A lifelong gardener, Stuart Englert grew his first vegetables as a child in the backyard of his parents’ home in Ferdinand, Ind. He’s been gardening ever since, including starting a community garden in abandoned flower beds at Belle Meade Highlands, the condominium complex where he lives in Nashville.

In 2015, Stuart donated several dozen tomato and pepper plants that he grew from seed to BELL Garden. He planted and tended the vegetables and began volunteering at the garden. He’s been donating plants and working at the BELL on and off ever since.

In 2020, Stuart advised the BELL on how to better use the garden’s greenhouse. He also spearheaded planting of the garden’s field rows, promoted the garden’s plant sale in 2021 and began serving as one of the BELL’s regular team leaders.

This year, Stuart assumed the role as manager of the garden’s greenhouse and field rows. He also offered a 10-week Greenhouse Apprentice Program to five individuals who wanted to learn how to grow vegetables from seed as well as transplant and nurture seedlings before they’re planted at the BELL or sold during the garden’s spring plant sale.

A 1984 graduate of Indiana University’s School of Journalism, Stuart is a former newspaper reporter and magazine editor, having worked on publications in Indiana, Idaho and Tennessee. Since 2015, he’s published nine books, including six of his own titles. He’s also an aspiring songwriter.