Dusty Fife with the AgriLife Extension and Better Living for Texans is bringing a new gardening class to Pilot Point residents.
The Healthy Communities Garden Course will be seven weeks of courses resulting in a community garden for students adjacent to the community center.
“GNHC, helps increase the availability of fresh produce through teaching participants how to grow fruits and vegetables in community and backyard gardens,” Fife said. “A part of the Better Living for Texans program, the gardening series includes topics such as how to select the right garden location, planting and watering techniques, controlling insects, and composting.”
Fife said the class, beginning Feb. 12 and being held at the Pilot Point Community Library on Wednesdays from 2-3 p.m., will be the first of a series if it goes well.
“I’ve done several classes with the library, and many of the participants were asking for a gardening class,” Fife said. “We’ll continue to do garden classes. We’re hoping to offer the class in the next growing season to a new group of people. This would be ideal to keep the program going and introduce gardening to more people in the community.”
Fife admitted that the timeframe could make it difficult for some to participate.
“This is the timeframe the library had available, and this is basically a trial run,” Fife said. “We’re going to evaluate whether this is a good time to have the program or not based on the participants that show up. We’ll be doing a survey.”
There is room for 30 students in this first iteration, with 10-11 spots already filled.
“It is first come, first served,” Fife said. “The last time I checked we had about 10-11 people signed up. I’m really looking to get more people in the community to come join this gardening class and to come be a part of the community garden.”
She explained that the course is free thanks to her connection to BLT and has been improved by donations from Dennis’ Farm Store, D&L Farm and Home in Aubrey, the Texas Farm Bureau and Home Depot Prosper.
“This particular role allows me to work with people that are on food stamps or government assistance,” Fife said. “That’s what separates my programs from other AgriLife programs that cost money. I specifically try to work with people in this area [and demographic].
This first crop will feature onions and red tomatoes in two 8’x4’x1’ raised beds.
“It’s not a huge garden,” she said. “We’re starting small. We’re trying to supplement more fruits and vegetables to our participants because half of them are those that are on SNAP or receive some type of government assistance so part of our audience is needing more fresh fruits and vegetables, so we’re trying to accommodate them.”
Excess food not taken by students will be donated to Shepherd’s Storehouse.
“The best way to get into the class is to reach out to the library and get on their sign up list,” Fife said. “I’m making it a seven-week course because a lot of people miss one class. The last class I leave for people who have missed a class to come make it up.”
