What a year it was at The Garden! As we wrapped up 2025, we’re reflecting on the incredible progress we’ve made in growing food, environmental stewardship, and growing community.
This year, we planted over 330 fruit trees, nut trees, fruit bearing vines, canes, and bushes, including 135 pawpaw trees and 80 persimmon trees. Together we are cultivating a genetically diverse ecosystem that provides food and habitat for our community and local wildlife.
Our community gardens have been bursting with life! We stayed busy teaching, learning, and practicing organic methods of no-till raised bed gardening. The gardens produced food for our onsite community kitchen, the local free food boxes in town, as well as a free food giveaway in Nashville. We have allocated about an acre of land to “The Rainbow Garden,” a space dedicated to growing food specifically for the gatherings. This year we sent over 400 lbs of produce to the annual Rainbow Gathering.
We’ve expanded our animal family with the addition of heritage breed turkeys and Muscave ducks to our chicken flock, while also working in collaboration with our neighbor to incubate eggs for both The Garden and our neighbor. It’s been a joy to watch our feathered friends!
Our annual Spring and Fall Gatherings were a hit, bringing together land projects and groups that share our values. We shared meals, music, and conversation, and celebrated each others creativity with variety shows. Much of the perennials were planted during these gatherings, as well as movement on some big natural building projects, demonstrating what we can do together. We’re proud to hold in common a space where people can come together, share, and connect.
At the beginning of the year, we made a conscious decision to go alcohol-free, unless we consensually agree to have an intentional celebration with a home brew. This was a step in our commitment to creating a safe, inclusive space for everyone.
As we head into 2026, we’re grateful for the community that’s grown around The Garden. Thank you to everyone who’s been a part of the journey!
The Garden 