Nashville Public Television Celebrates Volunteer Gardener

On one of the last remaining glorious days of fall, garden enthusiasts and Nashville Public Television supporters gathered at Southall for NPT’s Volunteer Gardener Homegrown Luncheon. The annual event supports the important work of NPT and beloved programs like Volunteer Gardener. While billed as a Sunday afternoon lunch, the event proved to be a wholly immersive feast for the senses.

On the sunny Sunday, guests arrived at the bucolic setting and lingered over apple cider mocktails made with fruit grown on the picture-perfect property. After everyone arrived, partygoers split into groups for intimate tours of the grounds with specific purposes. The beekeeping tour — led by head beekeeper Jay Williams — highlighted how Southall built its bee and honey program from 10 hives to over 150 hives, which are scattered throughout the property today. Another tour led guests through the apple orchard, where over 1,300 apple trees are espaliered on trellises on a terraced hillside. The 43 tree varieties offer apples ranging from sweet to tart, and the lucky few who chose this tour got to sample two of them. Other guests enjoyed tours of the gardens as well as a yoga wellness experience.

After the tours concluded, everyone met back at the Orchard Event Center for a remarkable lunch. The culinary team did what they do best and created a menu that spoke to Southern sensibilities using the bounty of the earth. The first course was a verdant Southall Salad with Greener Roots Farm lettuces. Black Hawk Farms beef brisket soon followed. As guests enjoyed the day, NPT president and CEO Becky Magura took the floor to thank everyone for their continued support. She took a moment to introduce those needing no introduction: the Volunteer Gardener hosts who have, for many, become like family as they visit local living rooms through the TV each week. The day was over too soon, and many looked forward to their next visit with the Volunteer Gardeners.