Gathering - Bringing our Community Garden vision to life

Jun 19

5 min read

Welcome to The Gathering

If you're new here — welcome! We've had a wonderful surge of new subscribers lately and we're so glad you found your way to this little corner of the local food world. The Gathering is our bi-weekly newsletter from Mint 'N More Foundation, where we share what we're learning, who we're gathering with, and how you can take one small step toward a healthier, more connected relationship with the food grown right here in Knoxville. We're glad you're along for the season.

For those who've been with us a while — thank you for being part of this from the start. This issue feels like a milestone. We're sharing the story behind our community garden, recapping an unforgettable ribbon-cutting celebration, and giving you a few ways to get involved, get outside, and get your hands on something locally grown. One of them involves ripe strawberries. Happy reading!

Group photo of happy community gardeners

Practice | What we are growing and learning

Last fall, on an empty lot at 701 E. Montgomery, we threw a Community Garden party and asked people to use their imaginations. We asked them to picture raised beds full of vegetables, pollinator plots buzzing with life, perennial food plants coming back year after year, and a tool shed that doubles as a community hub. People showed up, looked around, and said yes.

In the months that followed, we built fences, installed raised beds, and welcomed gardeners of all ages to tend their plots and learn hands-on growing skills alongside us. Now that the dream has become something you can actually walk through and touch, it feels like the right moment to revisit why we believed a community garden belonged in a town like Knoxville in the first place.

The case for community gardens

Community gardens are more than a place to grow vegetables. They're one of the most studied, evidence-backed ways a small town can improve health, strengthen relationships, and stretch household budgets — all from the same patch of ground.

Research finds that community gardening is associated with higher fruit and vegetable intake, improved physical health, and meaningful psychosocial benefits — including reduced stress, improved mental health and wellbeing, greater social support, and stronger community cohesion. Gardens also contribute at the neighborhood level: they beautify shared spaces, build social networks, encourage physical activity, and create a sense of belonging that crosses generations and backgrounds. People who garden together tend to eat better, feel less isolated, and report a stronger connection to the place they live. And we experience this when we are there working, from children showing up with their parents to weed a plot to neighbors stopping by to offer words of encouragement or chat about what’s growing today.

Why this matters here in Knoxville

This isn't an abstract benefit for a far-off city. In 2024, the median household income in Knoxville was $61,599 — meaningfully below the state and national averages — and 11.4% of Knoxville families live in poverty. For many families, the cost of consistently fresh, nutritious food is a real consideration, not a footnote.

A community garden plot can offset some of that pressure directly — reducing grocery costs while improving access to fresh produce. And in a town our size, the social return matters just as much as the financial one: a shared space where neighbors of every age and background can show up, dig in, and build something together.

That's exactly why we built ours — and why we're so excited about what's growing in it.

Gather | Community in Action

What. a. Day.

We officially opened the Knoxville Community Garden with a ribbon-cutting celebration alongside the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce and so many community members who came out to mark the occasion.

Sosia Duffy, our Local Food & Agriculture Outreach Manager, reflected on how this garden represents something bigger than rows of vegetable beds: a place where generations and backgrounds come together, where patience and responsibility are quietly taught, and where a single planted seed can grow into both food for families and friendships that take root alongside it.

She also took time to recognize the people who made the garden possible — our founder Mikol Sesker, whose vision of cultivating health by nourishing agriculture started it all, and the many donors, community partners, local leaders, and volunteers whose time and generosity turned that vision into something real. Her closing wish was simple: that this garden would continue to grow and flourish, offering nourishment, beauty, and inspiration to everyone who visits it.

And then, the best part: the ribbon was cut, cookies were shared, and the garden was officially open.

If you missed it, the garden is here and growing — come see it for yourself.

Join us…

Pickles & Salsa Classes — June 27 and July 18

Get your jars ready. Our upcoming fermentation and salsa class will give you hands-on practice turning fresh local produce into something you'll be proud to put on the shelf. Full details on our website.

Rural Routes: Crooked Gap Farm — July 25

Join us for our second Farm Day Out! Meet the animals, learn how land and livestock work together, and enjoy pasture-raised food in community.

2nd Annual Farm to Table Dinner — August 22

Join Jonith and her talented team at Hometown Market and Deli as they guide us through a four course journey of local foods. Menu, farm suppliers and details on our website. Get tickets early, this will be a night you won’t forget!

Click here for event details and registration!

Take Root | Your Next Step

There's no shortage of ways to get outside, get your hands in the dirt, and connect with the food growing around you this season.

Volunteer with us

Now that we have the garden built and are finishing up our Foodscape we are working into routines of caring for the space. We have had several people offer to volunteer with us and we will be organizing volunteer days soon. If this is something that interests you, we’d love to have you join us. Whether you have an hour or an afternoon, your help keeps these pollinator-friendly spaces thriving for the whole community to enjoy. Just reply to this email and say, "I want to volunteer!" and we will get you plugged in!

Get outside and harvest something

You don't need your own garden plot to enjoy what's growing around Knoxville. Take a walk through our Foodscape, (an edible garden for the community to enjoy), on the yard of our office and market space at 112 S First Street-the strawberries are ripe and the herbs are ready for picking! Or visit the community community garden, or simply take time to appreciate what's blooming and producing in the green spaces near you. Nature doesn't ask for much — just a little attention.

Shop Gathered Local Foods Market — opening July 1st

We're almost there. Our online pre-order market opens for ordering on July 1st, with the first pickups happening July 8th and 9th right here in downtown Knoxville. Licensing is approved, and vendors are actively adding products — fresh produce, pasture raised meat, and more, with new offerings joining regularly. It’s a great way to support local producers, even if you aren’t the type to get your hands dirty. Sign up for launch alerts →

Get outside. Get growing. Get connected to where your food comes from. There's a lot to take root in this season. And if you need recipe inspo, you can always check out our Cooking Local guide!