Growing Together

The Winchester-Clarke Garden Club (WCGC) will be working with the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley (MSV) to establish, “Growing Together,” a project to upgrade the historic vegetable gardens at the MSV to feed neighbors in need, provide gardening access and education to children and enthusiasts, and embrace the horticultural traditions of the Shenandoah Valley.

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley is located on a 214-acre site in Winchester, Virginia, home to the founder of Winchester. The vegetable gardens serve as a living gallery space that nourishes families, preserves cultural heritage, and provides hands-on learning. In 2025, 16-20 pounds of food were delivered weekly to the Congregational Community Action Project (CCAP), a local food shelf serving food insecure families. The gardens also serve 400-500 public school students annually through Plants and Seeds programming. The student populations served are economically and culturally diverse. Winchester City Public Schools are 45.1% Hispanic and 58.8% economically disadvantaged.

Grant funds will support rebuilding deteriorating 30-year-old planting beds, adding vertical growing features, and creating a labyrinth-inspired garden for 2026. The garden will feature culturally relevant heritage crops, including regional peppers, fish peppers, and child-friendly produce, plus Native American traditions like the Three Sisters (corn, beans, squash) and ceremonial tobacco, honoring the Valley's diverse agricultural history.

WCGC members will assist with weekly harvesting and food delivery to CCAP, work alongside MSV staff on garden maintenance, and help connect MSV with potential speakers for educational programming. Corporate partners Navy Federal Credit Union and Knauf Insulation will provide volunteer support, with local business Reading Landscaping performing the construction work. The project serves 232,000 annual MSV visitors while creating lasting infrastructure expected to last decades.