It’s final harvest time at Kent’s Thomas-Anderson Memorial Garden, which provides bounty to dozens of volunteers, the community at large and Kent Social Services.
Located at 1110 Walnut St., the garden dates to March of 2021, when Historic South End Association Chair Doria Daniels brought together local residents, friends and volunteer groups to turn a vacant lot she owns into a community gathering place.
Its true roots date to 2020, when Daniels saw nationwide racial tension erupting after Minneapolis resident George Floyd was murdered by a white police officer.
Daniels got to work, soon attracting interest from a number of community organizations.
Kent Environmental Council created a garden plan, the Portage County NAACP and Kent Interfaith Alliance linked Doria with volunteers, Hometown Bank sponsored informational brochures and the Battleground restaurant financed the entire pollinator garden. All the groups and businesses remain involved, and the garden has also received ongoing support from Portage County Master Gardeners.
The garden’s rotating roster of garden crew members have become like family, volunteering every Saturday morning or whenever they can find the time.
“The garden is developing into what I envisioned as a catalyst to bring diverse communities together,” Daniels said. “I call it ‘cross-pollinating’ the city of Kent’s northern and central neighborhoods, Kent downtown businesses and the Kent State University community with this historic southern neighborhood.”
Daniels has already called for volunteers to help put the garden to bed for the year. Tasks in September include pruning black raspberry vines, installing a post to support an elderberry bush, turning the compost bins, harvesting the last of the tomatoes, squash, cucumbers and other veggies, and pulling up the vines.
Weeding, a constant chore in organic gardens, needs to be done one more time so a fresh load of manure and mulch can be applied before winter. Varmint sensors need to be removed and safely stored in the garden’s storage shed.
October’s work plan is to relocate the garden’s blueberry patch, spray the peach trees to avoid leaf curl, check the fruit tree supports and organically fertilize the trees, and secure the water hoses in the shed.
Daniels characterized the garden as “an attractive green space” where people can meet, and where healthy organic vegetables can be grown and shared with the entire Kent community.
It’s named for South End sons Ben Anderson, who in the 1950s was the first African-American member of city council, and Union Baptist Church pastor Fred D. Thomas.
The garden features a number of spaces, many named for honored community members. There’s the Seneca Indigenous Garden, which utilizes Three Sisters plantings, sunchokes, potatoes and other native foods, and Miss Tweet’s Soul Garden, named for Daniels’ mother.
Miss Rita’s Pollinator Garden is named for South End resident Rita Loftin, who was known for the many butterflies decorating her home. There’s Mother Willie Mae’s Healing Herb Garden, named for a community grandmother known for praying over the safety of neighborhood children, a culinary herb garden, and Ciccone’s Italian Garden, honoring Albert Ciccone, who owned a neighborhood grocery store.
The Brown & People’s Fruit Tree Grove of Elders is named for Albert Peoples and Joshua Brown. Both active NAACP members, Daniels said they were instrumental in. the desegregation of local swimming venues.
Besides produce, the space now sports a fountain, a free produce shelf and a Little Free Library.
Whether volunteers need to rest from their labors or passers-by simply want to enjoy the space, people may take advantage of two benches located on the north side of the garden.
Mother Nellie’s Resting Bench is named for Nellie Boykin, another community elder who took care of and even fed college students she met at Spelman Chapel AME, where she regularly attended services.
The Kent Lions Club donated a second bench made of recycled plastic.
Each year Daniels hosts a Harvest Celebration at the nearby Battleground restaurant on Cherry Street. This year’s event, which will include live entertainment, is set for Sept. 27. Reservations are requested.
Though the season is winding down, Daniels is already looking forward to next year. Already in the agenda are updates from the Davey Tree Expert Co., which is exploring tree equity in Kent’s South End; continued efforts by the Portage County Master Gardeners, which maintains plantings at three South End neighborhood monuments; possible poetry recitals at the garden; garden tours; and a new collaboration with the Kent Area Chamber of Commerce.
Editors note: a previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Fred D. Thomas and Albert Peoples were members of city council.
Wendy DiAlesandro is a former Record Publishing Co. reporter and contributing writer for The Portager.