fruits and vegetables

…said the recipe card helped in their decision to purchase and to try recipes at home

…have prepared recipes for their family’s consumption 

Grow Appalachia members have grown these foods from Plate It Up recipes:  corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, watermelons and onions.

55 of the attendees have harvested 9,766 pounds of food and 80% have preserved their food 2018 results-Grow Appalachia Survey  

2017 results 55 members, 91% canned, 81% froze, and 34% dried their harvest. Based on the compilation of data from the harvest records there was 50, 617 lbs. of food harvested.- Grow Appalachia Survey

3 Grow Appalachia participants have their recipes approved for selling and are selling salsa, baked goods, jams and jellies, and paw paw  for pro. 

One participant has his recipe approved for selling and is selling salsa for profit after attending the Micro processing Training.  He recently told me he could hardly keep up with the demand for his product.  He is thinking of adding another salsa for sell. fit after attending the Micro processing Training.

Comments:  “I would have never made this It is so good.”  “I have learned a lot and enjoyed this tremendously.”  “I have tasted food I would have never prepared if not for the program.”  “I have shared this recipe with several people and have taken it to several parties, my family loved it.