Sand Hill Community Garden: Sharing Space, Growing Friendship

From Sand Hill Community Garden:

Volunteers from the Sand Hill area and surrounding neighborhoods harvested just over 2,070 pounds of leafy greens, legumes, and other fruits and vegetables from Sand Hill Community Garden in 2019. Around 79% of that total – 1,643 pounds – was donated to ABCCM and Montmorenci UMC for distribution to local people in need of food. All of this year’s edamame was “donated” to a rabbit. 10,138 pounds of food has been donated since 2014.

“Buncombe County Sports Park is our most visited park location each year and Sand Hill Community Garden sits at the entrance,” said Lynn Pegg, Buncombe County Recreation Services Program Manager. “The garden represents a commitment to community and sustainability – a positive message for all visitors. Whether you volunteer a few hours a week or a few hours a year, friendships are fostered and mountain spirit is affirmed by spending time out here.”

Want to Help Out?

In all, volunteers spent 832 hours sharing in garden space, knowledge, and labor using organic growing practices to promote community health and wellness. Anyone in Buncombe County is invited to help out at public work days beginning in March. Follow Buncombe County Recreation on Facebook and Instagram for exact dates and times when they are scheduled.

The early stages of planning for a community garden at Leicester Library have begun with a meeting scheduled for Jan. 15 at 6 p.m. Skyland/South Asheville Library has a volunteer-maintained pollinator garden maintained by Friends of the Library. If you have a personal garden, visit the free Seed Library at the Black Mountain branch.