Happy Independence Day ~ LCAAHC

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                  ║╔╗║╔╗║╔╣╔╩╗╔╝ ★ BIRTHDAY DAY AMERICA ☆★☆★☆
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Before I begin, I wanted to wish everyone a Happy 4th.  Despite it's problems, we are very blessed to be residents of this great Country.

GROWING SWEET POTATO SLIP WORKSHOP

One of our workshops in June was presented by Master Gardener, Cody Thompson, who not only shared with us how to raise your own sweet potato slips, he gave us some that he grew, to plant in our gardens.  Cody told us that it was very simple.  You take a box and add soil.  Next you place the sweet potatoes in the soil nearly covered.  Add lots of water to make very moist and cover with a clear top.  Before you know it, you will have slips ready to plant. 

Cody Thompson talking sweet potatoes

A captive audience

Cody and his sweet potato slips

Director, Wayne Riley and participants at sweet potato workshop

The red sweet potatoes slips he has started have pointed leaves while the white ones have rounded.

 

Michelle Cornett looking over the nearly empty box of sweet potato slips

My sweet potato slips planted and mulched with paper.

During class, Cody told us to plant the slips in a hills and mulch with straw.  Here is my version, to mulch with paper.  The sweet potato plants are doing very well.

BALE GARDENING EXPERIMENT

Straw bale gardening experiment

I and another Master Gardener, in cooperation with the Laurel County Extension Office are experimenting with bale gardening.  We are growing four cucumber plants, six tomato plants and three pepper plants in bales of straw. 

You can use new or old straw bales, but if you use  new ones, there is a ten day preparation phase.  You can watch my series of videos on this and keep updated by going to my Youtube channel, The Prepared Household. 

JELLY AND JAM PREPARATION CLASS

Tina Blessett of Blessett's Jams & Jellies taught us how to make strawberry jam by pressure canning.  Tina says that the jam is better preserved  by pressure canning.  For photos of the fun workshop we had, please check out the Laurel County African American Heritage Center, Community Garden Project Facebook page here.

Happy Gardening ~ Melanie