Nutrition education is a program responsibility of all Kentucky Extension agents.  For many ANR agents the bulk of their SNAP efforts are done through organized farmers’ markets.  But since dozens of retail produce growers sell directly off the farm here, there is no farmers market to work with in Todd County.  Therefore, I utilize other avenues to conduct nutrition education activities.

      Twice in the past I have worked with residents of the Todd County Housing Authority’s Pennyrile Village apartments on traditional “in-ground” community gardens.  When we did those earlier gardens, we had difficulty in keeping them worked, particularly with chopping out weeds.  To deal with that issue, we switched from traditional “in-ground” plantings to growing vegetables in containers a few years ago.  Repurposed 18-gallon cattle protein lick tubs are used as the containers.  In 2018, a second container garden location was added at the Todd County Senior Citizens Center.  

 Due to Covid-19, we were unable to plant the container gardens for the spring and summer of 2020.  When Covid restrictions began to ease this spring, I approached the Housing Authority and Senior Citizens managers about re-establishing the gardens for 2021.  At first, they seemed reluctant to have gardens this year, but eventually decided to participate.  At both locations, broccoli and cabbage were chosen as the crops for this year, with broccoli planted in most of the tubs.  These crops were chosen because they do well in tubs, and because the broccoli will make heads over an extended time.  This allows more people to share in the produce.        

At Pennyrile Village, the tubs are set up in a central area close to the mailboxes, making it convenient for residents to follow the progress of the plants and to gather some of the vegetables.  Residents assisted with planting the containers and with keeping them watered.  Approximately 25 Pennyrile residents gathered and/or used produce grown in the containers.  About a dozen seniors have utilized produce from the Senior Citizens’ garden location.  They appreciate the freshness of the “home grown” produce and say that it has more flavor than the broccoli and cabbage that they buy in the grocery store.  

As a result of this activity, approximately 35 individuals have been encouraged to eat healthy, nutritious vegetables by actually taking ownership in its production.  Also, individuals with limited incomes or transportation capabilities have a close, convenient, and free means of improving their eating habits and health.