The Garden of Hope

The garden has been productive this year! We have been able to donate at least 150 lb of veggies to our pantry and nearly 400 lbs, with some other group’s donations, to St Mary’s pantry on the 1st and 3rd weeks. (Since we don’t have a scale, we estimate weight of donations based on a very scientific principle — we use another grower, Janet Moira’s 20lb vacuum cleaner as a “feel” equal; totally her idea.)

Special thanks to the Caswells and Nance Thompson for regular watering, weeding, etc. We also want to thank: Steph for squeezing weeding and watering into her busy schedule; as well as those who filled in from time to time when they could: Terri Froehlich, Frank Hodgkinson, Jeff Kephart, Karen Mack, Susan Solomon, Johanna (Nance’s Friend).

Kudos to those who stepped up to help with watering and harvesting last week while Nance and I were away; Sue Caruso, Janice Caponera and Terri Froehlich. (Please forgive me if I have left any names out.) We hope to have several more harvests of tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers—several varieties—and some beans and herbs.

This was a gratifying year to work in the garden, in terms of amount of produce raised. We were able to work well with several groups of scouts, some connected to our member Dawna Dennis. Between the scouts and coordination with several individual gardeners, we were able to deliver much larger donations of produce, which was truly appreciated by the pantries and a joy for me.

Exciting news from the Yorktown Interfaith Council about the Garden of Hope! We are grateful for the use of the property where the Garden of Hope is currently located on Whitehill Road, which has been generously donated for the past several years. While the property is in the process of being sold by the owners, members of the Yorktown Interfaith Council have been working in partnership with the Town of Yorktown for the past several months to secure a new location for the Garden and a new location is in the works! More news to follow when plans are finalized, but the Council is excitedly looking forward in hope to the 2021 planting season in the new location.

~For Mission and on behalf of our church, Nance and Heidi