Local veterans creating a community garden

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — Two local veterans are tying together nature and community in a unique way, a non-profit community garden. 

“Ashes to Leaves” is a community garden to help veterans transition from active duty to becoming an everyday civilian.  

Veteran founder Joseph Qualls came up with the idea after he and his family moved here from Alaska.  

“I ended up running into an issue a long time ago when I was getting out of the service, I had a really bad issue, I reached out to a bunch of people and it kind of threw me into a bunch of walls. So, I wanted to create another safety net in order to help out people,” Qualls shared. 

Qualls and veteran co-founder Andrew Burgmuller plan to have a tilled area to grow produce and offer the produce on a donation basis. 

Burgmuller’s parents donated the land for the project. The garden will be located on Benton Road in Bolivia located across from Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center

Burgmuller explains some of the other layers of the project. 

“It is basically like a co-op, where people are members here. That they can utilize almost the entire garden but then also be able to have their own patch to grow what they want,” Burgmuller stated. 

The idea behind the project… 

“It’s a way for people to be out here, in nature, without too many distractions. But then also be able to have people they can kind of do it next to. Be able to say, hey I’m doing this, what are you doing. Then work together to be able to build something with another person and get the community involved,” Burgmuller said. 

Both say they’re already getting lots of support from the community and plan to start growing by springtime.  

“We’ve already had people donating gardening items, gardening tools, gardening sheds. For just the facilities out here that need to grow. But the stuff that people can do is vast and varied. It is just kind of up to them and how they see they can help us,”Burgmuller shared. 

“If they want to contribute that absolutely can in any way or fashion,” Qualls added. 

Qualls created a Facebook page for people to show support.

The pair also want to provide funds to schools so they can have their own gardens and be a safety net for other non-profits in the area. 

The Blue Star Mothers association, the Temple of Israel in Wilmington, the Milam family, and the VFW have supported the organization.