Enslaved people grew, harvested, prepared, and served the food eaten by the Jefferson family and guests at Monticello. When it came to their own diet, however, they received small weekly rations of cornmeal, pork, and fish. To supplement these rations and add nutritional variety, enslaved people grew produce in their own gardens during their limited free time. Join us on Tuesday, April 27, at 1:00 p.m. for a live Q&A with Monticello’s Archaeological Field Research Manager Crystal O’Connor, and Monticello Guide Elizabeth Lukas. We will discuss the gardens of enslaved families, what they grew, and what they did with the produce.

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