It has been a good week here in David, Kentucky. I am settling into my new job and meeting all the wonderful people who have been a part of the first year of Grow Appalachia at St. Vincent Mission. This past weekend we had volunteers from Little Paint Church of God come to help us get the community garden raised beds ready for winter with a good cleaning, composting and planting with winter wheat. While working with the compost we disturbed a family of mice (I didn’t scream or run or anything) and the youth pastor found a baby mole in one of the raised beds. I’m wondering if we are doing something wrong, especially in our compost. I don’t think four legged critters are part of the decomposition process.
This week I got to visit several of our partner families at home and I have to say I am pretty impressed with a couple of the gardens even if they are done for this year. I am planning classes in extending the growing season for several of these folks for next year because I’m sure they would still be out gardening if they could be. I also connected with my friend Bev May about working with us on organics and marketing. She is one of the group of local farmers who were instrumental in getting the Floyd County Farmer’s Market up and running the last two seasons and she gardens organically on the “May Farm” the same piece of land her grandmother worked decades ago. The May Farm was the site of a mushroom growing seminar just last weekend. I am looking forward to some great “fireside chats” with Bev this winter about all we plan on growing in the spring and selling in the summer.
Another great resource that has dropped in my lap comes from our partnership with the UK Extension Service, District One offices. They are running a seven session program entitled Family Home Gardening which is “designed for families wanting to learn about growing and preserving their own foods.” The sessions will be presented over the internet at all 20 District One offices. The first one is November 29th and is on Garden Planning and Preparation. I love it when I don’t have to invent the wheel, just grease it a bit.
As far as persimmons, well I am not even sure what they are but it sounded good in my title since I like things in threes. Hope your winter gardens are thriving, those of you with the foresight to plan ahead. Peace. Kathy
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