MORGANTOWN — West Virginians can once more join free vegetable seeds and gardening instruction from the Develop This: West Virginia Backyard Problem, a program of the West Virginia College Extension Household Vitamin Program.
Signal-ups opened on New 12 months’s Day and can run till January 31, 2022. All West Virginia residents are eligible. Contributors simply have to fill out a brief sign-up survey.
“The Develop This program has expanded annually, and we’re positive 2022 will likely be our most profitable 12 months but,” stated Kristin McCartney, WVU Extension Household Vitamin Program specialist and assistant professor. “We’re particularly excited to introduce a crop our individuals have by no means grown earlier than.”
Develop This crops for 2022 will likely be Roma tomatoes, cucumbers and Brussels sprouts. Contributors have grown tomatoes and cucumbers in years previous, however this would be the program’s first time making an attempt sprouts, that are a cool climate crop.
Along with complimentary seeds, Develop This individuals obtain a weekly e mail e-newsletter and compete in contests on the Develop This Fb web page. The Fb web page additionally permits gardeners to attach with WVU Extension Agriculture and Pure Sources specialists, who host common reside chats. To seek out out extra, go to facebook.com/growthiswv.
“Though most individuals be part of to obtain free seeds, the neighborhood that has sprung up round Develop That is actually probably the most thrilling half,” McCartney stated. “It’s so rewarding to see individuals go from full novices to skilled gardeners, feeding their households recent greens from their very own backyards.”
Develop This launched in 2018 with a couple of hundred individuals for its first few years. However in 2020, the launch coincided with statewide COVID-19 lockdowns, which resulted in practically 25,000 West Virginians becoming a member of this system. Develop This noticed related success in 2021.
This system has been so profitable that it has even been replicated by different universities. Oregon State College created the Develop This! Oregon Backyard Problem, now in its third 12 months, after seeing how properly it labored in West Virginia.
WVU Extension Household Vitamin Program’s work is supported by the Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP) from the USDA Meals and Vitamin Service.