BATESBURG-LEESVILLE, S.C. — Peyton's Place, a brand-new community garden, had its grand opening Saturday in Batesburg-Leesville.
The new space at 220 Maple St. is coming together nicely, thanks to donations and the community's hard work.
Peyton Carson is a 9-year-old boy who has teamed up with his church, family and friends to share his passion for vegetables.
"So, when I started to eat vegetables it tasted good, but I do not know what my first vegetable was," Peyton said.
"Your first vegetable - I think it was raw collards," his mother, Danesha Staley, said. "We were cooking collard greens and he took some off of the counter and ate it and he liked it."
Staley said Peyton was non-verbal growing up, adding that it was difficult for him to communicate what he did and didn't like.
"But one constant was that he loved vegetables," she said. "And it could've been cooked vegetables, raw vegetables - he loved to eat vegetables, and I was having a casual conversation with Councilman [Stephen] Cain, and he really took that casual conversation into a vision of having a community garden."
Staley said that she worked with Councilman Cain to find a good location for the garden. Locals pitched in to help with building fences and donating soil, plants, equipment, and other items. The idea was that the whole community could help maintain the garden with tutorials from more expert gardeners.
The Twin City Alumni Association was also a major part of the group having the land available.
Tillman Gives, a retired reverend and the association president, said he partnered with Mission Batesburg-Leesville to donate the land to create Peyton's Place. He said he hopes that Peyton will carry on a sentiment of care for the community.
Peyton said his favorite vegetable is celery.
"I just like … that it makes you strong and helps your body in some types of ways," he said.
This garden will have rosemary, basil, tomatoes, jalapeños, and more plants throughout the seasons.
It'll be open from sunrise to sunset. The group welcomes anyone who wants to help water and maintain the space so that everyone can reap the benefits of these vegetables.
Staley and others with Peyton's Place said they're excited to see what the future holds.
