POTTSVILLE — A resurgence of interest in gardening is taking root in Schuylkill County.
Seed to Supper, a gardening program of the Penn State Extension Center, has been mobbed with applicants.
The Schuylkill County Master Gardener Seed to Supper program had space for 15 people, but 85 applied for the six-week course being held at the Salvation Army in Pottsville.
“There’s a waiting list of 70 people,” said Tom C. Reed, master gardener.
Food insecurity, high prices and concern over the quality of food is driving more people to plant vegetable gardens in their back yard and even on their back porch.
“We want to be more self-sufficient,” Amy Musco said. “We want to know where our food is coming from.”
Her husband, Seth, is a teacher and Amy oversees crops of tomatoes, beans, herbs and a variety of vegetables at their Orwigsburg homestead. They also have chickens.
“We just want to be more knowledgeable about growing things,” Amy said, citing the uncertainty of the times as a motivation for sustainability.
Members of the Penn State Master Gardener’s Seed to Supper program get in some practice at class in the Salvation Army in Pottsville. RON DEVLIN/STAFF PHOTO
Seed to Supper originated with the Oregon State University Extension, which partnered with the Oregon Food Bank to develop the curriculum in 2012.
The Penn State Extension Service Master Gardener program began adopting the Oregon program in 2021.
“Gardening picked up during the Covid pandemic,” said Tom C. Reed, Penn State Extension master gardener. “It’s been growing ever since.”
Combating food insecurity, Reed says, is one of the main objectives of the program.
Penn State master gardeners are working with agencies across the state to reach underserved populations. Included are food pastries, Head Start programs, hunger relief agencies, schools and churches.
“There’s a lot of food insecurity out there,” Reed said.
The Seed to Supper program can help ease food insecurity, advocates say in Penn State Master Gardener’s program. RON DEVLIN/STAFF PHOTO
About half of Pennsylvania counties have Seed to Supper programs. The classes at the Salvation Army, which are free, are the first in Schuylkill County.
During a recent class, Master Gardener Jim Clifford discussed various methods of planting.
“Know your soil, know your location, plant what you like to plant, do research,” he advised, “and hope for the best.”
Greg Gnat, retired Penn State Extension master gardener, chairs the Seed to Supper program.
Participants learn low-cost solutions for preparing healthy soil, planting and maintaining a vegetable program,” he said, “ultimately gaining the skills to harvest garden-fresh produce.”
Gnat gave first-hand advice as class members planted beans, okra and lettuce seeds in plastic containers.
Shanika Winds hopes to sharpen her skills to gain a better harvest in her backyard garden. She’s particularly interested in learning more about growing herbs.
“I’m interested in growing green onion, parsley and cilantro,” said Winds, a peer support specialist in Pottsville, “things I normally use in cooking.”
Master gardeners recommend “Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies For The Vegetable Garden” by Jessica Walliser and “Square Foot Gardening” by Mel Bartholomew as aids to good gardening.
For more information, contact Penn State Extension Service at 570-622-4225.
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