ARK continues to feed neighbors, launches 4th community garden in Kingston Springs
The ARK Community and Resource Center is expanding its efforts to fight food insecurity with a new garden space in partnership with the Town of Kingston Springs.
The ARK Community and Resource Center is expanding its efforts to fight food insecurity with a new garden space in partnership with the Town of Kingston Springs.
Located next to the town’s farmers market lot in downtown Kingston Springs, the new garden will serve as an extension of the ARK’s “Share the Harvest – Grow a Row” initiative, which encourages local residents to plant extra produce in their home gardens and donate the harvest to families in need.
ARK Director Mike Turpin said the idea builds on the program’s success last year, when local gardeners and farms donated hundreds of pounds of fresh food to the organization’s pantry.
“The Grow a Row started because of funding cuts,” Turpin explained. “We were receiving about 200 pounds of meat every two weeks through a federal program, and that dropped to just 26 pounds. We needed a way to supplement what we’re missing.”
Last year, the ARK weighed in roughly 1,700 pounds of donated produce during the growing season, thanks to contributions from home gardeners, local farms and partner organizations.
The ARK launched three volunteer-run community gardens last growing season: one at SKYKING Pizza’s green space; one at Westview Baptist Church and one on private property.
The site for the program’s fourth garden became available after Town of Kingston Springs City Manager John Lawless offered the property to the ARK. While the space required significant cleanup initially, Turpin said the town allocated funding to clear the overgrown lot.
“The Town of Kingston Springs is excited to be able to help The Ark Community Resource Center expand their garden program,” Lawless said. “This program is a resource that helps supplement their distribution of food by adding another productive food pantry garden to help our neighbors in South Cheatham County stay afloat.”
The garden will be managed by volunteer gardener Marina Madden and supported by a network of volunteers and local farmers. Organizers expect the space to include both in-ground planting and raised beds, with hopes of growing vegetables, flowers and other crops throughout the season.
While the new space will primarily supply produce for the ARK’s food pantry this year, Turpin said the long-term vision could include a traditional community garden model with individual plots for local gardeners.
In the meantime, the ARK is still encouraging residents to participate in the Grow a Row program at home. Free seed packets will again be available at Noah’s Closet, donated by local partners, with the simple request that gardeners dedicate a few plants to the pantry.
“If you take a pack of seeds, the only thing we ask is that you plant a couple plants for us,” Turpin said.
Produce donations can be dropped off at the ARK’s produce stand, where food is available to pantry clients and anyone in the community who needs it.
