For Texarkana, Texas, resident Terry Mitchell, the ability to learn and the joy of having a hobby go hand in hand.
"For me, growing flowers and vegetables is both a learning experience and a hobby," the former U.S. Army servicemen said as he collected a handfull of cucumbers from his garden, located a few yards north of the Mission Texarkana building.
Upon starting this community garden nearly two years ago, Mitchell said his goal was to help teach others useful gardening techniques as well increase the planting area's square footage - so one day be able to supply Mission Texarkana with fresh garden varieties.
"One day, we might be able to make this operation large enough to offer food to the whole community," he said
Born in Flint, Michigan, in 1962, Mitchell said the love of growing fresh food started early in his childhood.
"I started getting interested in gardening when I was five years old and still living in Michigan," he said. "My grandparents were actually sharecroppers. Both my grandparents and my parents made sure they taught me that food actually came from somewhere else other then just the grocery stores and supermarkets. They show me that food actually came from the Mother Earth."
Some of Mitchell's favorite vegetables include green onions, tomatoes, potatoes, squash, green beans, broccoli, okra, peas and bell peppers.
Besides vegetables, Mitchell said he also likes growing watermelons and cantaloupes.
"Here in the south, it's best to try to plant watermelon seeds after the last winter frost," he said.
Shortly after finishing public school, Mitchell joined the U.S. Army in 1981 where he served full time for four years as a vehicle driver and mechanic while stationed in Europe as well as various areas throughout the U.S. Following full-time service, he continued serving in the U.S. Army Reserve as well as in the U.S. Army National Guard Reserve until 2001.
Mitchell's interest in continuing his federal service eventually brought him to Texas in 1988 and specifically to Texarkana in 1991. Here, he went to work at the Red River Army Depot for a couple of years.
"I also worked for Tyson's Foods for 10 years while I learned how to raise and sell my own chickens," he said. "I started helping out at the Friendship Center (which later became Mission Texarkana) in 2005. I also love fishing, reading and growing sunflowers."
For Mitchell, his reading includes his love of the Bible, which his parents also taught him at an early age.
"Learning how to love the Bible gave me my best start in life," said Mitchell, who's been a Church Under The Bridge member since 2012.
"To this day, my favorite verse still starts in Genesis 1 where it says 'God created the earth," he said.