What a difference a year makes? Reflecting over the beginning of our community garden project to the present, there has been many lessons learned, accomplishments made, disappointments had, but all to enhance the road to a brighter future.

First, we would like to thank Community Resource Connection for awarding the full grant of $10,000.00 to develop the community garden for our neighborhood. This grant has provided many of us the opportunity to learn gardening from the beginning level, share that knowledge with our friends, family and others. Most importantly it allowed us to develop a garden that will continue to aide in our community’s effort to feed many community residents.

From our very onset, the church along with a few community members worked to serve the residents by providing them the opportunity to have at their disposal, fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs produced not only available within their community, but within walking distance of their homes.

The church donated a parcel of land (two lots) that is almost in the center of the community. The garden is within walking distance and easy access with an automobile. However, the land had to be cleaned of fallen trees, debris and raised beds developed. Several trees had been identified as needing to be cut down and or trimmed to allow sunlight onto the garden area. Task groups were formed, and duties assigned with great expectation.

As the news spread about the upcoming garden and materials began coming in, many residents came out to volunteer in the clearing process as well as the development of the raised beds. We set up the first eight beds, each were four by eight wide and made of cinder blocks. Two of the volunteers were civil engineers that heard about the project from family members and came out to help. The thrill and excitement of seeing the project commence was wonderful.

While awaiting the arrival of our shed to place the equipment in, there was an accident, and the shed was clipped by a low hanging branch doing transport and fell apart. However, the young men that was transporting the shed were determined to ensure the shed would be rebuilt and they did just that. While one group was constructing the raised beds, the others were reassembling the shed.

A local plumber came out to assist and began working on an irrigation system for the raised beds. We were now ready to assemble the remaining seven beds, which gave us a total of fifteen beds, ready to be filled and the planting to begin. The soil had arrived, the volunteers were ready and in place with gloves on hand, shovels and wheel barrel moving as beds were filled in preparation of planting.

Once the beds were ready for planting, community members continued to come out and assist or just give encouragement to those working. We planted tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, various peppers, herbs, and eggplants as requested by many residents. It was truly a time of fellowship as many had not seen each other in quite some time.

Finally, our garden sign was picked up and later installed which signified the realization that we have a community garden.

Unfortunately, the crops did not yield as bountiful as desired, in part to heat. However, we were able to provide at least thirty-five (35) households with vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes and squash. We also partnered with another local farm and obtained additional produce to include in our

give away packet such as fresh okra, red and white potatoes. This addition allowed us to increase our provision to fifteen more households, amounting to a total of fifty (50) households for this season.

The eggplant and peppers did not yield as well. We still found a way to share with our community residents. We use many of the garden items in preparation of the monthly meals hosted for the Senior Citizen program in our community. The Southern University Therapeutic Recreation and Leisure Studies participates by providing activities and social interactions, while enjoying a meal.

Therefore, since many people were not familiar with the preparation of the eggplant vegetable, we used the few produced and made two dressing dishes (seafood and ground meat) as samples. Those that enjoyed the dishes were now willing to add to their family menu and said they would make it at home. As for the peppers, we made pepper vinegar and distributed it to various homes.

While we did not produce many vegetables this season, we obtained a great deal of valuable information and education on gardening, increased awareness on how to use the little and expand it to a product that can still be enjoyed by many.

As we prepared for the upcoming season, our focus moved to cleaning the beds from the vegetables that were produced and distributed earlier and preparing the beds for the upcoming Fall Garden.

This season, we decided to reduce the types of vegetables to greens (mustards, collards and cabbage) and some lettuce and carrots. Unfortunately, the crop was invaded by pests which ate most of the mustard greens. Determined not to be defeated we cleaned the pest infected beds and replanted, hoping for a better crop later within the year.

Vegetables that were able to be harvested, we were able again to distribute forty-five (45) bags of vegetables which consisted of collard greens. Other people heard about our desire to distribute the items as part of a Pre-Thanksgiving giveaway and we were able to include sweet potatoes, cornbread mix, a rotisserie chicken and one dozen of egg from the Southern University Agricultural Department.

It was and remains our desire that the garden will allow our residents the opportunity to partake in a healthier lifestyle, decrease stress related to insufficient funds to purchase certain items, increase and enhance social and educational skills through interacting with other gardeners and community residents.

We also wanted to create a green space amid a community surrounded by environmental hazards such as several chemical plants within a five-mile radius. We hoped the green space will aide in combating health issues relating to poor diets, lack of transportation to the grocery for certain items and access to healthier food. Our plans continue to not only grow food but encourage the importance of understanding food and expanding our awareness of the food culture and its importance through learning and sharing methods of preparation and preservation of items grown. This knowledge will be provided through educational seminars, healthy eating workshops, demonstrations and food preparations.

Not only is this church effort considered a labor of love but a duty and responsibly to become wise stewards to the body of Christ for the members of our church and the community for which we serve. While we may not have conquered the food inadequacies within our community, we have begun to introduce ways to have a better quality of life through healthy eating, growing your own vegetables and enjoying to company of others while working together for the better good.

This project also expanded our interactions and opportunities to effectively communicate and collaborate with other ministries, businesses, community leaders, and most importantly community residents and volunteers both near and far.

A very special thanks to Mitchell Provensal with Baton Roots Community Farm at Howell Park, Dr. C. Reuben Walker, Southern University Executive Vice Chancellor and the Southern University Agriculture staff, Deputy John with the WBR Sheriff Workforce Gardening, Mr. Eddie Veals, Mr. Greg Foster for their provision of not only time and energy but by imparting either verbal, instructional, hand on skills and techniques of gardening plants, planting, irrigation, pest control and other resources. Twelve Step Ministries, Audubon Hospice, Minister Derrick Gibson, Mr. Jerome Dugas, residents and friends of the Alsen community and members of Mt. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church for donations of time, labor, resources but more so catching the vision and embracing it with love.

Through these acts of labor and love we have provided resources to more than seventy-eight (78) households that fed nearly 200 individuals.

Lessons learned from this endeavor include, mother nature is in control and we learned to make adjustments and weather the times, and realize pest have appetites. These issues interfered with production, but you have to try commercial and natural remedies to see what works for you. Volunteers have good hearts, but they have lives that sometimes interfere with their desire to work. The work must be done by many or few, don’t give up. At the end of the day, it was worth the effort and we live to work for another season of harvest and distribution. “To God be the Glory”.

Quotes: Awarded Organization

• From the Pastor’s Heart:

We started the year declaring that 2024 would be the Year of the Harvest. We can not only say that we had a harvest of souls, but that through the community garden initiative, we could provide resources to those souls.

The community garden has been a blessing to our church and surrounding area. We are looking forward to where we are going in 2025. The continued growth of the garden will be a crucial part of our outreach plans.

We would like to give a special thanks to all who made this outreach successful. I pray God’s blessing upon each organization and individual who made this possible—Rev. Timothy Smith, Pastor Mt. Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.

Quotes from Beneficiaries

• The community garden has provided fresh healthy food options for individuals who lack transportation to get to the grocery store outside of the community and for the elderly. Thanks to Ms. Kathryn Jones.
  
  
• The time and dedication put into the garden that grew and produced was fabulous and well given to others, looking for the next round of growth — B. Anderson
  
  
• In times when there are so many recalls on produce, high pricing, inferior quality and no availability in minority communities having our garden removed all these concerns. It was garden to table as our grandparents did. Fresh, clean and good!

   

• Thanks for being a part of the awesome Mt. Bethel Garden committee, it was a great success, looking forward to the spring garden; Rose Williams 🪴🪴.

   

• Thank you for the vegetables given to me. It was just what I needed and wanted — Sue Collins.

   

• On behalf of our community Senior Citizen participants, thank you for the fresh vegetables given to us and the monthly meals prepared. This has been a true blessing to us — Bertha Myles and Lois Follins.

   

• To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul. When the garden work commence it was just a blank surface. However, not long after, that blank surface supplied many healthy vegetables that feed many in the community. We are extremely grateful to MBMBC vision to begin a garden and assist many in need.

   

• Observing those who worked in the garden, the volunteers expressed much pleasure in planting and watering, but most of all seeing the results placed many smiles upon their faces. I look forward to the healthy choices that the garden will provide—The Anderson’s.

I enjoyed the fresh vegetables given, especially the cucumber and tomatoes. There is nothing like fresh off the vine tomatoes and cucumbers. I have made a salad for my family at least twice a week with the garden being so close to my home. Thank you, T. Richard.

Quotes from Partners

We count it a wonderful opportunity to partner with such a project that feeds not only the soul but cares and feeds the body. Looking forward to working together in the future.