Our History

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  • 2004 (12 Gardeners and approximately 30 plots) The Town of Black Mountain agrees to provide a portion of the Clevenger property on 99 White Pine Dr. to Dr. Wilson to continue his community garden efforts. He believed that “everyone in our community needs a place to grow food, access to agricultural education about best practices, and that together we should share what we grow.”
  •  2006 (20 Gardeners and approximately 40 plots) Dr. Wilson hired the garden’s first intern through sponsorship from a new housing development.
  • 2007 The Parks and Recreation department, with support from the Health Initiative, a volunteer advisory board, received a two-year grant from the Health and Wellness Trust Fund of NC. The grant provided technical assistance, funding for personnel, and materials, and created sustainable programs that have outlived the grant.
  • 2010 (approximately 40 gardeners) Town makes the garden manager position a permanent part-time role and includes it in the budget. Around 4,000 square feet of donation beds are built in front of the barn to accommodate the growing interest in rental plots. The 10% program is established; every gardener grows the first 5 feet of their plot (30 square feet) for donation.
  • 2011 Greenway trail is installed. Began planting fruit, nut and native tree species throughout the park.
  • 2012 (54 gardeners) Native plant trail established along the greenway trail 
  • 2013 Received Urban Legacy Tree Fund grant to plant pecans, persimmons, paw paws, hazelnuts and Asian Pears on the disc golf course. The Garden hosts its first Empty Bowls fundraiser in the garden.
  • 2014 Garden formally adopts biointensive and biodynamic practices through the mentorship of Craig Siska. Garden Manager, Diana McCall presents with Health Services Administrator, Jill Edwards, at the National Parks and Recreation Conference on Asset Based Community Development. McCall presents: Rethinking Community Development at Tedx UNC-Asheville.
  • 2015 Garden reaches over 70 garden plot renters, 1895 volunteer hours, and donation 4,698pounds of produce.
  • 2020 Garden reaches over 100 garden plot renters and onboards over 85 community volunteers during COVID-19. Together they donated 2300 hours of service and over 6000pounds of produce.
  • 2021  Intern Ian Schaller builds a hugelkultur bed along the North edge of the garden, introducing a number of native plants and improving the beauty and biodiversity of the garden. 
  • 2022  Diana Schmitt McCall leaves as Garden Manager, and Lucille Nelson is hired as the part-time Garden Manager. The Town upgraded the garden's compost bins, constructing a model with lids to control moisture levels and improve compost production.