Author: Tracie Goodman
Planning Unit: McCreary County CES
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Plan of Work: Horticulture
Outcome: Long-Term Outcome
McCreary County Extension has partnered with the Scott County, TN Extension Office for several years to implement the Grow Appalachia Program through Berea College for both McCreary County residents and Scott County residents. The mission of this program is to distribute garden resources and classes, provide technical assistance to farmers and market gardeners, and facilitate a network of organizations and leaders working to support food security across the region. During Covid-19, the program was derailed and was not able to be completed entirely. This year we offered a hybrid approach, which was half virtual and half in-person classes at the Scott County Farmers Market in Huntsville, TN, which was large enough to socially distance everyone. The classes held this year included Soil Testing and Garden Planning, Organic Gardening, Beneficial Insects, Food Preservation, Healthy Cooking, Extending the Growing Season, Fall Gardening, Successes & Failures, and Edible Landscaping. Through this program we were able to provide soil testing, fertilizer, gardening tools, seeds, plants, tilling assistance, door prizes, and beginning gardening education to 76 program participants. I received a lot of positive feedback personally on behalf of the McCreary County Extension Office, so much that I am working on providing many more gardening programs here in McCreary County this coming year, including a goal to start a Master Gardeners Program. Feedback from participants has been all positive, and participants have all learned a new skill associated with this program and plan to continue gardening in the future to provide their own food and share it with members of their community.
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