Sustainability garden takes root at Barren River State Park
Park Manager Carlet Hagan said staff have grown a variety of fruits and vegetables from seeds this summer.
LUCAS, Ky. — A sustainability garden at Barren River State Lake Resort Park is growing more than just produce.
The initiative is designed to provide flowers, fresh fruits and vegetables for educational and recreational activities, food for the park’s nature center animal ambassadors and, eventually, produce for the Driftwood restaurant when the lodge reopens.
Park Manager Carlet Hagan said staff have grown a variety of fruits and vegetables from seeds this summer. The initiative began as an educational opportunity for children.
“We’ve been planting seeds since December,” Hagan said. “Some of it made it through the ice storm. Of course, we had the power outages and stuff that affected us a little bit.”
This year served as a “trial run” as park staff learned the different stages of starting and maintaining a garden.
“This is all exciting. We’ve spent a lot of time and energy,” Hagan said. “The staff have all done this.”
The park also plans to add hydroponics later this year, which would allow staff to grow produce throughout the winter.
Staff repurposed an old chiller from the lodge, which is undergoing a multi-million-dollar renovation. The equipment is now being used to hold water for use in the garden.
The garden also provides fresh food for animals housed at the park’s nature center. The animals are used for enrichment activities with children and families.
The garden eventually could provide produce for the Driftwood restaurant, which is expected to reopen with the lodge in spring 2027.
Hagan said the restaurant’s popular buffet includes a salad bar, creating an opportunity to serve some of the garden’s fresh produce to guests.
“We’re planning to implement some of this food into the restaurant, so we can make different fresh fruits and vegetables like even on the salad bar,” Hagan said.
The bottom line
The garden is being developed for education, recreation, the park’s animals and, eventually, the Driftwood restaurant. Park staff are also looking at hydroponics to keep the project going through the winter.
