How much does the book club cost?

The book club is offered free of charge; donations are gladly accepted to support Crabtree Farms and the facilitator.

Where and when does the club meet?

Meetings take place at Crabtree Farms, 1000 E 30th Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee. Check the event listing for exact dates and start times.

Do you provide books?

Participants are responsible for acquiring the month’s selection. Occasional lending copies may be available, and Book & Cover offers a 15% discount with code CURIOUSCRB for in-store pickup.

All are welcome; the program notes a minimum age of 10. The tone is intergenerational and discussion-focused.

Who can I contact with questions?

Contact Chloe Watts at 423-493-9155 or cwatts@crabtreefarms.org for questions about the book club.

Inside Crabtree Farms' Community Book Club: Read About Food, Farming, and Local Action in Chattanooga | Farm | Events

Q: Is there a waiver or release required?

Yes. Crabtree Farms requires a standard release of liability naming Crabtree Farms and Liz Simmons, Executive Director, as part of participation documentation.

Crabtree Farms Community Book Club meets under the open rafters of a working urban farm at Crabtree Farms, 1000 E 30th Street in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Once a month readers, growers, and curious neighbors gather for an hour of focused conversation about food, land, sustainability, health, and community—literature as a bridge between kitchen table ideas and the muddy realities of growing food.

The club is led by Rogelio Cerezo, Director of Development and Administration at Crabtree Farms, who frames each meeting around a shared text and lived experience on the land. August’s selection, Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, prompts questions about the industrial food system, neighborhood sourcing, and the small but stubborn practices that shape what we eat. The format is low-key: read ahead, arrive ready to speak, and trade observations with a group that ranges from teens to long-time gardeners (minimum age is ten).

What makes this book club distinct is its setting and ties to the farm’s programming. Crabtree’s book discussions dovetail with the organization’s hands-on workshops and farm-based growing and learning; conversation often follows a quick walk through the teaching garden beds or a glance at the farm’s seasonal crops. Participants are welcome free of charge, with donations accepted to support the program, and members receive 15% off orders at Book & Cover using the code CURIOUSCRB for in-store pickup.

Practical details are concise: sessions run about one hour at the farm’s meeting point, 1000 E 30th Street. Books are not supplied consistently—participants are responsible for acquiring the month’s selection, though occasional lending copies may appear. Attendees should note the farm requires a standard release of liability naming Crabtree Farms and Liz Simmons, Executive Director, in its waiver language; contact Chloe Watts at 423-493-9155 or [email protected] for questions.

The experience is intimate rather than performative. Expect close conversation, seasonal anecdotes about pollinators and vegetables, and a tangible link between text and practice. Because sessions are brief and discussion-driven, arriving ten minutes early gives you a moment to orient, browse any handouts, and claim a seat. Conversations can spill outside into raised beds when weather allows, so dress for the elements and bring a pen for notes that might turn into garden experiments or kitchen tests. Regulars often follow a meeting with volunteer shifts or a hands-on workshop the next weekend—the book club is designed to move ideas toward action. Passing through Chattanooga or living nearby, this hour in a working farmroom offers a way to connect reading and land.