With COVID-19 in every county, we’re all working to flatten the curve– by staying home.
And that means many are trying new things. Our Morgan Koziar caught up with a local club–
seeing interest from a growing number of people. There are a lot of great hobbies to take up while your at home– like reading, baking or even gardening.

With stay at home orders in place, many people have a lot of time on their hands…to take up new hobbies. And some Americans are taking this time to try out their green thumb. “Spending time in nature helps to relieve any stress or anxiety especially now with people being — on the stay at home.” Lisa Merschiltz, is the co-president of the Blair Garden Club. She says there are many benefits to gardening, “it does help to improve your mood it boosts feelings of well being and it lets you get outside you’re more active.”

And Lisa says there’s even scientific research that says gardening can help with depression, “if you are working with soil, there are these anti-depressant microbs in your soil, some people look at me but it is proven on they do help you know with any depression, you know i think it helps to life your spirits.”

Lisa says gardening is a great way to practice social distancing, “it’s also great social distancing activity because you know if you say you’re going out to weed or deadhead in the flowerbeds or vegetable garden everybody leaves you alone.”

And gardening can be be a way to grow your own food, “like lettuce spinach, radishes are very easy but i don’t eat radishes so i don’t grow them,” says Lisa.

If you don’t know where to start, Lisa says take baby steps…”if people do want to get started in gardening you know just start small if you’ve never gardened before it can be a lot of work i will not deny that fact.” Lisa says there are many resources available online that are helpful like the Penn State Master Garders.