How Does Gardening Feed You?

Plants grown in the Garden signify much more than colorful or flavorful flowers and produce. We asked the Garden team what gardening means to them, and how it feeds more than the guests at our Blackberry Farm tables.

“Gardening is the ultimate spiritual experience because when you’re around all these plants, you feel connected to them. They feed the soil, they feed you and then the cycle continues.”
—John Coykendall, Master Gardener at Blackberry Farm

“Being outside and engaging with nature is clarifying. It helps keep me grounded and feel in touch with the world around me. Agriculture is such an important part of what keeps the world moving.”
—Hope Thoms, Garden Supervisor at Blackberry Farm

“While I’m gardening, I just like to repeat to myself, ‘May you be happy, may you be healthy and may you be outside as much as possible,’ which is a quote that reminds me of how grateful I am to be out here doing something that I love and something that benefits others.”
—Hannah Posthumus-Wagner, Agricultural Technician at Blackberry Farm

“Being new at all of this, it’s helped me better understand the connection between plants, animals, water and us as humans and how it effects our health. It’s amazing how the smallest thing makes such a big difference.”
—Patrick Morales, Agricultural Technician at Blackberry Farm

“Gardening is something that I’ve done since I was a little kid. We had a family farm, and it’s been around for generations. So, gardening reminds me of my family and my childhood, while also simply being a good steward of the land, providing for people and taking care of our environment and the land.”
—Christen Waddell, Farmstead Manager at Blackberry Farm