Meet: Jon Mychal Heatherly, Garden Leader, Social & Blog Content Writer
Core Volunteer Series
"This week we celebrate Jon Mychal in our core volunteers feature. Jon Mychal's super power is Generating Ideas, indeed this Core Volunteer social series is one of his "What ifs?" and we're so glad he's been donating his time and energy to the garden, our blog and social channels, since 2018. His heart and thirst for understanding people and plants is apparent to all who meet him.
If you visit the garden on a week when Jon Mychal is leading, he'll make you feel very welcome and likely share some interesting thing he's researched in blog writing; from the origins of a vegetable, or cancer research from the ocean, or even some event happening with our local master gardeners or he'll share a tid-bit learned at one of the other community gardens in Tennessee."
- Autumn Shultz
Q: How did you get involved with the community garden?
A: "Funny story. My mom saw something about a community garden in the paper when my parents still lived here. She thought I’d be interested, so she told me. I dabbled my toes a bit, and I became a core volunteer over time. Now I’m interning with the extension master gardeners."
Q: Why did you become a community gardener?
A: "I did it for fun and a sense of consistency. I really discovered a passion for this, and programs like this will be even more important in the times ahead. I’ve made some cool friends and learned a lot."
Q: What do you love about gardening?
A: "Being able to eat straight from the garden is such a joy. Our harvest is delicious, nutritious, and our own. Working outside in a calm garden rejuvenates a person. I love making new friends, and we collaborate, too!"
Q: Special interests or knowledge in gardening?
A: "Composting and sustainability definitely top my list. Perhaps I can be too academic, but I love learning the science behind the garden. Past community organizing experience comes in handy for my community garden contributions. Garden fruits and herbs are delish."
Q: Anything else to add?
A: "My vision as a co-contributor is that neighbors and community members attend the garden to learn with us. As we learn, may more community gardens appear around Murfreesboro - particularly in the vast food deserts here. Healthy food can be free."
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