MOUNT VERNON — A new community garden is sprouting up on Mansfield Avenue.
Faith Lutheran Church, which hosted such a garden many years ago, has donated garden space on its property, open to anyone in the community who needs space to grow food for her or his family.
Looking for a way to ease the financial difficulties of county residents by making it possible for families to grow at least some of their own food, an ecumenical group of church folk got together recently to discuss the matter. The idea of a community garden caught on quickly with the handful of people from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Harcourt Parish Episcopal Church and First Congregational United Church of Christ, and they committed themselves to coaxing the seeds of a dream into germination.
Faith Lutheran Church is blessed with a large property, part of which is the home of the New Testament Stone Garden, a popular attraction and wedding site.
The Rev. Mark Wildermuth said that when he arrived to pastor Faith Lutheran in 1989, the original community garden project was at the end of its life and was not revived the following spring.
“We’re just glad to be able to offer this opportunity for the community now,” said Wildermuth.
The Faith Lutheran Church council agreed that the idea of hosting a garden for all was a good one, and turned the project over to member Art Schad, who enthusiastically got involved.
He quickly measured two plots just north of the church, both plots 25 feet by 80 feet and separated by a 4-foot strip of turf on which to walk. He enlisted the help of farmer and church member Greg Lust, who will soon plow the garden during a break in his own field plowing.
“My job is to get the garden going, but I’m just the conduit,” said Schad modestly. “Originally, the garden was to be 30 feet by 40 feet, but I said that’s just not going to be big enough.”
Garden plots will be available for raising vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers. Gardeners will be asked to commit to taking regular care of their plot all summer, and to tearing down and cleaning up the plot after harvest and frost. Water is available at the church building, but must be carried to the garden a couple hundred feet away. If the garden proves popular, organizers say they may invest in several hoses to make watering easier.
Part of the garden — nicknamed Faith Community Garden — said co-organizer Erin Salva, will be devoted to growing food for Mount Vernon’s Hot Meals program, in which eight churches participate to offer a free meal every night of the week. She said Hot Meals coordinators are looking forward to receiving fresh vegetables and cooking fresh and original meals for their guests, and may host a banquet at harvest time that will utilize and celebrate fresh foods from the community garden.
Salva said she hopes experienced and master gardeners will volunteer to coach those who haven’t gardened before, and that tools will be donated that can remain on site for collective use.
Other community members will be involved, including crews of young people, said Angie Webb.
“The Knox County Juvenile Court offers a program called STEP (Summer Teen Employment Program),” said Webb, its coordinator. “It provides classroom and work experience to youth who are involved with the Juvenile Court system. The majority spend four hours two days a week in a classroom where we teach Life Skill, do a cognitive behavior group and physical fitness. Our goal is to teach the youth to become self-sufficient, help them understand thinking errors and learn to live a healthier lifestyle. In addition to classroom time, youth are placed at work sites for various organizations in the community. Others are placed on crews monitored by the Knox County Juvenile Court Probation Staff. These youth participate in mowing public areas, pulling weeds, picking up trash or other projects that benefit the community.
“The group that will be helping with this project [the community garden] will be four youth who have been assigned to participate in STEP. They will pull weeds and do whatever other things need done in the garden. The program will operate from June 16 to Aug. 1,” said Webb.
At a small dedication ceremony on Wednesday, Salva said no one knows how many people will utilize the garden to grow healthy food for their families.
But, she said, “Plowed ground is never wasted ground. This garden is a gift.”
To request more information call the First Congregational United Church of Christ office at 393-1736.
