Ark's 'Grow a Row' initiative provides 1,500 boxes of fresh food
This article, written by a volunteer of The Ark, is the second in a series of five stories that will highlight the generous work of the local nonprofit organization ahead of its annual fundraiser, Supper & Song, on Sunday, Oct. 19. Purchase your tickets to help South Cheatham families stay afloat today.
This past spring, as planting season began, The Ark Community Resource Center launched its Share the Harvest – Grow a Row initiative. Started at the South Cheatham nonprofit during a time of funding cuts, the program encouraged local gardeners to grow a little extra – not just for their own families, but for neighbors in need.
What makes this effort so special is how it began – not from a top-down strategy, but from locals who saw a need and wanted to meet it. Every extra tomato plant, squash vine and herb sprig donated carried more than food – it carried compassion and dignity.
Now, as we move into the fall season, those first plantings have ripened into abundance. The rows that began as small acts of generosity in the spring are now producing baskets of fresh food for our community pantry. What started as seeds of hope are now tangible meals for neighbors across Southern Cheatham County.
“As of mid-August, our Grow a Row and Share the Harvest initiatives have brought in more than 1,700 pounds of produce,” an Ark volunteer said. “That’s nearly 850 bags of potatoes, close to 14,000 tomatoes, two pickup trucks piled high, and over 1,500 boxes of fresh food placed into the hands of local families. It’s a simple, beautiful picture of neighbors feeding neighbors.”
Neighbors and friends turned extra garden rows into lifelines. One row became many. One plot multiplied into a network of kindness. And today, The Ark’s pantry is stocked with fresh, healthy food because our community – you – chose to act.
And the thanks go far and wide. To the ones who opened their property so others could learn. To the gardeners who shared their knowledge. To the little girls whose seeds brought in seven pounds of okra. From West Glow, Harpeth Moon, Skyking, Wonder Gift and Garden to S.E. Daugherty and Sons and all the donations in between.
It’s about gathering. It’s about connection. It’s about listening. Sometimes it starts small – even with a short video by a local gardener, Amy Parman, and the support of Ark Director Mike Turpin to get folks rolling. And from that spark, momentum grows.
“It’s been great to see the Kingston Springs community get even more connected through this project – every time we’re working on the gardens, someone stops to talk and ask questions, and some have even gotten involved," said Parman, who helped The Ark launch its Grow a Row initiative earlier this year.
As fall unfolds and gardens prepare for their final harvest, Share the Harvest reminds us: generosity grows season after season. When a challenge arises, we gather – and in this case, we plant, we share and we support each other.
To the gardeners who showed up with bags and baskets, and to the beginners who learned how to grow their first row – thank you. Share the Harvest has always been about more than produce. It’s about connection, community and leaning into the needs.
We’ve learned so much this first season – how to do it better for the future, and how to make sure this initiative continues to grow and carry forward. And it will.
Learn how you can be a part by:
- Planting an extra row next spring
- Donating produce to The Ark Community Resource Center
- Sharing your knowledge, time or property for future plantings
- Volunteering at The Ark Community Resource Center
Together, we can keep this harvest growing.
We’d love for you to be part of this work. One way is by joining us at our annual Supper & Song this October, or by looking through our support packet around the event. And if you’re local, we’d be glad to welcome you in as a volunteer to experience firsthand the heart of this mission.
Supper & Song tickets can be purchased here. If you feel inclined to give back to the community in a larger way, please see our additional sponsorship packages here.
