Home gardening and food preservation practices of the elderly in rural Kentucky

Abstract

Previous research on the nutritional vulnerability of the elderly has failed to examine the unique potential for dietary enhancement provided by gardening and food preservation among the rural elderly. The goal of this paper is to describe contemporary home gardening and food preservation practices in persons 55 years and older in rural Kentucky. Data come from a year of qualitative research and two subsequent surveys designed to record seasonal variation in diet and nutritional strategies of a sample of 639 respondents. Fifty‐six percent of the elders had home gardens; they were in better functional status and less likely to live alone than nongardeners. A core garden of 7 items most commonly raised was identified from a total of 22 items reported. Most elders preserved home produce; preservation techniques specific to particular foods are identified. Patterns of foods grown and favored preservation techniques are analyzed in relation to historical traditions, traditional beliefs, and food preferences in the region. Key words: Home gardeningfood preservationnutritional anthropologyelderlyruralethnographyKentuckyAppalachiaseasonal variabilitynutritional strategies