How one local educator is using gardening to reconnect people with nature, build community, and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.
Step into the Ridglea Giving Garden in Fort Worth, and you’ll likely find Joey Hughes — a hands-in-the-soil kind of educator — leading a group of curious kids or chatting with a local gardener about compost ratios. Joey’s story winds through coastlines, campgrounds, and classrooms across the country, but it all began right here in Fort Worth, where a love for the outdoors first took root.
The Missing Link: Nature in Education
“I've always enjoyed being outside,” Joey says. “As a kid, I was always exploring, but I didn’t get much nature education in school. No one was showing us how the world around us actually works.” That early gap in his education planted the seed for a lifelong mission: reconnect people — especially kids — with the natural world.
After studying environmental science in college, Joey sought something more hands-on. That search led him to graduate school at a sustainable farm in Goshen, Indiana, where he split his days between managing crops and guiding groups through nature preserves.
“That was the first time I saw people growing their own food for themselves and their communities,” he says. It felt incredibly practical, and it also made education come alive.
Adventure Meets Education: Teaching Across the Country
From the swamps of the Chesapeake Bay, where he led tent-dwelling expeditions with middle schoolers, to California classrooms where he taught botany and survival skills in urban parks, Joey has spent years weaving together food, nature, and education. But when the pandemic hit, something deeper called: it was time to come home.
Coming Home to Grow Something New
Back in Fort Worth, a conversation with a local farmer led Joey first to Opal's Farm, and then to Ridglea Giving Garden, where he found the perfect place to blend farming and teaching. “We’re not just growing food here — we’re growing community,” he says.
Teaching for Tomorrow: Creation Care and Reconnection
Joey’s gardening classes at Ridglea are rooted in something bigger than soil science. They're about the idea that we’re stewards of the land, each other, and our future - a concept often referred to as "Creation Care."
He draws inspiration from thinkers like Richard Louv, who coined the term “nature deficit disorder” to describe the developmental toll of a screen-dominated childhood.
“Kids today are losing that sensory connection to the world,” Joey explains. "Humans evolved to understand the seasons, to smell soil, to feel bark. Without that, we’re seeing rises in anxiety, attention issues, depression. Gardening is a simple and joyful way to bring that back.”
Gardening for All Ages, All People
And it’s not just kids who benefit. Joey sees gardening as a powerful tool for adults too — a chance to slow down, learn new skills, and rebuild a sense of community that modern life often erodes. Even if you already know how to grow, he says, there’s something special about learning from each other, seeing new techniques, and sharing the harvest.
A Model Garden with Real Results
At Ridglea Giving Garden, that harvest is no small feat. Unlike many community gardens that struggle with consistency, RGG grows and harvests weekly year-round using bio-intensive methods, with a focus on sustainability and accessibility. The space features both in-ground beds and raised planters, along with drip and overhead irrigation systems — and even rainwater harvesting — so students can see a full range of gardening possibilities in action.
Small Space, Big Potential
“We have a really awesome space that models how to grow a lot of food in a small area,” Joey says. “We show people how to grow enough for a family of four to meet their basic food needs — all in a manageable, backyard-sized space.”
Get Involved and Grow Something Greater
Whether you’re a complete beginner, a weekend gardener, or someone simply looking to reconnect with nature and community, Joey’s classes at Ridglea Giving Garden offer a warm welcome. They’re not just about food — they’re about finding your place in the ecosystem.
Curious to dig in? Come by Ridglea Giving Garden and get your hands dirty. You might just grow more than vegetables.
