Garden promotes community effort
All are welcome to participate
A community garden launched back in 2014 continues to thrive, with plans to donate a majority of food to local food banks.
The effort at Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church has taken a “community helping the community” mentality, a shift the original intention of neighbors adopting their own small plots to take home the reaping.
“We’re trying to get as many people involved from the community that we can,” said Jackie Iatesta, lead volunteer of God’s Community Garden.
For a one-time fee of $20, an individual could adopt an 8-feet-by4-feet section and bring some of their own plants, or volunteer in a much more general way.
“They can help us out with what we have,” said Iatesta. “They can work in the garden in general and then when the stuff comes in, take what they need. We’re willing to work with them that way.”
Volunteers can come and go into the garden as they please, once they sign up and have a garden orientation. Those interested should stop by the church office Monday-Friday between 8-4:30 p.m. The orientation will include an introduction of the garden, in addition to the tools that are available.
Most of the produce is slated to go to the Boyertown Multi-
Service and to the Salvation Army, some will go to over to Pottstown Cluster. In addition, if individual needs are expressed — the group is willing to help meet those needs as well. The group will supply recipes with the distribution, so folks know what to do with items like spaghetti squash and kale.
Prior to planting, the garden volunteers approached the Multi-Service to ask “what do the people want?” The answers were things like lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
“All of these plants were donated or the seeds were donated,” said Iatesta. For example — two seeds were donated from one of the gigantic Oley Fair pumpkins. “We have no idea what’s going to happen with them; we think the kids will really enjoy watching the pumpkin growing. We’re excited about that.”
In an effort to remain sustainable, the garden received a $10,000 grant from Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation to install a water supply system.
Iatesta said they originally sought a $20,000 grant to cover the costs of a handicap parkway, a shed, and additional raised beds. They still hope to acquire the funding for those items through future grants.
The plan is for the garden to be all raised beds to help prevent weeds, but also to make the garden more easily accessible to children and seniors.
Immediate needs include 12 tomato cages, soil for the raised bed and the herb bed, four bales of straw, a locked storage bench, a scale, and an organic compost. Monetary donations are requested to fill these needs. The gift of time is also appreciated.
The handful of dedicated volunteers are excited to provide fresh food to folks that otherwise would not have access.
To fulfill the grant requirements, the group needs to weigh all of the produce and record volunteer hours.
“We will bring the kids up from the Sunday School, they will help us pick some stuff, and harvest. They will also learn about growing,” said Iatesta. She also noted education for nutrition and helping others. “I think that’s the biggest part – trying to instill in them, at this early age, how important it is to help other people.”
The local Girl Scout Daisies recently came out to help pull weeds. And as the season gets underway, Iatesta explained how the focus has centered on the idea of “people in the community helping others in the community.”
The garden itself has also taken on a therapeutic role for some individuals. This is an aspect the volunteers didn’t anticipate, but welcome the opportunity to help others. Iatesta is looking for community members with a passion in that area that may be willing to help.
Trinity Evangelical Congregational Church is located along Swinehart