What began as a small community garden in Columbia County has grown into something much bigger, a thriving food production garden with a mission to feed both body and spirit. At Southern Arkansas University (SAU), this garden now supplies fresh produce to the Mulerider Market, a free ”store” where students can access healthy food with ease.
Students can simply scan a QR code, order what they need, and pick it up, turning what could feel like a handout into a dignified choice. The Mulerider Market also provides canned goods, frozen ready-made meals, and other essentials to support students who may be facing food insecurity.
Since its launch in 2019, the Mulerider Market has served more than 8,000 students. In 2022, it began offering full meals, and in 2024 it added a food reclamation program to reduce campus waste while redirecting good food to students in need.
The garden’s impact extends beyond campus as well. It donates to local foster care support organizations and partners with Abilities Unlimited to provide meaningful job opportunities and training.
Much of the growth of the Mulerider Market is thanks to the leadership of Katie Tejeda, SAU’s volunteer coordinator. Though she grew up on an animal farm, Katie was new to vegetable and plant farming and has taught herself through trial and error, learning everything from seed starting to greenhouse planning. Each year she sets her sights on expanding the garden’s capacity, with her next big project being the establishment of a greenhouse. She also dreams of adding hydroponics and even a fish system to the operation.
Katie is equally focused on growing people, not just plants. She works tirelessly to bring in more volunteers and create meaningful opportunities for engagement. Through her work to become a Certified Volunteer Manager with the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium, Katie connected with Engage AR, which provided critical funding that transformed the space from simple rental garden beds into the full-scale food production garden it is today.
Alongside Katie, Kathy Gean, SAU’s Director of AmeriCorps/VISTA, helps guide the program’s vision and sustainability. Together, their leadership ensures the garden and Mulerider Market continue to thrive.
To keep this important work growing, the Columbia County Community Foundation has stepped up. Through this year’s Giving Tree grant cycle, the Foundation is awarding $6,500 to support both the garden and the Mulerider Market. For the Columbia County affiliate, this investment is part of a key strategy: getting food to where people are and doing it in a way that honors dignity.
What started as a simple garden has blossomed into a lifeline for students and families. It’s proof that when a community comes together, planting seeds of care and partnership, the harvest can change lives.
