During the recent COVID-19 pandemic the Lawrence County Expanded Food Nutrition Assistant Senior offered Victory Garden resources to the clients of Lawrence County. Over 360+ participants received seeds to grow their own gardens at home, of that population a sample size of 60 individuals completed the Victory Garden Survey. Participants received lettuce, spinach, carrot, radish, beet, onion, garlic, pumpkin, and a variety of herb seeds.  

As a result, 11.7% participants were first time growers and 8.3% have been gardening for less than 5 years, 51.7% participants grew a standard garden while 41.7% participants grew a mini or container garden.

One question asked was, why did you grow a garden for the first time this year? The responses were as follows: to help with depression and anxiety, stress reliever, grow new items, help with grocery expenses, to get fresh vegetables, for family activity, the free seeds encouraged me to, and COVID-19. Another question asked was, how has gardening and food preservation made a difference? Some responses were: first time growing herbs, fun stress reliever, kids enjoyed planting, growing and harvesting, provide healthy and affordable food for family, and used recipes from the Extension Office. The Expanded Food Nutrition Assistant Senior will use this data to provide related programs in the future.