Bob Gorby distributes grant checks to local community garden supervisors from New Martinsville and Paden City.

The New Martinsville and Paden City Community Gardens each received $1200 grants from the Little Kanawha Resource Conservation and Development Council for the 2020 growing season.

The LKRC&D is a non profit organization that is sponsored in part by the County Commissions and Conservation Districts in Calhoun, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Tyler, Wetzel, Wirt, and Wood Counties.

The RC&D is also a partner with the State Conservation Agency and collaborates with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Services and other agencies to improve the areas natural resources and economy at both gardens.

This is the fourth year that the Community Gardens under Grow Local Go Local have been fortunate to receive funding for their gardening projects. Bob Gorby, who represents Wetzel County on the RC&D Council states, “The LKRC&D is very pleased to support the community gardens in New Martinsville and Paden City.”

The Paden City garden supervisor plans to use their grant money to have the garden plowed in the spring, build 4 feet by 8 feet by 1 foot treated wood raised beds, as well as install additional animal troughs for raised beds for handicapped gardeners that can not get on their knees. In addition to this, they will also purchase needed soil, compost, and fertilizer to fill them.

The New Martinsville gardeners will use their grant money to purchase a tiller to eliminate the need to hire someone to plow the garden every year as well as a lockable shed to store this piece of equipment on the property.

Grow Local Go Local is a local organization working to develop personal and economic growth through growing and consuming locally grown fresh foods. GLGL would like to thank Bob Gorby and the LKRC&D for their continued support in helping local gardeners grow food for their families, elderly neighbors, and low income people within the county that are served by Catholic Charities and Community Resources in New Martinsville. 628 pounds of produce was donated from the gardens this past growing season with 108 community service hours performed.