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By Tana Shealey

Alabama Cooperative Extension Coordinator

Residents milled around the square in front of the Lowndes County Courthouse during the Tour of Wellness Community Health Fair on June 29. Alabama Cooperative Extension System educator Roosevelt Robinson braved the hot weather to teach the impact of home-grown fruit and vegetables. 

“Food is medicine. What better way to reduce nutrition-related chronic diseases and food insecurity than growing your own meals?” Robinson asked.

“There are many benefits of growing your own fruit and vegetables,” Robinson told each group who stopped by his display table. “One relatively inexpensive way to garden is by using five-gallon containers,” he said.

Robinson explained that by drilling holes in a bucket, placing that bucket inside another container, and threading rope ends from one bucket to the other for irrigation, a person could create a movable garden. 

“A 5-gallon bucket holds the right amount of soil for roots to thrive and takes up minimal room so as not to crowd a deck or patio,” he said. Home grown food can also benefit family budgets.

“Instead of spending three or four dollars buying one bell pepper, you could grow your own bell pepper plants in a container,” Robinson told a couple who stopped to look at his display of a large bell pepper plant growing inside a plastic bucket. 

Robinson is the Assistant Director of Urban Agriculture, Forestry, Wildlife and Natural Resources with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. He is a familiar educator in Lowndes County Public Schools teaching free classes to students about building and planting raised-bed gardens. Robinson also offers free classes for senior citizens teaching them about container gardening.

For more information about wildlife, natural resources, and gardening classes, contact the Alabama Cooperative Extension Lowndes County office by calling 334-548-2315.