Moving Right Along-- High Rocks, Renae Anderson and Erica Marks

It is going to be a very busy week here in Pocahontas County. Today we have the arrival of our solar fan for the greenhouse, the soil test results, the seed order and the fertilizer. Erica Marks, our new coordinator is already out meeting participants and working hard. The rain has stopped momentarily but hopefully it will stay away long enough for us to get some plowing and tilling done. We are getting daily emails and phone calls from participants who are eager to get started. We have two hired plows ready to get started; now all we need is some sunshine to dry up the wet ground.

Last Sunday gardeners young and old crowded into an historic log cabin to share seeds, snacks, and stories.  Grow Appalachia community garden participants at the Pearl Buck House hosted a Seed Saving Workshop and Seed Swap.  More than 30 people attended and learned techniques from a panel of local experts.  We learned that saving seeds not only saves money, but preserves varieties that have become adapted to local conditions over many years.  Participants brought seeds that have been in their families for years and passed from the "old timers" to new generations of growers.