Broken Bolts, Cushaw Cupcakes, and lots and lots of Rocks-- Kathleen Powers, Pine Mountain

Maggie and Chelsea representing Grow Appalachia

This week has been a very trying, and tiring week for Grow Appalachia at Pine Mountain, we were very excited to finally have dry weather and begin plowing gardens, and what plowing we did get done was very gratifying.  We are pleased to know that the rotary plow attachment on the Grillo works wonderfully, plows the ground well, and is able to throw out really large rocks (a necessary ability in many of our participants’ gardens). However we only made it through Tuesday morning before we had a slight mishap that required us to order new bolts for the Grillo, which cannot be found in any local hardware stores.

      So, stalled with plowing for the week, we continued on and held a successful Grow Appalachia meeting at which participants received hand tools, fertilizer, and the last of their plants and seeds for a while. Everyone is eager to get their potatoes in the ground, and ready to put their new tools to use!

Cushaw Cupcakes and bread

Roasted Vegetable prepared by the cooking
 students of What's Cookin Now Host Jenny Williams

      We also had the opportunity to attend the Taste of Hazard on Thursday evening to represent Pine Mountain Grow Appalachia. At the event we set up a table with GA information, free seed packets, and Cushaw bread and cupcakes.  The sweets disappeared quickly and everyone at the event seemed to enjoy themselves. We are really trying to increase awareness of Grow Appalachia and the work that it is doing and have plans to set up tables at festivals in the area throughout the summer. Many of our participants seem excited about this and have signed up to take turns staffing the table to advertise Grow Appalachia and use the opportunity to sell cottage goods they have made, such as jams, jellies, and honey.
     As I am writing this Maggie is out putting the new bolts on the Grillo and getting us ready to plow again, hopefully next week everything will work in our favor and our participants won't have to wait any longer to get their gardens started!