Where it all began
Hopewell Gardens has been a part of the greater Nashville community for over 10 years. In 2009, four friends, Jason, Josh, Canaan and Cameron set out with a mission to learn and teach sustainable farming methods that were easy to duplicate in the developing world. What started out on a small plot of land has expanded into 12 acres of thriving farmland, with dozens of volunteers, that has been used to educate hundreds of students and farmers both here and abroad. Hopewell Garden's goal is to create sustainable food systems by providing educational opportunities for individuals who want to learn more about agriculture while also teaching them how they can replicate what we do at home.
Our Vision
The vision in Deuteronomy 8 is powerful:
“For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land...a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing...You shall eat your fill and bless the Lord your God” (vv.7-10).
Unfortunately, access to good food is an ongoing need around the world. In the international regions where we work, malnutrition and nutrient deficiency are rampant. In the US, rates of obesity, diabetes, and forms of cancer-related to dietary habits are rising at an alarming rate. These problems won’t resolve themselves. They require intentional, concentrated effort.
We’re doing our best to be a part of the needed response, believe that God wants his people to eat and eat well. Hopewell Gardens is a demonstration food production plot at our headquarters in Tennessee, where our goal is to educate people, empowering them to take responsibility for their own health.
A leader in bio-intensive farming.
In a nutshell, bio-intensive farming/gardening is an organic approach to agriculture that attempts to achieve high yields of produce while using a minimal amount of land space and seeks to preserve and improve the overall quality of soil. It's made possible with close crop spacing, the use of permanent vegetable beds, season-extension methods (a fancy spin of the word, "greenhouses"), and hand-tool usage. This kind of approach to farming keeps overhead costs to a minimum, increasing the potential for larger yields and universal application. It's also the approach we take on our 1-acre demonstration plot, located at Global Outreach Developments Int'l headquarters. Yes, we only have a 1-acre farm, but with it we produce nearly 10,000 pounds of produce on it each year while educating others on how to do the same.
Third-World Development Efforts
In many regions of the world, a majority of people farm to survive (not because it’s trendy or good for your health). By introducing a bio-intensive farming approach to our Global farmers, our desire is to transform the perception of farming. Sustainable farming can bring health and true sustenance to global families and their communities. Gardening can be a beautiful partnership between God and human beings that both connects them to his creation, the fruitfulness that can emerge out of working the ground, and the health he intends for his people.
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