Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church - Browning Community Garden, Browning, Mississippi
Browning is an unincorporated community located in Leflore County, Mississippi. Browning is approximately two miles east of Greenwood and five miles west of Valley Hill on Browning Road near U.S. Route 82 and located within the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area.
As of the 2020 census, the population of Leflore County was 28,339. The county seat is Greenwood. Leflore County is located in the Mississippi Delta region, with its southern border formed by the Yazoo River. Leflore County, which is still largely rural, is noted for having the highest level of child poverty of any county in the United States.
Goal, Vision, and Objectives:
The Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church established a community garden to serve the Browning, Mississippi Community. The garden was established with the goal of creating a healthy and vibrant community. The project will help to provide long-term food security by supporting home garden projects while also focusing on the physical health and aesthetics of the community.
The Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church congregation were the primary beneficiaries from the garden harvest. The congregation participated in the establishment, planting, maintaining, and harvesting of the garden. The Browning Community was the secondary beneficiary of the garden.
Church Mission: The church where God’s love is expressed.
Church Vision: To love God, to love God’s people, and to express love as we make disciples to help build God’s Kingdom.
The garden benefited 200 members of the community. This included 100 active members of the Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church (80 adults and 20 children) and 100 members of the community.
Photo Date: February 25, 2024
Morning Star had an under-utilized 120 x 60 hard surface (7,200 square feet) that was transformed into the community garden. The garden provided the community with food and educational opportunities. Hosting the community garden created additional opportunities to minister to the community and serve its interests.
The Community Resources Connection Grant provided the funding necessary to establish the Browning community garden. The $10,000 funded Phase I of the project. Morning Star Church will be applying for other grants and creating fundraising campaigns to fund garden expansion and beautification projects.
The grant funding was expended on garden materials and supplies such as raised beds, garden tools, seeds, plants, fertilizer, soil, mulch, harvesting containers, stone, wood, and wheel barrels.
Sugar snap peas, collards, cucumbers, mustard, okra, peas, peppers, squash, winter squash, strawberry, tomatoes, and turnips were planted and harvested. The garden improved the aesthetics and enhanced the use of the 16 acres, designated to serve the community’s spiritual, mental, health, and recreational needs.
Photo Date: January 1, 2025
Project Milestones and Dates:
- Garden Approval/Award Date: February 25, 2024
- Initial Funding Disbursement: February 25, 2024
- Garden Workday – Day 1: May 1, 2024
- 1st Planting Date: July 31, 2024
- First Harvest Date: August – November 2024
Morning Star purchased 25 six feet by two feet galvanized containers to served as garden beds. Members of the church and community help to set up the garden beds. Seeds and seedlings were planted in the raised beds by the volunteers. Bonnie Plants, Incorporated in Pearl, Mississippi gifted some seedlings to the Browning Community Garden. Over 75 seedlings were planted. Green leafy vegetables and peas were planted from seeds in the fall.
