BSCTC COMMUNITY GARDEN RECEIVES GRANT TO BUILD GREENHOUSE

Big Sandy Community and Technical Colleges (BSCTC) Community Garden has a new greenhouse thanks in part to a grant from Kitchen Gardeners Internationals Sow It Forward Garden Grant Program.

We are extremely excited about the greenhouse, said Dr. Tom Vierheller, a professor of Biology at BSCTC. Carpentry Instructors Randal Haney and Adam McGinnis joined students on Monday, February 29 to construct the greenhouse. This will allow us to extend our growing season and possibly grow some things during the winter months.

The grant also included seeds from the Ark Institute and Renees Garden Seeds and a one-year subscription to Kitchen Gardeners Internationals Garden Planner.

Established in 2012 by a small group of faculty and staff members of BSCTC, the Community Garden is truly a garden for the community. Volunteers weed, plant, hoe and water the garden every season to supply produce to the Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry at St. James Episcopal Church.

During the growing season, the community garden produces beans, tomatoes, peppers, kale, spinach, squash, broccoli, peas, carrots, zucchini, onions, corn, kohlrabi, cucumbers, basil, spearmint, marjoram, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage. No pesticide or soil enhancers are used at the Community Garden.

Last year, the garden produced 2,000 pounds of fresh produce.

The garden was started in part by a grant from Grow Appalachia, a program of Berea College that seeks to solve pervasive food insecurity issues by restoring the relationship between the people and the land. Grow Appalachia provides seeds, plants, dirt and tools. Additionally, they provide organic fertilizer to use in the spring and lime to use in the fall.

To learn more about the BSCTC Community Garden, contact Dr. Vierheller at (606) 886-7344 or email thomas.vierheller@kctcs.edu or Tammy Ball at (606) 889-4787 or email tammy.ball@kctcs.edu