Gardener Theotis

” It’s part of me, it’s been part of me for 69 years and I can’t get away.”

Name: Theotis Alson

Birthplace: Niesmith, South Carolina

Years gardening: 79 years

Years gardening at Eastwick: 10 years

Produce growing: zucchini, yellow squash, watermelon, string beans, jalapeno peppers, celery, kale, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, blackberries, raspberries, goose berries, and wild grapes.

Mr. Alson was born in Niesmith, South Carolina. He is seventy-nine years old and was raised on a farm, so he’s been gardening his whole life. He particularly learned down South, as his parents taught him how. Something interesting about Mr. Alson is that he has his own garden at Eastwick community garden, and he has been there for at least ten years. Also, some of the things that he has in his garden are: zucchini, yellow squash, watermelon, string beans, jalapeno peppers, celery, kale, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, blackberries, raspberries, goose berries, and wild grapes (“not sugar sweet, they have a little tang”).

He used to work on a farm, but these days he grows food for fun. Mr. Alson is very generous; he often makes produce bags and donates them to churches. He has eleven grandchildren who will come to the garden for the harvest, he said that everything he grows is organic and he never uses chemicals. He doesn’t use pesticides, and said “Keep your grounds clean, grass is a choker, it eats the nutrients out of your garden. Keep the grass out.” To make compost, Mr. Alson uses a big plastic barrel that he turns the weeds, grass, wood chips, and unused produce in. This way you don’t have to buy fertilizer. He told us that good food and good exercise are important for good health.

When we asked why he gardens, Mr. Alson listed several reasons, “1. I enjoy it 2. It is less expensive to grow yourself 3. I get to harvest and share 4. It’s part of me, it’s been part of me for 69 years and I can’t get away.”

For Mr. Alson, the first difference between garden produce and supermarket produce is taste. He said that food you buy in the market was probably picked months ago, but the food he eats from the garden is picked fresh. The food from the garden has all the nutrients and taste, but the market food loses its taste.