Partnership Community Garden

NEP partnered with Bluegrass Community Action in offering 10 weeks of teaching the curriculum of “Health Choice for Everybody” to the Senior Center group. The lessons were held at the Mercer Co Extension Office each week. There were 12 Adult Seniors that participate with 11 completing the program. After trying new recipes and learning the importance of needing vegetables in their diet, they became very interested in wanting to grow some vegetables. Some stated that they lived in apartments and didn’t have space to grow vegetables or were not able to take care of a garden by themselves. They returned each week talking about the recipes they had tried and stated they would like to have fresh vegetables. Bluegrass Community Action contacted the Extension Office inquiring if Extension would be interested in assisting them with raised beds gardens. The Horticulture Agent and NEP Assistant visited the group to find out what plants they were interested in growing. We shared that there was a $100.00 community garden grant to help with purchase of the plants. The Senior Center was able to get 9 4x8 boxes containers built and filled with soil. The Horticulture Agent started a variety of plants from seeds. and accompanied the Program Assistant to purchase plants from a local green house. Each family was given access to a 4x8 container and could choose from squash, peppers, onions, corn, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and tomatoes. Each month, the Horticulture Agent and Nutrition Program Assistant partnered on lessons on growing plants and how to use them in recipes, NEP Assistant demonstrated the recipe for them to sample.