How Home-Grown Food Grows Connection at Cedarhurst of Arnold

At Cedarhurst of Arnold, community often blossoms in unexpected places — and sometimes, it starts with a seed.

What began three years ago as a small flower garden has grown into something far more meaningful: a place where residents and staff plant, nurture, and harvest not only vegetables and herbs, but connection, purpose, and laughter.

“Jenny, one of our Life Enrichment Coordinators, started the garden when she first came to Cedarhurst,” says Oriana Del Valle, Director of Sales at Cedarhurst of Arnold. “She’s always loved getting her hands dirty, and over time, she’s really watched it take off.”

Cultivating a Garden, Seed by Seed

That first year was simple — just flowers. By year two, a resident’s family donated starter plants for jalapeños and green peppers. This season, the garden overflowed with zucchini, carrots, herbs, and a bountiful crop of tomatoes that became the talk of the community.

“It’s so nice to get different varieties of foods that aren’t normally on the menu,” Oriana says. “We try to tie what we grow into events and activities, so residents can enjoy the fruits of their labor in fun, unexpected ways.”

She’s not exaggerating. On any given day, the garden’s harvest finds its way into Cedarhurst’s lively calendar — from green tomato salsa served at Happy Hour to zucchini bread enjoyed during bingo. “It makes the activities feel special,” Oriana adds. “The residents know they helped make it happen.”

One of those residents is Karen Naeger-Venable, whose “green thumb” has become legendary around Cedarhurst of Arnold. Karen monitors the garden daily, often with help from her neighbor Rich, who waters in the evenings and even supplied tomato cages to support the plants.

“I kind of fell into it because I’ve always loved gardening,” Karen says with a smile. “When I lived at Nazareth, they even built a garden on the third floor just for me.”

Staff and Residents Share Culinary Experiences Together

Karen’s passion for gardening has deep roots — literally. She’s added her own touches to the Arnold garden, including dwarf peach trees that her grandsons planted out front. “The deer ate them the first year,” she laughs, “but we replanted, and this year we added fake flowers to keep them safe. I’m hoping we’ll get peaches next spring.”

Her favorite part of the season, though, was the tomatoes — and one mischievous moment she shared with a fellow resident. “We had lots and lots of tomatoes,” she recalls. “One of our residents, Art, loved to go out early and see if any strawberries had ripened. One day I thought it would be funny to play a joke on him. I hid a few big strawberries under the plants and told him to check. He was so excited when he found them! I had to tell him they weren’t real — we laughed about that all day.”

That sense of joy carried into the day Oriana and the team fried up the last of the season’s green tomatoes. While residents crafted nearby, the sound of sizzling oil and the smell of tomatoes frying filled the air. “It felt like a family gathering,” Oriana says. “Some people were cooking, others were crafting, and everyone was talking and laughing. Even people walking by stopped to see what was going on — and eventually joined in.”

For many residents, it was their first time trying fried green tomatoes. For Oriana, it was her first time cooking them:

“We shared a new experience together. That’s what life is about at any age.”

Growing Something Meaningful and Fresh for Today's — and Tomorrow's — Residents

As the garden transitions into winter, Karen and the team are already planning how to protect their hard work — covering the soil with straw and storing bulbs for spring. Karen’s knowledge has shaped the garden’s success: she insists on natural methods like coffee grounds, eggshells, and marigolds to enrich the soil and deter pests. “It’s all very organic,” she says. “You don’t need much to grow something wonderful.”

For Oriana, that sentiment goes beyond gardening. “Sharing a garden is ageless,” she reflects. “I don’t have a green thumb, and many of our residents don’t cook much anymore, so we lean on each other’s strengths. Together, we create something fresh and meaningful.”

The Cedarhurst of Arnold garden is more than raised beds of soil — it’s a living symbol of community, care, and Cedarhurst’s Living TRUE℠ philosophy in action. Each seed planted becomes a conversation. Each harvest becomes a shared story. And each meal, from zucchini bread to fried green tomatoes, becomes a reminder that joy truly grows best when it’s shared.

Karen's Gardening Tips

Working on your green thumb? Follow this advice from Cedarhurst of Arnold's resident gardening expert.

Keep it natural.
Skip the chemicals — coffee grounds and eggshells enrich the soil naturally. Marigolds add color while keeping unwanted bugs away.

Let the bees help.
Herbs like basil, dill, sage, and mint draw in pollinators. Just remember: mint belongs in a pot, or it’ll take over the whole garden!

Plan for every season.
Over winter, Karen covers the beds with straw and stores bulbs in paper bags to keep them safe until spring. “A little prep now makes all the difference later,” she says.

Garden with heart.
“You don’t need much to grow something wonderful,” Karen reminds us. “Just care, consistency, and a little curiosity.”

This story originally appeared in the Winter 2026 issue of Flourish^® magazine..

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About the Author

Ryan Davis is the Corporate Communications Manager at Cedarhurst Senior Living and the writer behind every story in Flourish^® magazine. He holds a Communications degree from Indiana University and brings 19 years of experience to his role, which he began in January 2024. Ryan is passionate about storytelling, especially sharing the meaningful lives of Cedarhurst residents, families, and staff. He hopes each published story becomes a treasured legacy for loved ones.