At only 13 and 15 years old, Girl Scouts Cheyenne and Brianna have helped feed the hungry in Clay County. The young ladies planted, cultivated, and reaped over 270 pounds of produce from their 20′ by 20′ community garden plot.
Cheyenne and Brianna securing tomatoes in the garden
With the assistance of the Master Gardeners of Clay County and the NC Cooperative Extension Agricultural Agent, the young ladies were guided through the process of growing the garden, identifying pests, and learning how to maximize their yield. When asked about the highlights of their project, the young ladies will quickly tell of their pineapple tomatillo discovery. With the help of a Master Gardener, the girls were able to identify this rare plant originally thought to be a weed.
The produce grown in their garden plot was donated to the local REACH shelter, Oak Grove UMC’s church food pantry, the Clay County Food Pantry, and other pantries in the county. In addition to their produce donation, Cheyenne and Brianna sold seed packets at the farmers market on Hayesville Historic Square. Proceeds from the sale were donated to Matt’s Ministry, a local food program for children. Although the young ladies never saw who received their produce or help prepare and serve meals during this project, they know they helped to feed their fellow Clay County residents and school mates.
Through this extraordinary work, Cheyenne and Brianna earned their Silver Award. They look forward to making a difference in the hunger relief movement next growing season by selling seeds and growing an extra plot at the community garden.