Community Gardeners in Floyd County, KY

St Vincent Mission's Grow Appalachia project is working with the Big Sandy Community and Technical College on their community garden. The garden has five 20 foot raised beds tended by several different groups. One of those beds is filled with peppers and zucchini and is lovingly tended by the Community United Methodist Community Gardeners, Sherry Shepherd, Debbie Reid, Cheryl Sexton and Bonnie Hale. It is truly a “community” effort.

(left to right) Sherry, Debbie, Cheryl and Bonnie

Cheryl donated the pepper plants which she had grown from seed. Sherry and Bonnie prepared the soil, planted the peppers and zucchini seeds and mulched around the plants to conserve moisture. Sherry devised a water systems using lightweight cart with 5 gallon jugs of water. Debbie joined the effort to help keep the plants watered during the “heat wave”. The women joined the project to grow fresh produce to donate to God’s Food Pantry and have already harvested 1/2 bushel of zucchini.

In fact, all the food grown in the five raised beds of the BSCTC community garden goes to feed the hungry at local food pantries. We have big plans for our community gardens and people like Sherry, Debbie, Cheryl and Bonnie are why we can dream big.

Sr. Kathy Curtis

July 18th