We envision a strong local food system that provides plenty for everyone.
Our Mission
Mitchell Giving Gardens cultivates community around food through shared resources and bountiful places.
Our Values
We believe that no one should go hungry.
Everyone’s efforts to feed our community are valuable and deserve support.
Every kind of participation counts.
Our Work
We develop gardens, distribute food, and activate outdoor public spaces to improve the quality of life in our rural Appalachian community.
Our approach is threefold:
We operate a biointensive food production and demonstration garden in Spruce Pine’s Riverside Park
We host no-cost fresh food markets called Harvest Tables.
We provide educational programming and resources to support home gardens and increase food security in Mitchell County.
Food is medicine, and we work to help people access fresh food, a vital component of a healthy lifestyle.
2019 Fall
Community conversations start when local residents express a need to create greater food security in Mitchell County.
2020 Spring
The Town of Spruce Pine approves the site at the north end of Riverside Park.
2020 Summer
Volunteers from The Quartz Corp built 16 raised beds.
2021 Spring
The Spruce Pine Rotary Club donates a garden shed, helping establish the site’s infrastructure.
2022 Spring
An AMY Wellness Foundation grant funds our first staff position.
2022 Summer
The Harvest Table program is launched in collaboration with Vecinos, hosting four fresh food distribution events.
2023 Spring
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant enables MGG to hire our first Executive Director. Production expands by 70%, and educational programming grows.
2024 Summer
The Harvest Table program expands to eight events serving Spruce Pine and Buladean, sharing thousands of pounds of fresh produce.
2024 Fall
Hurricane Helene devastates Riverside Park and downtown Spruce Pine, flooding and destroying our garden. The community unites in support and recovery.
2025 Spring
Cleanup and rebuilding begin. We remove TONS of mud, build six new raised beds, and bring in 22 yards of soil to restore production.
2025 Summer
We launch the Home Gardener Program, helping 31 families establish vegetable gardens.
2026
Mitchell Giving Gardens will continue to expand our core food programs and strengthen existing partnerships to better serve our community. Stay tuned!