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In Perry County, Illinois, the local 4-H Club was looking for a new community service project, so they contacted the assisted living facility Manor at Mason Woods in Pinckneyville to see if they were interested in having a garden. In the first year of planting, the club discovered that growing plants in clay soil could be difficult. That’s when the enterprising 4-H students enlisted the aid of the Perry County Master Gardeners club, who suggested the students create a lasagna garden. No, we’re not talking about the delicious layered pasta dish… we’re talking about a gardening procedure that involves layering peat moss, sawdust, leaves, straw, pine needles, grass clippings, horse manure, and compost to create a healthy growing climate for plants. The garden did so well the following year that it’s now being expanded to include more vegetables. Today, the Pinckneyville community makes a day of the planting event, bringing children and adults together to get the land ready and plant the vegetables. The 4-H Club says they check on the garden in small groups, but prepare the land and plant in larger sessions so the whole community can participate.

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