by Steve Esser
Young Harris, GA (02/24/2026) — The saying about being in the right place at the right time could not be truer for the Young Harris College Gardening Club and the Lake Chatuge Rotary, as the two organizations have joined to help provide fresh vegetables in Towns County.
A tour by the YHC Gardening Club of the Lake Chatuge Rotary’s greenhouse project has led to a working relationship between the College and the Rotary. The Rotary lent hydroponic chambers to the College so the Gardening Club could grow lettuce during the fall and winter months.
“It was a great opportunity for both the Rotary and the College,” said Gene Boyd, with the Lake Chatuge Rotary. “When the Gardening Club toured our facility, I spoke with MyKala [Farran], and it just happened.”
“We shut down during the winter, because it became too difficult to keep the towers warm,” Boyd continued, “which is where it worked out perfectly with the College. The students keep the towers on campus and produce lettuce at a time when they would sit unused by us. So, it keeps them active year-round.”
Farran, a junior at YHC majoring in art, saw a way for both organizations to help each other.
“We were looking for ways to grow fresh vegetables for our YHC Campus Cupboard, and the Rotary had the hydroponic chambers, so it just made sense,” Farran said. “We’re both working to achieve the same goal, so it was a great way to help each other out.”
Lake Chatuge Rotarians have been growing vegetables for local food pantries since 2021. It started with a few hydroponic towers and donations from club members and local sponsors. They have now partnered with Juniper Junction Nursery in Hiawassee and have a dedicated greenhouse for their project. Members harvest and deliver bags of fresh lettuce to local food pantries on a weekly basis from late April until early November.
The YHC Gardening Club has been growing lettuce and distributing it in on campus to students and also at the Campus Cupboard’s monthly food distribution for the local community.
“We’ll look at growing fruit or other organic vegetables as well,” Farran said. “We’re just thankful for the opportunity. It worked out really well.”
“When we delivered the towers to the college, we provided them with lettuce seedlings that were ready to plant,” Boyd said. “We are hoping to have fresh seedlings grown by the YHC team ready to plant when we return the towers back to our greenhouse. This will help us harvest earlier in the season this year.”
YHC’s Campus Cupboard, a joint effort of YHC Religious Life, Sharp Memorial UMC, and the Food Bank of Northeast GA, hosts monthly food distributions on campus for the local community. The next distribution dates are:
- Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m.
- March 25. 5:30 p.m.
- April 22, 5:30 p.m.
About Young Harris College
Young Harris College is a private baccalaureate and master’s degree-granting institution located in the beautiful mountains of Northeast Georgia. Founded in 1886 and historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church, Young Harris College educates, inspires, and empowers students through an education that purposefully integrates the liberal arts and professional studies. The College offers 34 majors and 23 minors, ranging from biology or outdoor studies to business administration or kinesiology. Approximately 1,400 students are enrolled in its residential and Early College programs. The College is an active member of the NCAA Division II and remains a fierce competitor in the Conference Carolinas. For more information, visit yhc.edu.
