The Simpson County Extension Agents for Agriculture and 4-H Youth Development worked jointly to provide new programs during COVID-19, with home vegetable gardening resources being in high demand since the onset of the pandemic. As a result, our joint gardening programs began with Drive Thru Container Garden Kits where Extension provided 155 families with everything they needed to grow tomatoes last year.

This year Simpson Co. Extension Agents continued our home gardening programs with squash container gardens.  These kits contained squash seeds with growing instructions, a 5 gallon bucket with pre-drilled drain holes, potting soil, a snap vegetable brush, Plate It Up recipes, a 2021 NEP recipe calendar, and the “Gardening In Small Spaces” UK publication. Tractor Supply Company Distribution Center continued their sponsorship of the container gardens by donating buckets and potting soil valued at over $1,000.  Approximately, 100 squash buckets were distributed at the Simpson County Extension Office.  An instructional video featuring Simpson County Extension Agents was recorded and uploaded to the Simpson County Extension YouTube channel for those growing the squash container gardens.  The Agriculture and 4-H Youth Development Agent also traveled to a local factory and displayed container grown squash, discussed gardening, and passed out squash seeds and educational SNAP and UK materials to over 50 employees.

In addition, Extension provided 200 students with lettuce container gardening kits in September 2020 through a partnership with our local middle & high school agriculture classes and Faith Baptist Academy. Demonstration videos were shared with the students on planting & harvesting, along with Plate It Up salad recipes. These students grew their own food to feed their family during a time when food insecurity remained high due to the pandemic. Feedback from the students included photos of their lettuce containers growing, with one student compiling a video showing the progression of their lettuce container from planting to harvest. One of the teachers said, "My students absolutely loved this project!"