The worldwide health pandemic has shifted outreach options and the steady uptick in positive cases linger doubts over the heads as to when we will see the end.  In an effort to provide some positive energy into an otherwise dreary winter season, local Master Gardeners virtually collaborated to create a bulb starting initiative to place some spring blooms in the homes of the citizens of Grant County.

Lead by Extension Master Gardeners, a take home planting and propagation program was developed in effort to chase away the winter blues.  Agents from Grant County Cooperative Extension Service, Grant County Master Gardeners, the Holland Group, Grant County Chamber of Commerce, Williamstown Main Street Merchants Association, Supplemental Nutrition Education Program, Fitness for Life Around Grant County and Grant County Farmer’s Market supporters collaborated to put together take home bags for the holidays.  

The Agriculture Agent reached out to a local business with ties into the bulb market and was able to receive a sizeable donation of bulbs for both Grant and Pendleton counties.  Agents and leaders began working in to distribute 200 Amaryllis and 400 paper white bulbs, soil educational and nutritional material.  About 47 families received starter kits.  We also included a variety of vegetable seeds and gave away about 200 tomato, cucumber, zucchini, cabbage, pepper and cantaloupe.

Utilizing our outreach attempt, the SNAP assistant with the Agriculture and FCS Agents included nutrition based pamphlets.  Finally, social media was utilized to promote the availability of the bulb kits and distribution schedule.  The Ag Agent recorded video and posted to the sites the “how to be successful” portion of the bags.

Adoption of the program has been widespread and has been traced using social media with the Show Us Your Bulbs campaign.  This is where individuals that have started the bulbs are posting pictures of their applied knowledge and success of getting their bulbs going.   Traffic continues to increase as some of the bulbs started faster than others while the majority are just now beginning to show their first blooms.  

47 families have applied knowledge gained from the videos and distribution efforts to experience the addition of fresh flowers and the aromatic pleasure given off by the amaryllis.