Hello,

You all have heard (or received an email) about the fund raiser we are doing at Plateau Discovery Gardens for a full time PAID position Garden Coordinator.

We are only 16 days away from the deadline (April 1) to have your paperwork in (and either all or part payment). But since April 1 falls on a Sunday (and the office will be closed on March 30), we are moving the date to April 2 (just like filing your taxes on April 17 this year instead of the 15th) Attached at the bottom of the email is an information sheet and application for the Plateau Select vegetable program.

Just a reminder: (in case you lost the email or forgot):

We have come up with a program that we believe you might be interested in. As an extra benefit to your Friends of the Garden membership, we are offering you an opportunity to be one of the 50 to participate in our FIRST ever Plateau Select vegetable program. Since this is our first time doing this; this program is ONLY open to Master Gardeners and Friends of Garden members. We (Master Gardeners along with personnel from Plateau Research Education Center) will plant and grow a variety of American Select vegetables.

Starting in May and for 20 weeks (should you join) you will receive a 1/2 bushel of vegetables. Some weeks you will receive vegetables that you will know what to do with them. There will be other weeks that you will receive vegetables (kale, radishes, etc) and say to yourself, "what I am going to do with this?" Good news! We will supply you with recipes for those vegetables from our Master Gardener/Chef (professionally trained) Dean Towers. There will be an array of vegetables every week. 

You are now thinking, 1/2 a bushel is ALOT of vegetables for just me and my husband (or just you). And you are probably thinking what is the price for all of the great vegetables for 20 weeks? $600 in a one time payment (cash or check) or two payments of $325. Now, you say, WOW, that is a lot of money for me to pay. BUT, you can ask 5 friends to split the cost of the program (and share the 1/2 bushel of vegetables every week, or each person can get the 1/2 bushel of vegetables 4 times throughout the program). Then you are only paying $100 for 20 weeks of fresh American Select vegetables. How cool is that? And the great thing, is you know where your vegetables were grown---in Crossville, on SR 70. :)  Remember you can always ask friends and family to go in with you on the cost of the 1/2 bushel and just share the vegetables. Have you checked out the cost of tomatoes lately? Or any other vegetable? We are offering you 1/2 bushel, 20 weeks of vegetables, and locally grown on the Plateau (by Master Gardeners) for $600. I think that is a GREAT deal.

I have to be honest, there is a risk. If there is a freeze, drought or any other natural disaster that wipes out the crops; there are no refunds. There is a risk.  FYI: The freeze risk looks like it will not affect this year's crop; so that is one worry you can remove from your list. 

When you pick up your box, you will also have a survey inside the box. The survey is about the vegetables that you received that week. We want to know, how the vegetable tasted, how it looked, etc. Because this is our first year, we will want your feedback for future plantings. People like tomatoes but some don't like Beefsteak tomatoes. So, we would like to know that the Beefsteak tomato looked good but didn't taste good as the Brandywine. 

The following week you will bring your box back and get another clean (sterilized) box full of vegetables. We ask that you pick up your vegetables on YOUR pick up day (1/2 the people will pick up on one day and 1/2 will pick up on the other day). If you are on vacation and will not be able to pick up your box, we ask that you let us know a head of time (so your box doesn't just sit in the office and the vegetables rot). Or get a neighbor to pick up your box (and let them enjoy your vegetables).

Any questions please feel free to contact

Walt Hitch at 484-0034

or me (Erin Fletcher) at 456-8367 or my email [log in to unmask] 

Think about it, reach out to your neighbors and friends and see who wants to share locally grown vegetables for 20 weeks. Help us raise money for our Garden Coordinator while you eat healthy vegetables and learn new recipes.