Project Hope receives a donation from the Alcoa Kiwanis to build raised beds in the community!
Project Hope Summer 2023 Projects:
October 21, 2023
Liles Organic Farm
We took a field trip to the Liles Organic Farm where we met Russell & Sheri Lilies on their 17 acre farm. They grow various fruits & vegetables plus raise goats, Llamas and an Angora Rabbit! Sheri shears the animals for their fur that she spins and weaves into textiles! Sheri also showed us all of her artwork & paintings!
We learned about organic gardening and how it can be self-sustaining. They also donate all their produce to Second Harvest for feeding the community! The kids were given pumpkins that they grew in their gardens. All the students and volunteers had a great experience at the Liles farm!
October 14, 2023
Pine Cone Spiders & Pumpkin Cookies
Today's activity was introduced by Ella to make pine cone spiders for Halloween. Olivia enjoyed learning how to use pine cones from springbrook park using beads, wiggle eyes and chenille stems to create pine cone spiders. Ella illustrated how to make the pine cone spider.
Rosiemarie introduced pumpkin cookies, tomato jam made from cherry tomatoes out of our garden and zucchini balls she picked out of project hope garden. Olivia was able to taste the different treats that were served and a different taste for Olivia. The adults enjoyed tasting the variety of treats Rosiemarie supplied.
October 7, 2023
All You can Eat Breakfast hosted by Homes Inc & Maple Lane Farms Corn maze
Project Hope takes students to the MLK Center on Franklin Street for an "all you can eat breakfast" hosted by HOME INC. Then we traveled to Maple Lane Farms for some fun. We enjoyed the corn maze & the beautiful scenery. #fieldtrip
September 10, 2023
Mr. Hill with Project Hope was presented an award from Blount County Soil & Water Conservation District for the 2023 Urban Agriculture Award.
The unveiling of the Dennis Freeman Community Garden. Leadership Blount, Class of 2023, and Project Hope are recipients of the Cherokee Health 2023 Community Partnership award. Mayor Mitchell of Blount County was in attendance.
A Hot August Day (Aug. 26)
It was a very hot day today in the gardens at Project Hope but the students and volunteers worked hard. They cleaned out beds and replanted kale and collard greens.
Community Service, Weeding & Delicious Fruit Tastings (Aug. 19)
What a beautiful day today for working in the Project Hope Gardens. The students started by bringing tomatoes and peppers to give out to the community. They returned and under the supervision of Nancy, John. Bob and Sissy they weeded and cleaned up the gardens.
We all then went inside to taste a watermelon, yogurt fresh mint smoothie. They also tasted an Italian Ricotta fresh peach (peaches were from their garden) quiche . A fun and hard working day by all. Our surprise guest was past student Will Robinson that dropped by to say hello. It is so nice to see students return to visit.
Corn Stalks, Weeding, Greenhouse, Seeds & More (Aug. 5)
The students and volunteer are pulling corn stacks after harvest. They are not able to re-use corn stacks for another year. They will move locations for the corn to be re-harvested with seeds because they are annual plants. Ms. Laura is weeding the summer squash. They are also an annual vegetable. They planted Buckwhate to trap crop. Olive picked chilli pepper out off the garden today. Her family cooks with chilli peppers all the time. Mr.Hill and Ms. Nancy has begun to prepare the green house with plastic to stop weeds from growing. The greenhouse is for growing crop in the winter. Ms. Ella did not go to the garden today because she illustrated the fruit and the students were able to be taste tester. She washed the seeds from the fruits so that they will be dried to be planted in the garden.
Maryville’s Farmers Market
Today at Project Hope we visited the Maryville Farmer’s Market. The students were able to see and talk individually with the different venders and see first hand how they make and grow different fruits and vegetables. They also were able to experience from other venders how they make jams, pastas’s, breads etc and learn their trade. We all ended at Mr Hills to sample some homemade melon soup, hibiscus tea and a baklava brought from Athens for the students to sample. #AppleClips
Hoop Houses & More
Today was a beautiful day to work in the Project Hope Gardens. We started inside with a lesson taught by Ella on the beginning stages of setting up a Hoop house. We are fortunate to have one this year so the class was on how to structure what will be put in the house and where to arrange it.
It was not only a great working day where the students picked the first tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, Brussel sprouts, blackberries, onions, and squash. They were also able to see the pollination of a bee flying around the corn stalks. It was a new learning experience in the kitchen.
Today, we introduced fennel to the students and a zucchini oatmeal cookie. Roe used both a yellow squash, a Palermo squash which is a heirloom squash from Sicily, in the cookies.
The students along with the guidance of John, Ella, Logan, Sissy, Bob and Nancy put in more tomato plants, cut suckers off of tomato plants, and helped in supporting the plants.
Today, the group did a lot of gardening & harvesting of produce…from squash to strawberries! The kids ate peaches off the tree and the volunteers picked blackberries! First picking of okra this season! We planted more tomatoes and cucumbers! It was a fun day!
Hard Days Work
A hard working Day at Project Hope for both students and volunteers. The community is fortunate to have all of you. Thank you all!
Gathering & Chocolate Chips
Another very productive day at Project Hope. The students and volunteers started in the gardens picking onions, garlic and Kale to give to seniors. They also worked with volunteers to stack plants, prepare boxes.
After we gathered inside to taste a cauliflower pizza casserole made by Roe. The Cauliflower was from the garden and fresh herbs used. A new tea was introduced and liked by all. It was made from the fresh skins of a pineapple boiled and steeped , I added cinnamon and homemade stevia that I made. I always promise the students if they eat their meal they get a treat. We ended with homemade chocolate chip cookies . Video below of our day.
The construction of our High Tunnel for some exciting experimentation by Project Hope students (2023).
Helping Others
Senior Citizens (Below) of Alcoa who were the recipients of Project Hope Spring Harvesting by our students.
Companion Planting & Insects
Project Hope students took part in a class taught by Ella on companion planting and insects. After another busy day in the gardens the students were treated to another way to use Kale . Roe made kale crepes filled with homemade salsa and cheese. Enjoyed and surprised by all.
Scarecrows, Ranch Dressing & More
Students participated in a lesson on scarecrows taught by Sissy. Then they enjoyed a lesson taught by Roe on garden variety of lettuce planted with a homemade ranch dressing using garden fresh herbs.
Bird Houses
A talk by one of our Master Gardners on blue bird houses. Students learned how to build them and take care of them.
Financial Literacy
April 8th class focused on Financial Literacy.
A Trip to Visit Mr. Whitehead
A visit to William Blount by Logan Hill, Nancy Neilson and Roe Cirina to see Mike Whitehead and a chance to buy some plants for the garden.
A added treat was to see the pineapples in the green house we had given Mike for his students to see if they could grow their own .
Parts of a Plant
Students participated in a class class taught by Ella on “Parts of the Plant”. The students went outside to start planting them in the gardens. Fun day!
Halls Community Clean-up
May 6, brought the students and volunteers out into the Halls Community to help with the clean up of the streets. An important lesson learned in helping your community. We were then treated to lunch.
Seeds
Students enjoy a class taught by Ella on seeds. We were then able to visit the library and learn about the seed catalog etc that the Master Gardners have put into the library.
Planting Preparation
Morning of March 25 working in the new raised bed to get it ready for plantings .
RAISED BEDS
Another busy Saturday in March getting the raised beds ready for planting and cleaning out gardens.
March 4, 2023 Opening day at Project Hope.
March is dedicated to getting the gardens ready for spring planting. The students under guide of volunteers and Logan Hill start to clear out and prepare the beds. They were treated to a tasting of a kale quiche.