It is teeming with life. Green, topped with splashes of orange and yellow that belong to the bees. Gardeners will appreciate what Chester United Methodist Church members have done with their community garden.
A mission project, the garden provides parishioners with some vegetables, but most of the fruit of their labor is distributed to those in need.
The Methodist Church distributes the vegetables at Broadwater Apartments, A Place of Miracles Cafe, and last month at the opening gathering of the Little Libraries volunteers. But the vegetables are not free.
“We [sell]the vegetables, [it’s]for a nominal cost, $1 per large lunch bag,” said garden organizer Julie Ferry. “It is not about the money, but allowing folks to provide for their families.”
The Church’s community garden is in its second year, starting as an idea for another church mission.
“The church had a group meet to pray and discern what God was calling Chester United Methodist to do. During time of meditation and prayer, members felt that we were being called to feed our neighbors in need and plant a garden,” said Julie. “The same weekend, we had youth gleaning fields for Society of St. Andrews. They came back to church and said that they thought we should have a garden. The call was clear.”
Mighty oaks from little acorns grow. The number of tomato plants grown last year was 51; that has grown to 84 this year. The tomatoes are grown in pots as are green peppers, raised planting beds edge one side of the garden. Squash (three types), cucumbers and beans skirt the tomatoes and peppers. Cabbage and a new crop of beans abut the road, with Chrysanthemums that hang from the arbor that acts as an entrance to the park-like space. In the fall, the group will plant sweet potatoes, cabbage, and green beans.
Pam and Skip Buyalos have been a major force in the planting and upkeep of the garden, although they say another Church parishioner has worked hard and come up with some ingenious systems that provide good irrigation and organization. “The tough part was getting it started,” said Pam.
“As they say, if you build it, they will come,” Skip said. The lush plants did have a little help, other than prayer, from Mother Nature. Skip said he uses Dr. Earth Osmocote, an organic fertilizer, to give a boost to the Celebration tomatoes the church group has planted.
“Billy Hobson has been indispensible,” Skip said. “Bill put together the drip-line irrigation system and came up with the idea to use old bicycle wheels to support the pole beans.” Skip and Pam brought the arbor from their home for the hanging plants.
Associate Pastor Patrick Pillow said the garden has been a group effort, and has been a blessing for church and the community. He said when he is out running in the morning he turns on the irrigation. The drip irrigation is run for about three minutes, and the raised
beds are watered for about 30 minutes.
Being a tough row to hoe, Boy Scout Troop 815 helped tremendously said Skip. The garden’s location on Percival Street in Chester takes up about half of the Troops meeting house parking. The Eagle Scouts of 815 pitched in and built four picnic tables under the trees opposite the garden. Volunteers from the Church joined to procure the lumber and hardware for the tables from Lowe’s and Home Depot.
“It’s really neat seeing the kids,” Skip said. “When they were picking tomatoes last year, they said the leaves were sticking them.” Skip laughed and said he uses a wet towel to keep the prickly leaves from bothering him.
