A Brief History of Mulberry Fields

The acre of land now known as Mulberry Fields has been dedicated to agriculture since the late 1800s. William Howard Talbot Sr., born in the early 1900s, grew up in the family homestead on Candler Street, where his family ran a small dairy farm. Historical photographs show cows grazing on Candler Street and in the fields beyond. Through the decades, the land continued its agricultural tradition—in the 1980s, corn was cultivated and a milking barn still stood at its edge.

Jesse and Richard Bathrick moved to Iverson Street in 1979. All the houses on their block backed up to this historic open field, still owned by Jack Talbot, who had grown up on the property. He generously allowed neighbors to enjoy the open space, and children—including the Bathricks' son Sam and his friends—made it their playground. Jesse, with Mr. Talbot's permission, began growing vegetables and flowers at the field's edge.

When Mr. Talbot announced plans to sell the land to developers in 1992, Jesse sprang into action. Realizing the profound impact this would have on their lives, their neighbors, and the many children who called this space their own, she asked the critical question: How could they save this greenspace? 

The Bathricks, along with neighbors Matt Crowther and Betsy Abrams, invested their own money to purchase the property and protect the ancient pecans, sunny fields, and mulberry grove for future generations. This intown oasis—one of the last green spaces in the area never developed for anything other than agriculture—was saved.

In 1999, Jesse and Richard were ready to transform the open space into a true community garden. Jesse distributed flyers throughout the neighborhood, inviting people to grow their own vegetables. Fred Conrad with the Atlanta Community Food Bank secured a grant to fund the first six garden plots. Alice and Iris, the garden's first goats, arrived to clear the kudzu, privet, and blackberry tangles. Chickens soon followed.

For almost twenty years, Jesse handled the day-to-day management—solving water access issues, paying property taxes, planning fundraisers, handling marketing, and ensuring the property was protected. Richard mowed, trimmed trees, and added beloved features like the rope swing hanging from a Civil War-vintage pecan tree and the basketball court. A team formed to care for the goats and chickens.

In 2016, Mulberry Fields entered a partnership with The Wylde Center, a nonprofit managing multiple intown and Decatur green spaces. This collaboration brought significant improvements, most notably a rainwater runoff project that created five rain gardens, stopping erosion and flooding.

In 2024, the garden celebrated its 25th Silver Anniversary—a quarter-century of community, growth, and stewardship.