Mitchell Giving Garden volunteers, board members and supporters gathered at the garden Tuesday, Sept. 7 to celebrate the anniversary of the garden and check in on the crops. Pictured from left to right is Pat Tompkins, Nichole Falco and Joe Falco. (Submitted photo)
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he Mitchell Giving Garden at Riverside Park has been in existence for a year and volunteers, project partners and others who helped establish it gathered Tuesday, Sept. 7 for an anniversary celebration.
The community garden aims to help those in the area facing food insecurity. In its first year, the garden produced a variety of fresh vegetables, some of which benefitted Sheperd’s Staff Food Bank in the form of nearly two dozen loads.
The community garden features more than a dozen raised beds, built and installed by volunteers from the Quartz Corp. during the company’s annual Volunteer Impact Day in 2020. The garden has more than 700 square feet of growing space.
The project moved forward after the Spruce Pine Town Council in a 2020 meeting unanimously approved a decision to offer the tract of land in the park to the Mitchell County Cooperative Extension, which helped coordinate the county-wide community garden initiative.
The garden’s raised beds mirror those in the Avery County Cooperative Extension Center Community Garden. Other “gardens that give” in Western North Carolina accomplish a similar purpose— providing fresh, healthy food to locals in need.
The anniversary celebration brought volunteers and partners together to observe the garden, adorned with colorful balloons for the occasion.
The project would be impossible without the help of volunteers like Nichole Falco, who was at the celebration.
“Volunteering has been an amazing way to connect with nature and my community while making friends,” Falco said. “And, the best part— getting to do something with my hands that’s good for others.”
Members of the Mitchell Giving Gardens Board were also present to recognize the garden’s anniversary. Board members also volunteer their time to help with the garden.
With cooler weather approaching, the team is planning for the fall while looking forward to future growing seasons and serving the community.
“We’ve been putting in fall crops and reflecting on the season,” said board member and volunteer Florence Grant. “The year has really flown. I’m just so grateful to everyone who helped make it a success.”