The Cullowhee Community Garden was identified by the Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Action Team as a program that, when combined with other actions in our community, has a reasonable chance of making a difference in healthy food consumption as well as weight status in our community. The audience for this strategy is the community at large. This strategy aims to make a difference at the individual level-- increasing knowledge and influence on individual attitudes and beliefs towards health. Implementation will take place community-wide in Jackson County.

The Cullowhee Community Garden is a project of the Jackson County Department of Public Health. The garden provides space, tools, and materials for community members to grow produce organically. Each gardener agrees to donate one half of the produce grown in their plot to help our community food relief programs. There is no monetary fee for joining the garden, only the 50% donation.

• Jackson County Department of Public Health
  • Role: Plan, organize, and implement the program, program promotion
• Western Carolina University
  • Role: Assist in program implementation, program promotion

2017 Updates

Workshops:

• WCU Biology Class - Garden tour & education

Community Outreach:

• Group Seed Order at the Jackson County Farmers Market
• WCU Service Learning Fair
• Assisted with Nutrition & Dietetics program at WCU to provide garden spaces and education at a local Head Start child care center. 
• Co-hosted a seed swap event with the Southern Seed Legacy & WCU Anthropology Dept
• Adopt a Pot fundraiser with WCU for children's space in the Garden
• HIGHTS honey bee project - honey bee hive is now set up and operating. The honeybees are healthy and are already working at making honey, and helping with pollination in the garden.
• 5 bee hotels installed
• Presentation to Otto Community Development Organization on community gardening
• Presentation at JCPL on community gardening
• 4/5 water tank stands have been built in the garden

Volunteers:

• So far, the CCG has seen 415 individual volunteers throughout 2017 

2016 Updates

During 2016, The Cullowhee Community Garden hosted a series of educational workshops. Topics included fruit tree pruning and handling pests, weeds, and diseases in an organic garden. The Garden also hosted a seed swap and seed saving event at the Farmer's Market.

Volunteers:

The Garden had a total of 537 individual volunteers throughout 2016 – that is over $35,000 worth of in-kind donations of time to the Garden.

Additional Information: 

The CCG received a Service Learning Award for partnership with Western Carolina University