Joining the Grow Appalachia Team ~by Marlyn at High Rocks

Hello. My name is Marlyn McClendon and I am the latest Grow Appalachia AmeriCorps member here at High Rocks this year.  I am a native of WV and one thing that I love about my state is the changing of the leaves at beginning of fall. There’s hardly a place you can go without noticing the indulgent purples, golden yellows, and burning reds covering the mountainsides.

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind, with job trainings, workshops, tutoring and our Nettlefest Fundraising kicking off the beginning of the volunteer year. My first two Grow Appalachia workshops were really inspiring because of the contagious enthusiasm from our Grow Appalachia participants and High Rock girls who attended.

As of right now, all my attention is going into the high tunnel here at High Rocks. I’ve been loosening soil and getting the beds ready to plant some greens for the winter. One of our goals is to use mostly local produce in the meals we serve at High Rocks and to keep the girls learning about and practicing healthy/local food choices.

I look forward to my year with Grow Appalachia and seeing the progress we make towards growing our own food in our families and communities!