A COMMUNITY FARM AT THE TOP OF FRYDENHOJ
ABOUT WENNER HILL GARDENS & COOPERATIVE
FIVE ACRES ON ST. THOMAS
Growing food.
Building community.
Wenner Hill Gardens & Cooperative is a working farm and community garden in Estate Frydenhoj on the East End of St. Thomas. Across five acres, we grow fresh produce, share knowledge, and strengthen the local food system.
Surrounded by beautiful views of Pillsbury Sound and the Virgin Islands, we are growing food, building community, and promoting a more sustainable future.
PEOPLE WITH A PURPOSE
The Vision Behind
Wenner Hill Gardens
Wenner Hill Gardens is the brainchild of Dr. Gemma Wenner, whose background in hospitality, tourism, culinary arts, and entrepreneurship helped shape the farm into a welcoming and highly organized community space.
Together with her husband, Dr. Mark Wenner, an economics professor at the University of the Virgin Islands, Gemma has helped create a place where local agriculture, community development, and sustainable tourism can work hand in hand.
Their vision is rooted in a deep sense of responsibility to the Virgin Islands community: to make productive use of the land, increase access to fresh, healthy food, support local growers, and create a model that can inspire more cooperative gardens across St. Thomas and beyond.
SHARED LAND, SHARED KNOWLEDGE
OUR COOPERATIVE
COMMUNITY GARDEN MODEL
Wenner Hill Gardens & Cooperative is a five-acre working farm and community garden in Estate Frydenhoj on the East End of St. Thomas. We grow fresh produce, support local agriculture, and bring people together through sustainable farming and shared knowledge.
Our goal is to inspire more community gardens and agricultural cooperatives across the Virgin Islands, showing how shared spaces can strengthen local food systems, build community, and create a more sustainable future.
FROM OUR SOIL
What We Grow
Our five-acre farm grows a diverse selection of tropical fruits, vegetables, herbs, peppers, flowers, and specialty crops.
Seasonal offerings also include fresh baked goods, sauces, jams, juices, wellness products, and other locally made favorites, so there’s always something new to discover.
A MORE RESILIENT ST. THOMAS
Supporting Food Security
in the Virgin Islands
Wenner Hill Gardens was designed to help strengthen local food access and reduce dependence on imported goods. By growing more food locally and giving community members a place to cultivate, sell, and share, the cooperative contributes to a more resilient St. Thomas.
LEARNING FROM THE LAND
Agriculture, Education
& Sustainability
Education is at the heart of Wenner Hill Gardens. We host workshops and hands-on learning experiences focused on gardening, sustainability, wellness, cooking, composting, and other topics that help strengthen our community’s connection to the land.
We also support pollinator health through initiatives like our on-site beehives, helping promote biodiversity, local agriculture, and a more sustainable future.
GATHER AROUND THE TABLE
THE GARDEN SHED
The Garden Shed serves as an airy gathering space for community meals, farm-to-table dinners, workshops, and special events. These gatherings often draw directly from the bounty of the land and celebrate the connection between locally sourced food, gastronomy, and hospitality.
For visitors and locals alike, the Garden Shed offers a welcoming place to experience the flavors and stories of the gardens.
EXPERIENCE ANOTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND
Agri-Tourism
on St. Thomas
Wenner Hill Gardens offers a unique agri-tourism experience for those who want to see another side of St. Thomas.
In addition to Market Days and farm visits, the property features an agritourism cabin for guests who want to stay close to the land and experience the farm’s beauty. Inquire for availability.
Visitors can learn about local growing, explore the gardens, enjoy hillside views, and connect with the people behind the cooperative.
CARRY THE GARDEN WITH YOU
Support Wenner Hill Gardens
Take a piece of the garden with you. Our Wenner Hill Gardens merchandise collection includes totes, hats, mugs, stickers, shirts, and other everyday items inspired by the land, the harvest, and the community that helps this garden grow.
Whether you’re a member, visitor, volunteer, neighbor, or supporter from afar, each item is a simple way to share your love for Wenner Hill Gardens and help spread the spirit of cooperative growing, local food, and community connection.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE GARDENS
Meet The Wenners
DR. GEMMA WENNER
Dr. Gemma Wenner brings a rich background in hospitality, tourism, culinary arts, service, and community leadership to Wenner Hill Gardens. Her vision, organization, and hands-on dedication have helped transform the farm into a thriving cooperative space for local food, education, and community connection.
DR. MARK WENNER
Dr. Mark Wenner is an economics professor at the University of the Virgin Islands and a partner in the vision behind Wenner Hill Gardens. With deep roots in the property and a strong belief in local responsibility, community generosity, and sustainable economic development, Mark supports the farm’s mission to strengthen local food systems and inspire cooperative growing across the island.
VISIT MARKET DAYS
Market schedule & details
GET INVOLVED
Join the community
CONTACT US
Questions & visits
STORIES FROM THE HILL
In the News
Wenner Hill Gardens & Cooperative has been recognized locally for its community-centered approach to farming, cooperative growing, sustainability, Market Days, agri-tourism, and efforts to strengthen access to fresh local food on St. Thomas.