Beaufort County sustainability project rooted in farming

• Teaching, Feeding, Learning: Beaufort County Cooperative Extension (PPT)

By Todd McGee
Communications Director

Beaufort County leaders wanted to do something to address a growing medical crisis in the nation – obesity among children. The solution they devised touched on many other issues and will help maintain the county's sustainability well into the future.

According to Beaufort County Extension Director Ann Darkow, the cost of poor health among children is staggering. She estimated that 8 percent of the total Medicaid dollars spent in the county in 2007 – or more than $3.5 million – were directly related to overweight and obesity. She noted a survey that revealed that 74 percent of children in North Carolina were not getting the recommended daily servings of vegetables, and that 27 percent were not getting enough physical activity each day.

With funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and support from Beaufort County Public Schools, Cooperative Extension started a supplemental nutrition assistance program to provide education about the benefits of a healthy diet and exercise aimed particularly at children from low-income families.

But Darkow and county leaders were not content with just an education program. They wanted to provide children with an opportunity to get their hands dirty through a community garden. Working in the garden, Darkow believed, would provide physical activity, and the fruits and vegetables grown in the garden would improve their diet and provide a sense of accomplishment.

"We wanted to encourage gardening and the health benefits of eating local, fresh produce," Darkow said. "Family meals are associated with a greater intake of fruits and vegetables and fewer fried foods and soft drinks."

For a small licensing fee, families can garden a plot. The garden is protected by a seven-foot deer fence, and well water is provided for irrigation. The soil is also treated with lime and fertilizer.

In addition, gardeners have access to all sorts of training and educational programs and are taught about nutrition as well, including the proper way to store and prepare fresh produce.

The Beaufort County Community Garden required several partners. The City of Washington provided the site and agreed to lease the land for $1 per year. A local farmer volunteered to plow the field, and churches, civic groups and schools provided financial support and helped spread the word about the program.

The biggest boost came from the Beaufort County Master Gardeners, a group that consists of graduates of the N.C. State University Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program. Darkow said that 63 master gardeners provided nearly 2,000 volunteer hours of service and raised more than $4,000 through fundraisers and training fees.

Currently, Darkow said 29 plots had been licensed to groups that included Easter Seals and the Beaufort County Developmental Center, which are using the plots to teach their clients work skills.

For more information, contact Darkow or Cooperative Extension Agent Tanya Weyhrauch at (252) 946-0111.