Hale Community Garden (Live Work Eat Grow)

Live Work Eat Grow, founded in Blacksburg, VA, in 2012, was developed with the mission to cultivate a strong community through providing jobs and supporting local food businesses. Their central location is the refurbished elementary school on Prices Fork Rd. which consists of Millstone Kitchen, a brewery (Moon Hollow Brewery), a restaurant (El Ranchero), and Prices Fork Apartments. Live Work Eat Grow also runs several community gardens in Blacksburg. The goal and structure of LWEG is to facilitate opportunities for the local blacksburg community. The Hale Community Garden specifically aims to serve Blacksburg’s local communities and small businesses through providing knowledge, encouraging food sustainability, and inspiring their members and visitors. LWEG provides a sense of camaraderie and lasting friendships, and has been especially successful at attracting multi-generational growers who have roots across the globe. Members can pay an annual fee to have access to the community gardens and borrow supplies. Their membership provides tools and connections to build a thriving, sustainable, and organic food business.

Live Work Eat Grow (LWEG) began as part of the revitalization of the former Prices Fork Elementary School Building in 2012. The building now holds a public use kitchen, a brewery, and a Mexican restaurant. Laina Schneider, the former Millstone Kitchen Manager, now serves as the Executive Director for LWEG. Her background in food systems and a masters degree in international agricultural development provides an excellent foundation for managing the 501c3 non-profit organization. Along with the shared-use kitchen, LWEG manages three gardens in Blacksburg, with a total of 118 plots. Steve Kruger, the Garden Coordinator, has overseen the use of these plots in the Wong, Garrison, and Hale gardens since August 2021. 

Purpose of the Community Garden Program

Community garden plots are offered to growers who lack access to a growing space for any variety of reasons. Users pay an annual fee depending on the size of the plot. The demand for a plot is so high that LWEG plans to add additional gardens in the next couple years. LWEG provides tools and Kruger is always available to aid newer gardeners in getting their plot started. LWEG requires gardeners to follow specific guidelines to ensure they grow organically. Organically composted leaf mulch is provided for all gardeners and pesticides are barred. Wong and Garrison Garden are a part of the Town of Blacksburg Parks. Their third ground, Hale Garden, was donated to the town by a resident, Arlene Lambert, with the condition that it remains a green space. Along with the plots, Hale garden includes a pollinator garden, orchid, and food forest featuring fruit-bearing trees.

The community garden program strengthens the community by aiding its locals in growing clean and nutritious food. The gardens offer numerous volunteer opportunities; they often work with VT students, youth organizations, and expert gardeners. Along with a few special events throughout the year, they offer volunteer work on their regular work days as well. These days normally include managing their garden’s common which requires mulching, pruning, weeding and maintaining infrastructures like fences. Recently, Hale garden has hosted Native Plant Workdays with Plant Southwest VA Natives. "Through these different opportunities the community garden program promotes resilient, restorative, ecological agriculture in a place based setting."^[1]  

Through a great number of demonstration projects, the community garden program makes an effort to spread knowledge regarding growing sustainably. They partner with local groups like Virginia Tech's Center for Food and Community Transformation and students pursuing the food minor, the Blacksburg Parks and Recreation Department, the Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener and Master Naturalists program, and the Native Plant Society of Virginia. A few fascinating projects include the Community Food Forest, the Roper Solar Greenhouse, and the Pollinator Garden. Food forests encourage interactive learning revolving around environmental sustainability and growing nutritious produce. A food forest is developed based on the forest ecosystem, made with mostly edible perennial plants. The community food forests are grown and planted and harvested by the community. Another partnered project, the Roper Solar Greenhouse, uses a subterranean heating and cooling system. When outdoor food production is limited, community members are able to grow kale, turnips and spinach during the winter months. The pollinator gardens are designed with predominantly flowers that provide nectar for numerous pollinating insects. The gardeners avoid using pesticides and often plant in sunny sites within large drifts. These are just a few of the projects hosted by the Hale Gardens, each project provides environmental sustainability and sets an example of growing nutritious foods.

Individual gardeners grow primarily for their own use. They have given food to Interfaith Food Pantry and the Giles County food bank. They provide food during all seasons due to their Roper Solar Greenhouse. Individual gardeners transport the food to the food banks and pantries, or the garden coordinator will take it if it is collected from several garden plots.

How Millstone Kitchen Connects to the Gardens 

Millstone Kitchen, being the center of their organization, provides the public use of stoves, ovens, and educational resources for those who pay the small annual membership fee. The membership provides quick access to resources about food safety, health department regulations, information regarding developing a company, and tip-sharing with fellow food entrepreneurs. LWEG hosts educational programs which are often held at the Community Gardens; these include maple syrup tapping and the childrens’ summer camp, Seed to Supper Gardening Camp. To register for the camp, go to the Blacksburg Parks and Recreation website. 

Millstone is the only shared-use kitchen in the New River Valley. Rachel Doyle, the current owner of HazelBea Catering, was the first official member of Millstone Kitchen. Doyle joined as most members did, through networking and word of mouth. Her company is evidence of the benefits LWEG provides for business start-ups. HazelBea, a local Blacksburg company, now caters the “cuisine of the mountains” to the New River and Roanoke Valleys. Jackie Gardner, a newer member of LWEG, is the owner of Just Graze & Co. Her company creates ready-made charcuterie trays for special events and other occasions. Gardner discovered Millstone through googling shared-use kitchens for food entrepreneurs. Millstone appealed to Gardener due to its professional kitchen and its close proximity. One of Millstone's many advantages is its location, its proximity allows its members easy access to an array of resources.

Like the community garden program, Millstone has a large array of networking opportunities to aid in their small businesses success. Every person is there to encourage and aid all members of the community. The Millstone manager provides help and support when needed to have the most positive outcome for all members.

Longterm Impact

In addition to the workshops, and the community summer camp, the members have access to lasting camaraderie. Hale Garden hosts a monthly potluck for all garden members, the gardeners can make a network of connections while finding food security and a dynamic community. The non-profit encourages organic and healthy food habits while providing jobs and fostering local start-up companies. They provide an affordable gathering space that inspires a large community of members to grow sustainably and reach their goals.

Clauson-Wicker, Su. Millstone Kitchen is Cooking, The Roanoke Times. August 5th, 2018. Accessed April 27th, 2023. https://roanoke.com/business/millstone-kitchen-is-cooking/article_b4f15dd7-183b-5928-8287-d47b6651b1b8.html.

Doyle, Rachel. HazelBea Catering brings local, chef-driven cuisine to the New River and Roanoke Valleys, HazelBea Catering. January 1st, 2023. Accessed April 27th, 2023. https://www.hazelbeacatering.com.

Fabris, Casey. High School Promise to Beloved Aunt Leads to New Business for Virginia Tech Student, The Roanoke Times. May 25th, 2021. Accessed April 27th, 2023. https://roanoke.com/business/local/high-school-promise-to-beloved-aunt-leads-to-new-business-for-virginia-tech-student/article_361c9544-b8e7-11eb-84d6-8726b58f6cac.html.

Gardener, Jackie. About Just Graze & Co, Just Graze Co. January 1st, 2023. Accessed April 27th, 2023. https://www.justgrazeco.com/about.

Hebert, Terri, et al. “Growing Gardens, Growing Minds.” Science and Children, vol. 51, no. 7, 2014, pp. 52–59. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43692131. Accessed 9 May 2023.

^[1] Live Work Eat Grow. Live Work Eat Grow: About, Live Work Eat Grow. January 1st, 2023. Accessed May 9th, 2023. https://liveworkeatgrow.org.

Slauson-Wicker, Su. Gardens Growing Community During a Pandemic, September 27th, 2019. Accessed April 27th, 2023. https://roanoke.com/news/local/gardens-growing-community-during-a-pandemic/article_9f64ad0f-2c6a-5726-96fd-f6d418c017bd.html.

Wickline, Alison. Food Center at Old Prices Fork Elementary School Moving Forward, Thanks to Federal Funding, WSLS News. August 30th, 2017. Accessed April 27th, 2023. https://www.wsls.com/news/2018/08/30/food-center-at-old-prices-fork-elementary-school-moving-forward-thanks-to-federal-funding/.