in the Beginning April 2025

 Bearden United Methodist Church Community Garden History. 

In 2024, Amelia Baker came up with the idea to start a community garden in an unused children's play ground with lawn and rubber mulch play areas. The Trustees approved the community garden project.  Amelia received an offer for her dream job and left BUMC in Summer 2024. 

Leigh Cheek learn about the project and decided to pursue it along with becoming a Knox County Master Gardener. In January 2025, the Trustees approved the Community Garden Project. The project was delayed until after Easter and the Easter Egg Hunt for little kids in the playground. Below are pictures of the playground to the west of the sanctuary in March 2025.






The biggest step to convert the soil to usable garden was the removal of the rubber mulch, known as Magic Mulch. The mulch was almost a foot deep in locations through out the playground. 



Aaron Harper volunteered to help with the removal of the Magic Mulch and used his tracker to pile up the many mountains of mulch in the parking lot. Lindsey Peircy posted on Facebook Marketplace that Magic Mulch was free for the taking and many neighbors and church members came collect the mulch. 






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