Three Gardens That Give Back
Health, hope, jobs, and life skills spring from patches of green
food heroes
From Dirt With Love
Lynn Woodward, aka “Mama Moo” (named such from her grandson) gardens on 25-acres at her home in Arrington, south of Nolensville. She does it all by hand and as she says “with her sharp shooter shovel.” In 3 years, her garden has grown to over 10,000 square feet. Flowers and plants are everywhere. Many the progeny of seeds flung here and there. She donates her food to the Nashville Food Project and to fellow parishioners at St. A’s Chapel in Vanderbilt. She gives away the rest to those who come calling. “Just get a bucket and go pick what you want” says Mama as she follows along spouting facts about the soil and the name of tomato varieties and eggplants and carrots. Mama has a green thumb and a heart as big as the California Giant zinnias she has growing. She just” wants folks to eat healthy.”
We met Charlie Coffey aka “the squash guy” last year while he was giving away squash from the Cul2vate gardens. Charlie grew up on a farm in Phil, KY, (once called Coffey Town as his family had nummerous farms there) and still goes back weekly to farm there. A retired Vanderbilt teacher, he assists his son with his produce business in Bellevue and serves as a garden advisor to Cul2vate. He raises summer and winter squash at the Brentwood Baptist Church Mission Garden, where they donate the produce to the Nasvhille Food Project, Graceworks and Community Kitchen Outreach. He also grows butternut squash as a hobby.
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