Garden of Good Eating

L.W. Farmer, a retired fireman, sits on the tailgate of his pickup truck and watches the action at the community garden in Rocky Mount, NC. Suffering a heart attack hasn’t stopped him from coming out and helping as much as he can, but it has slowed him a little. Sometimes it’s just advice that he’s able to germinate in the minds of the junior green thumbs.

Farmer uses gardening as a way to give back to the community in Rocky Mount. He leases a piece of property from the city, tills the soil, and offers the land up to others in the community to use and grow crops.

In it’s second year under Farmer, the garden has grown from about 30 plots in its first year to over 50 in its second. It’s a chance for residents to learn the importance of tending and caring for their plots. Many are doing this for the very first time. But like the gardens, it will take time for their knowledge to grow and produce a bountiful harvest.