Restorative agriculture aims to improve the soil health, biodiversity, and interactions between organisms within a system that food is grown. Growers who practice restorative agriculture recognize that interactions in nature are complex but harmonious. An ecosystem is only as good as the sum of its parts and if there are imbalances in the system, all organisms are liable to suffer. Due to this belief, growers who produce restoratively understand the importance of all life forms in their field and care as much about the health of the microscopic microbial populations in their soil as they do for the crops they harvest at the end of the season. 

The harvest hub will be the epicenter of activity and programming for agriculture at Beech Bluff County Park. The Beech Bluff Community and Demonstration gardens are adjacent to the Harvest Hub and there are amenities such as public restrooms and a wash station designated for program participants.

Cisterns are specifically designed as part of the Harvest Hub area to catch rain water off the roof and to be used in watering our nearby gardens.

The food forest will consist of fruit trees including several native species, berries, and vines.  A nice, asphalt walking path leads from the parking lot surrounding this area.  As the trees grow and produce, we encourage visitors to wonder through the forest, enjoying the surrounding growth and produce. 

Beech Bluff’s Agriculture Fields are centered on growth. It is within our core principles to focus not only on what we produce, but how we produce as well. The methods of production on these fields are based in the restoration of health to the soil, increasing the biodiversity around us, and sharing what we grow with our community. Come learn with us as we begin our journey towards these ecological tenets. 

The Beech Bluff Community Garden was designed and established by Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space (PROS) to allow gardening opportunities for the community while producing locally grown, nutritious foods, and allowing for community interaction, education, and collaboration. We will work together to create a vibrant, productive, attractive and positive space with participants and create a model for future community gardens in Wake County and beyond. The garden is gated and only open to the public during scheduled open house days or tours provided by staff/volunteers. 

The Community Garden is home to 28 reservable plots. Application for the community garden plots will be accepted during the month of November. All reservations will be managed through our online ActiveNet system.  Participants will be required to set up an online account to reserve a plot.  All plots will be 4 feet by 10 feet in dimension. The four plots in the front of the garden closest to the entrance are ADA accessible and are 33 inches tall, these plots will allow for wheelchair accessibility. There are four additional 33” plots on the next row for people with limited mobility and the remaining 20 plots are 22” tall. 

Annual Plots: Half of the garden plots are rented on an annual schedule from March 1 until January 31 without a guaranteed renewal. These plots provide beginning gardeners an opportunity to experiment and learn about gardening and perhaps, later translate what they have learned into their own spaces. At the end of the season, all plant material should be harvested and removed from the plots and participants may re-enter the lottery system for the next year.  

Perennial Plots: The other half of the plots are rented on a yearly basis beginning on March 1 with the option for renewal for up to 5 years.  These plots allow more experienced gardeners an opportunity to mentor annual gardeners or give people an opportunity to garden who otherwise don’t have the space to do so. This perennial space also allows opportunities to build relationships and help create a sense of community and collaboration within the garden. At the end of the 5-year period, participants may re-enter the lottery system. 

If there are more applicants than plots, participants of both the annual and perennial plot rentals will be chosen via a lottery system. Those not selected during the lottery will be placed on that year’s waiting list and contacted in order of placement if a plot becomes available during that calendar year. 

Community Garden Guidelines

The Beech Bluff Demonstration Garden serves as space for hands-on garden education for lessons and workshops on home gardening, historical crops and methods, composting practices, STEM education, planting management practices, and sustainable agriculture methods that can be implemented in various gardens and farms. It will change and evolve, so join our team for agricultural programs in the garden or inquire about our self-guided tour options.