On Sunday, September 22nd, One Valley, Inc., a local non-profit organization, welcomed members of the Grammy Award-winning rock and soul Tedeschi Trucks Band (TTB) and their crew to their Carver Community Garden in NW Roanoke. This special visit was part of the 4th annual Kofi Day of Service, honoring the late musician Kofi Burbridge. The nationwide initiative took place in 20 cities on September 21 and 22, 2024, uniting music enthusiasts to celebrate his impact while giving back to their communities.
The Roanoke event was arranged privately to allow Tedeschi Trucks Band the opportunity to volunteer away from the media spotlight during their fall concert tour between performances in Nashville and New York City.
Members of Tedeschi Trucks Band, including Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, along with their production crew - totaling 20 volunteers - paired up with 9 community gardeners from One Valley for two impactful hours of service. Together, they shared stories while harvesting cherry tomatoes, fairytale eggplant, and watermelon. They also tackled a significant weeding effort, removing dozens of wheelbarrow loads of morning glories and other weeds from around the berry bushes, fences, mulched pathways in the orchard, and several raised vegetable beds throughout the garden.
Kofi Burbridge was born on September 22, 1961, and passed away on February 15, 2019, due to complications from a cardiac condition. An inspirational keyboardist, flautist, composer, arranger and two-time Grammy Award-winner, he was a member of Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Derek Trucks Band, and Tedeschi Trucks Band. This year’s tribute was held over the weekend that would have marked Kofi's 63rd birthday, bringing together friends, family, and music lovers to continue his spirit of generosity and the positive influence he had on so many lives.
On Saturday, September 7th, the Roanoke Foodshed Network hosted Dr. Gail Meyers at a potluck luncheon held at the Carver Garden. Dr. Meyers is Director of Farms to Grow and creator of “Rhythms of the Land” (a multimedia documentary that celebrates the legacies of black farmers in America from the period of enslavement to today). She would also speak the following day at Okrafest to introduce an art program by Community ARTSreach inspired by the documentary.
One Valley conducted its quarterly Adopt-A-Street cleanup of a 5-block area surrounding both community gardens on Saturday, September 14th. Several neighbors joined in the cleanup effort.
The last of the tomatoes, eggplant, summer squash, and Italian peppers are being harvested and distributed to the Hope Center, Lions Share, McCray Court Senior Center and RAM House, and should continue producing for a couple more weeks. Fall vegetables are now beginning to be harvested and are available for sharing with our volunteers and neighbors, including spinach, kale, napa cabbage, lettuce, and butternut squash, along with the remaining watermelon and pumpkins. Later in October, carrots, beets, radishes, turnips, and possibly sweet potatoes will be available. Come see what we have! …and, don’t forget to join us for our End-of-Year Harvest Celebration at the Carver Garden on Saturday, October 26th from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm.
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