According to the USDA Food Atlas, Magoffin County is one of several counties in rural Appalachia that is considered a "food desert." Accessing food, especially fresh, quality produce is difficult for those living outside city limits. 

In 2017, the County Extension Agent for Agriculture and Natural Resources secured a $10,000 grant from Grow Appalachia to help address this issue. 16 families, consisting of 42 individuals, participated in Magoffin County Grow Appalachia, a program which teaches them to become self-sufficient by learning how to grow, harvest, and preserve their own food. The agent taught a series of 10 workshops, which began with garden planning and ended with cover cropping, to guide the families through the growing season. The families also learned to start seeds, to care for seedlings and transplants, as well as develop a better understanding of how to manage weeds, pests, and diseases organically. 

Participant harvest logs indicated that more than 5,000 pounds of fresh produce was harvested and 58 dozen eggs collected as a result of the program! Four families sold their excess produce at the Magoffin County Farmers' Market in hopes of becoming more financially stable, while several others actively preserved their produce in order to enjoy their harvests now and in the future.