Strawberry juice stained the fingers of great-grandchildren and grandparents alike at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where an intergenerational garden project has transformed food security from an abstract concept into something you can taste, grow, and harvest together.
The initiative, led by Dr. Karleah Harris, an associate professor of human development and family studies at UAPB, emerged from a partnership with Pine Bluff First Assembly of God and the Jefferson County Cooperative Extension Service. Its purpose cuts to the heart of a persistent problem: food deserts and the disconnection between families and where their food actually comes from. In Pine Bluff, where access to fresh produce remains uneven, this garden offers something both practical and profound—a space where generations learn side by side.
When participants recently harvested strawberries, something unexpected happened. The great-grandchildren and grandchildren didn't need convincing. They picked and ate strawberries as though they'd discovered candy, their faces bright as the fruit they held. Meanwhile, their grandparents washed the berries before the children ate them, a small gesture that revealed the project's true magic: not just food production, but the simple act of caring together across decades of lived experience. Harris was moved by what she witnessed. "This project underscores the significance of educating and introducing fresh fruits and vegetables to young children," she said. "I was pleasantly surprised by their immense delight and desire for more of the freshly harvested strawberries."
The participants themselves have become the best testimonials. Carolyn Jackson, a great-grandparent, spoke directly to the garden's reach. "This garden has a positive impact on my mental and physical health as well as my nutritional well-being," she said. But what mattered most to her was the relational aspect—"the involvement with my great-grandchildren and the community engagement." The garden, she noted, also taught her great-grandchildren something fundamental: that milk comes from a cow, not a truck, dispelling misconceptions that urban children often carry.
Tina Jackson, a grandparent participant, described a spring planting session with her granddaughter that felt almost cinematic in its simplicity. Her granddaughter picked strawberries excitedly, shouting, "Pick the red ones!" and then, unusually for a child, ate several on the spot. Jackson understood the deeper significance: "Moments like this matter because exposure and experience can encourage healthier choices for children." That's the project in a sentence—not lecturing about nutrition, but creating moments where healthy choices become joyful choices.
The program's reach extends across all age groups. Kevin Harris, Jefferson County Extension Service staff chair, observed that older adults brought their own tools to maintain the grass, and high school students volunteered without hesitation. They weren't afraid to get their hands dirty or help those who needed extra support. Marc William Guelache Arouna, a UAPB undergraduate student, found the experience transformative. "Learning and teaching in this environment were ideal," he said. "We had an audience of all ages in which each had hands-on learning and demonstrated passion."
Raised bed gardening, according to Professor Sathish Ponniah of UAPB's Department of Agriculture, offers flexible, accessible physical activity for older adults while increasing fresh produce supply to homes and the community. The project is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, giving it institutional backing alongside grassroots momentum. As Martha Sullivan, another great-grandparent participant, said of her great-grandson picking strawberries from the garden: "He is our future farmer." In a food desert, that's not just hope—it's a seed taking root.