Gardens are the place where food begins. From seeding all the way to harvest, growing our own food connects us more deeply to the land, our food system, and each other. Our gardens are thriving ecosystems of plants and people where community members gather to grow the foods they want and need.

“The community farm creates community by offering a place where gardeners and farmers can grow their own food and engage with each other. It allows us to share growing tips with each other and creates a sense of belonging”
— Bridget Bryant, Community Farmer at Mill Ridge

Community Gardens

McGruder Community Garden in North Nashville and the Community Farm at Mill Ridge in Antioch bring people of all ages together to grow fresh, healthy, and culturally meaningful food. Through regenerative agriculture, these spaces nourish both the land and community members who lack reliable access to healthy produce.

2024 Big Wins for Community Gardens

  • The focus at Mill Ridge and McGruder is expanding land access for community gardeners. 

  • Almost 10,000 sq/ft of space was added and plots will be allocated to the waitlist for 2025.  

  • We were also able to connect a production farmer to land at Mill Ridge.  

  • We plan to expand affordable land access to production gardeners and farmers next year.  

  • At McGruder we added 12 raised beds as part of an ADA compliant expansion by MNPS.

Growing Together

Growing Together is an urban farm where Burmese and Bhutanese farmers, who came to Nashville as immigrants and refugees, transform land into opportunity. In 2024, seven farm families grew fresh, culturally significant produce, selling to restaurants, food access partners, and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) customers — earning income and building community connections.

2024 Big Wins for Growing Together

  • Increased CSA sales by 66.8%.

  • Increased wholesale sales by 48%.

  • New $7,744 in CSA subsidies from Vanderbilt University Medical Center Growing Good  Health partnership.

  • 30 interpreted farmer support sessions held  (education workshops, skills development,  process improvement, resource distribution  sessions, apprentice trainings).

What We Accomplished Together

64

community garden plots occupied at Mill Ridge

36,000

pounds of produce grown and shared from community gardens

$91,955

amount of revenue generated by community garden farmers

30,659

pounds of produce grown by Burmese and Bhutanese farmers