From Seeds to a Thousand Pounds of Produce… A Mission That Inspires!

I have a birds-eye view of one of the most inspiring groups of volunteers in Southern Virginia. Just 100 yards East of The Lago Luna Metal Art Studio is the home of Clarksville’s Lake Country Community Gardeners. A dedicated group that is aware that food insecurity is a huge problem, not only in the Clarksville Area, but all across the country. The Community Garden’s mission is to have a garden that produces fresh, healthy foods to provide to the Clarksville Food Pantry. Additionally, their mission includes educating residents about safe, effective, and sustainable garden management practices while fostering a fun, collaborative, community project.

The garden unites local people of all ages and backgrounds, providing a shared environment to learn about sustainable gardening. It promotes the cultivation of fresh vegetables and herbs, benefiting low-income families, single mothers, the unemployed, and the elderly. The Community Garden is a welcoming place where people can learn to grow delicious, healthy food, but it is also much more. One volunteer commented that the most important lesson she learned is, “while the basic activity is gardening, this community garden is a place for people to come together as a group to share and learn – a starting place for all kinds of community-based initiatives”.

The Clarksville Community Garden has a great core group of volunteers, but is always looking for more help. If you are interested in helping out, there are many ways to participate. The LCCG gardeners work together at least 2 days per week, maintaining, weeding, watering, and we delight in picking the fresh vegetables while enjoying the fresh air and exercise. Alternatively, you can help by making a tax-deductible financial contribution to LCCG Clarksville while helping others in the Clarksville community.

This story would not be complete without a few acknowledgements. The LCCG owes a great debt of gratitude to the Pittard family for generously providing the plot of land and their boundless farming expertise, without which the community garden would not be possible. And the Community Garden’s fearless leader Isa Minner. Isa is both a Master Gardener and an unstoppable force of nature.

Join the Clarksville Lake Country Community Gardeners and be part of something special!

Email the Lake Country Community Gardeners at lccgclarksville@gmail.com for further information.

Marc Staples
The Lago Luna Metal Art Studio
Buffalo Junction, Virginia