The Community Garden project hopes to be an activity that “invites, delights and unites” the parish.  So we have constructed a simple, practical approach to this end. Through the images of a Parish Garden which includes Family Raised bed Boxes, Themed Gardens Beds, Flower Border, Composting, Rain Harvesting and a Community Fire Circle, we believe the imaginations and hearts of families will be drawn to the garden. Not to mention the activity that is actually building the garden. Currently we have three events scheduled; The Swap, The Build and The Plant. Beyond those Kickoff events we will be meeting once a week for Weeding Wednesdays for Conversation, Speakers, Gatherings and Fun in the garden. We hope that the whole family stops by to enjoy what we have planned. We want to offer garden mentoring, periodic garden tours (Heritage Days, Festival, etc), and a Harvest banquet at the end of the season.
 
It’s not just about us though. We will encourage the Family gardens to contribute half of their produce to the Dan Schuh Center for the emergency food bank. It will be one more opportunity for us to connect to the greater community. As the garden gets rolling, we would like to offer nutrition, composting, canning/freezing, and Care for Creation presentations/talks. Using the garden as a classroom for the Parish and for the School. We hope some of the individual classes will be able to use the garden as a living classroom tying their environmental curriculum to this new resource.
 
Our design has been collaborative and has been influenced by so many people. It’s a living design that will be accented with flowers, ornamental vegetables, sculpture and hopefully butterflies. It’s our wish that the garden becomes a place of enchantment and relaxation. A place to enjoy a fire with other families, learn about God’s creation and maybe even find a contemplative corner to pray. With so much energy from so many people, this garden will be nothing short of delightful.
 
Though the garden will be what IT is, in the end its about our Parish Community. I recently read a reflection by Ed Hays (Catholic theologian), who said… “you never create community, rather you discover that you are already part of a community”. I think I speak for the entire group when I say this is our goal. We want our Parish to remember we are a community.