Volunteers report progress, grants and plans for the Woodfin Community Garden

Steering-committee members Lily Dancy Jones and Katie Cox (both identified as Woodfin residents) presented an update on the Woodfin Community Garden at Geneva Maney Park on Oct. 21, describing volunteer activity, funding and near-term plans.

They said the garden agreement was finalized in July 2024 but Hurricane Helene delayed work. With town support (water spigot, waste pickup, portable toilet) and a Buncombe County "tipping point" grant, volunteers built 12–16 raised beds by late spring and conducted weekly workdays. The presenters reported about 35 volunteer workdays, roughly 340 volunteer hours in 2025, and that 77% of regular volunteers are Woodfin residents. They said the garden received a $5,000 Buncombe County grant and $1,650 in additional donations and expects more in-kind and plant donations from partners such as Asheville GreenWorks and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Presenters said they are surveying interest in a rental-plot model (seven to eight residents so far expressed interest) and testing a sliding-scale fee structure to sustain materials and future improvements. They also described plans for native-pollinator plantings on a slope along Lookout Road with local schools and Warren Wilson College students participating.

Council members praised documentation and asked staff to consider modest town event support and partnerships with the local business association.

What’s next: organizers said they plan to reapply for tipping-point and other grants next year, pursue occasional events and continue volunteer recruitment.