A revitalized community garden in Parkersburg is blooming again through a new partnership designed to increase access to fresh produce, teach children about nutrition, and strengthen neighborhood ties. The Discovery Garden, located across from the Boys & Girls Club on Mary Street, is now under the joint care of the Circles Campaign of the Mid-Ohio Valley and the club, with volunteers working daily to restore the space after years of underuse.
The garden serves multiple purposes, organizers said. Produce grown on site will supply fresh ingredients for Circles’ weekly community meals, while families are also encouraged to start their own container gardens or backyard plots at home. A key feature is the “pizza garden,” requested by the club, which includes herbs, peppers and tomatoes — everything needed to make pizza sauce and toppings. This hands-on project is paired with nutrition education for children, teaching them where food comes from and how to prepare healthy meals.
Volunteers from the Parkersburg Engagement Project, an initiative under Circles focused on community connection, have been tending the garden daily. Jason Earl, an AmeriCorps member, said the team waters, cuts brush and controls weeds, sometimes visiting twice a day in hot weather. The garden now grows pumpkins, sunflowers, squash, watermelon, cucumbers, blackberries, peaches, pears, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage and cauliflower. Long-term plans include teaching children skills such as canning and dehydrating to preserve the harvest.
Organizers acknowledged this season is a learning year. Some garden boxes need rebuilding, and the soil is depleted after roughly a decade of use. Donations of fertilizer and sawdust are helping improve soil quality and suppress weeds. Raeanna Earl, a steering committee member, said working in the garden has been personally meaningful and reflects a desire to rebuild connections that frayed during the pandemic. “Just to see that there are people who care about making the community thrive,” she said. “And just to see that you can come together again.”
Looking ahead, organizers hope to replace aging boards, expand volunteer partnerships and eventually make the garden a permanent hub for food access and skill sharing. Community members interested in volunteering, donating supplies or teaching food preservation can contact the Boys & Girls Club of Parkersburg or the Circles Campaign of the Mid-Ohio Valley. The goal, organizers said, is a garden that not only feeds families but also sows lasting community bonds.