We had the good fortune of connecting with Te’Lario Watkins II and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Te’Lario, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
My business helps the community by teaching kids and families how to grow their own food and understand where food comes from.

Through Tiger Mushroom Farms and The Garden Club Project, I use mushrooms, gardening, and hands-on STEM lessons to make farming fun and easy to understand. We work with schools, early care centers, youth programs, and community events to help young people learn about healthy eating, soil, composting, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.

A big part of my work is about food access. We grow food, donate produce, share mushroom kits and books, and encourage families to try growing at home. I want kids to see that they are never too young to make a difference.

My goal is to help build healthier communities, inspire the next generation of growers, and show that food can be a way to create change.

Young boy smiling, pointing at a mushroom growing kit on a table, wearing a blue shirt with an orange ribbon.

Child looking at mushrooms growing on logs inside a storage area, with shelves above. Close-up of mushrooms and child's face.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My work is about using food, farming, and education to make a difference. I started Tiger Mushroom Farms when I was 7 years old after a Cub Scout project introduced me to growing. That one experience turned into a love for mushrooms, gardening, entrepreneurship, and teaching others where their food comes from.

What sets me apart is that I did not just start a business to sell something. I started because I wanted to solve a problem and inspire other young people. Through Tiger Mushroom Farms and The Garden Club Project, I teach kids and families about mushrooms, gardening, healthy eating, STEM, sustainability, and food access. I have worked with schools, early care centers, youth programs, farmers markets, community events, and local partners to help more people experience growing food for themselves.

I am most proud that my work has grown from a childhood idea into something that reaches real people in my community. I have written a children’s book, taught students about the mushroom life cycle, helped grow and donate food, earned my Eagle Scout rank, and used my voice to encourage other youth to lead and serve.

It was not always easy. Being young, I had to prove that my ideas were serious. I had to learn how to speak up, keep going when things did not work, balance school with service and business, and accept that growth takes time. I overcame challenges by staying consistent, asking for help, learning from mentors, and remembering why I started.

The biggest lessons I have learned are to start small, stay committed, serve first, and never think you are too young to make an impact. I want the world to know that my brand is bigger than mushrooms. It is about growing food, growing leaders, and growing hope in communities that need it most.

A young person demonstrates a cooking technique to a group of children in a kitchen, with a woman supervising in the background.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would give them a real Columbus experience. We would start at Franklin Park Conservatory because I love anything connected to plants, food, and nature. Then we would visit COSI, walk the Scioto Mile, check out the Short North, and stop by North Market for good food.

During the week, I’d take them to Easton, the Columbus Zoo, German Village, and of course a local farmers market or community garden. We would have to get Jeni’s ice cream, try some local restaurants, and spend time with the people who make Columbus special.

For me, the best part of Columbus is the mix of creativity, community, food, youth leadership, and people trying to make a difference.

Child wearing gloves crouches in a garden, harvesting leafy greens with another person in the background.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to dedicate my shoutout to my community. I would not be where I am without the people who believed in me, supported my ideas, showed up to events, bought mushrooms, donated, volunteered, shared my story, and encouraged me to keep going.

My family, mentors, teachers, Scout leaders, partners, and the youth I work with have all helped shape my journey. Every garden, every mushroom kit, every workshop, and every act of service reminds me that this work is bigger than me. My community helped grow me, and now I want to keep growing opportunities for others.

Website: www.thegardenclubproject@gmail.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegardenclubproject?igsh=MWVoZmtpOWd1N3Z6bQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegardenclubproject229

Young man holding cucumbers in a garden with green plants and trees, smiling, sunny day.

Four women and one man at a table with informational materials, woman handing an item to man, all wearing black shirts.

Young man standing outdoors holding gloves, with people working in the background on a grassy field, trees, and a Lowe's shopping bag.

Three people at an outdoor market stall under tents, with tables and plants, smiling and interacting.

Teacher holding a book in a classroom with educational posters and materials on the wall, students seated nearby.

Person standing in front of a screen displaying the life cycle of a mushroom, with children seated and watching.

Image Credits
LaVanya Watkins

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