2007 Community Garden . . . It Lives! (scroll down for pictures and comments.)
July 27, 2007 What a difference! Check out how much has changed in only 5 days! God is showing off here! We're very thankful for the badly needed rain. This week rain came in two waves. The first was gentle enough to soften the ground before the second wave of drenching rain came that would have done a lot of damage if the ground had not been softened first. The harvest continues to be extraordinary considering the draught conditions this garden should have suffered. We have consistently prayed that God would speak Words of Life to the garden in the night watches. Apparently God has watered it with the dew and with His Word for we have not had nearly enough rain to explain the condition of this garden. Most gardens anywhere around are in serious trouble for the lack of rain. We are very thankful for God's mercy on this endeavor to serve in our community. We're braggin' on God . . . not on ourselves. Today beans went to Mary at the nearby bar. Potatoes went to a family on Neverfail Road that cares for MANY children. Squash went to the family mentioned below whose sons came looking for squash. Continue to pray with us that every bit of harvest would go where God would be glorified in it.
Squash is yielding steadily. Join us in prayer that we will receive steady harvest in the community as well.
Contender beans are now ready for 1st picking. Onions are doing well and being thinned by select harvest. Broccoli is now in 5th picking.
This is the same pumpkin as shown below . . . 5 days and almost doubled in size.
Roma tomatoes (for sauce & salsa) are not yet ripening. Roma II beans are heavy with beans and ready for 3rd picking.
Same watermelon as shown below is now over twice as big as 5 days ago! 2nd planting of corn is almost ready for harvest.
Our only harvest disappointment so far . . . this is all the potatoes we got from a whole 30' row. But we give God thanks in ALL things!
July 22, 2007 Eight people from the congregation spent several hours working together in the garden after Sunday
evening Bible Study. We beat back the weeds and got some pictures too. We're probably ready (finally) for the tiller . . .
Lois and Justin . . . Emily and Scott (Betty took the pictures and managed not to be in any of them!)
Anthony . . . Scott and Kelly
beans, Contender and Roma II's
broccoli (4th picking!) and cabbage
corn and onions
peppers and pumpkin
squash and tomatoes
watermelon
July 2, 2007 I was pulling weeds in the garden this evening and found two mature squashes that were quite small.
I picked them and put them in the car and asked God to who me who they were for. Not long afterwards, the two neighbor
boys who were riding their 4-wheeler across the highway from the garden appeared in the garden. They asked if I had
any squash and they asked if anyone could come and take 'stuff' from the garden. I assured them that we were growing
the garden for the benefit of any neighbor that wanted to take from it. I also told them I had the very first 2 squash that
had come from the garden this year and that they could have them. I was able to invite them to a youth activity planned
for this Friday. I also had an opportunity to teach them the 10 Commandments and pray for them. Before they arrived I
had just prayed (as I always do) that God would grant us a harvest of 'community' from the garden. I give God thanks
again for a fruitful garden season. (The boys also assured me that they would pull a few weeds when they came back to
check for more squash!)
June 25, 2007 Finally a little rain . . . what a difference it makes with the crops (weeds too.)
With VBS behind us it is now time to get serious about weeding. We've harvested some broccoli and everything
else is looking good. The Contender beans finally geminated after one of the recent showers. The potato beetles have
been rough on the potatoes this season . . . the plants are really chewed up . . . we're hoping that there is something
happening underground in spite of the attack above ground. Pastors Eliot and Emily along with Joey Brown have plenty
invested to date. Our most exciting harvest so far this season is a new family joining the church. Anthony & Betty Johnson
and children have 'come in through the garden.' Anthony began visiting with pastor Eliot on his way home from work
on afternoons when Eliot was in the garden. Soon he began coming to Sunday worship services and then the rest of the
family followed. They were fully engaged in VBS and were great workers, bringing many neighborhood children.
Anthony and Betty have also been caught on several occasions working in the garden (sometimes with their children!)
We are so thankful for them . . . this is the real fruit that we pray for as we labor in the garden.
We look forward to others who will follow.
Memorial Day 2007
1st corn is up and doing well. 2nd corn is up and doubled in size during the day while I worked (from 1" to 2").
Roma II bush beans and Contender bush beans are in but not up. Cabbage and Broccoli look good. The potatoes
have been fertilized and hilled. (We are already battling potato beetles . . . prayer request!) Jalapeño and Bell peppers
are planted as are three kinds of tomatoes. Watermelon and squash plants are in and the pumpkin seeds are planted.
I think the onions doubled in size as I worked over the weekend also. We are very dry here and could use a nice gentle
soaking rain. It is my estimate that we have at least 15 positive encounters with the community for every hour someone
spends in the garden. (And lots of good prayer time!) Most of these encounters are simple greetings by car horn or
hand wave but there have already been numerous significant visits with un-churched people who have stopped.
Despite late killing frosts, the 1st two rows of corn (planted March 31) are up and so are the potatoes.
The rest of the early crops have not yet been planted due to extreme cold and then lack of rain.