A Short History

The AFAC Plot Against Hunger / USDA People's Garden

In 2010, the Library planted its first demonstration vegetable garden at Central Library, as part of the annual Arlington Reads program, which had the theme of food sustainability.

Don Weber

The garden was a community effort with multiple partners: US Department of Agriculture, Arlington Food Assistance Center, Potomac Overlook Regional Park, Potomac Vegetable Farm, and Girl Scout Troop 1431.

Don Weber, research entomologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service and longtime Arlington resident, was an instrumental player in spearheading the vegetable garden, and received an "Outstanding Volunteer Award" in 2010 from Arlington County.

In 2010 the vegetable garden was named one of 450 USDA People’s Gardens across the United States, and in 2012, the Library was named 2012 Community Partner of the Year by Arlington Food Assistance Center due to our ongoing partnership in their Plot Against Hunger initiative.

During the same time period, Lynn Kristianson continued to cultivate a growing pollinator garden at Central Library:

In 2011, the vegetable garden was expanded along the tennis courts behind the Library.

This section is called "The Berm" garden:

And in 2011, a group from Americorps took over care of our 10th Street Garden:

In 2013, a group of Marines from Fort Myer, and their families, helped clear ground for replanting the North Quincy St Garden: