AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. — This year, the Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Grow More, Give More program is helping gardeners in a brand-new way. Each month, the program will feature a Harvest of the Month. From the garden plot to the sauté pan, these features will include growing instructions from the Grow More Garden Series and delicious recipes for some of your favorite garden bounties.

“The Grow More Garden Series is a great resource for basic tips on growing many common fruits and vegetables, but we didn’t want to stop there,” said Bethany O’Rear, an Alabama Extension home grounds, gardens and home pests regional agent. “Often, one of the biggest challenges with gardening is knowing how to prepare what is harvested. Pairing these growing instructions with relevant recipes helps remove the guesswork.”

Harvest of the Month

Through the Alabama Extension website and social media accounts, Grow More, Give More will feature a Harvest of the Month throughout the year. Each month, a web page will contain a growing card for the featured produce and two recipes that use that produce.

The growing card contains information and helpful hints specific to that vegetable, fruit or herb. This includes items such as soil requirements, fertilizer needs and insect and disease concerns. Sometimes, it can be difficult to think of ways to cook something that you are growing for the first time or new ways to cook produce that you have grown for years. The recipes on these web pages will help by highlighting different, and often unique, ways to use that produce in the kitchen.

“It is a lot of fun seeking out new recipes from several of our community partners,” O’Rear said. “Not only are Live Well Alabama recipes featured but we are also incorporating selections from the Alabama Farmers Federation, and are including everything from appetizers to desserts.”

Join in on the Fun

January’s Harvest of the Month is Brussels sprouts. This small, cabbage-looking vegetable often gets a bad rap, mainly because of the way people prepare it. When cooked correctly, many people find them to be quite delicious. To find this Harvest of the Month, and to follow along all year long, visit www.aces.edu/go/HarvestoftheMonth and follow Alabama Extension on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

About Grow More, Give More

The Grow More, Give More program is in the fight against food insecurity in Alabama. A network of Alabama Extension professionals and volunteers provide practical advice and expertise, helping both experienced and novice gardeners succeed in gardens of every size. The program then encourages these gardeners to grow and share extra produce with their communities and those in need. For more information, visit www.aces.edu/go/GrowMore.