2020 Garden Programs on the Go!

Twenty-Twenty offered an entire new look to programming in Extension.  Agents and staff in Rowan County had to start thinking Out Side the Box.   Over 800 zip lock bags with new ideas, materials and systematic instructions to educate our adult clients and youth where given out this summer.  Materials were gathered, ordered, printed and assembled into individual packages.  FCS Agent, 4-H Agent and Staff Assistant all worked as a team to meet the needs of our county.

Gardening packages were a favorite; clients enjoyed reading about gardening and planting seed for well-liked vegetables.  Forty gardening kits where given at Farmers Market, clients of all ages picked up the information to use in this trying time.  

Rowan County saw a 25% increase of gardens planted this year, and 50% of the existing gardens increased in size. Fall gardens have increase by 10% for extra fresh produce to use.   The Extension office saw an increase for the request of information on food preservation.   Twenty-two canner lids where checked in our office, verse only ten in 2019.

A new gardener made the comment; “Our community has all came together to help each other out with our garden, neighbors have plow and disk our ground to get us started for a new adventure.”

100% of the farm gardens in Rowan County were used for home consumption. Farmers commented that they were not growing for resale; they had enough family to use.  

100% develop pride in working in their garden and producing vegetables for their friends and family. They commented that there was a great need to get back to the basics in our country.