Planting Seeds of Hope
by Chris Sturgeon,
Hope Episcopal Church
May 30, 2023
Church gardens have long been a part of supporting community food banks. Several Episcopal churches in our diocese provide fresh produce to a variety of organizations to help those less fortunate.
Hope Episcopal Church in Town & Country is part of this thriving collective of volunteer-supported gardens. Affectionately known as Shepherd Farm, this rich plot of land is now growing more than vegetables. It is nurturing the hope that comes as young people experience the wonders of gardening and giving.
A bit of history
The church was built in the 1950s on farmland, so a healthy base of soil laid the groundwork for the original team of green-thumbed volunteers in 2014, inspired by the Rev. Pamela Dolan and guided by master gardener Tawnya Kresse.
In its first year, Shepherd Farm produced and donated 2,000 pounds of produce from a garden that measures 100’ by 40’. In the eight years since, the garden has cumulatively generated 15,000 pounds of nutrition-rich vegetables. All of it – greens, beans, tomatoes, onions, peppers, squash, cucumbers, melons and blackberries – was weighed, recorded and delivered each week of the growing season to six pantries before the COVID pandemic. This year, Circle of Concern in Valley Park, Loaves & Fishes in Maryland Heights, City Greens Market in The Grove in St. Louis and St. John’s Peace Meal in Tower Grove in St. Louis are on the roster and a new partnership with George Washington Carver Farms in North St. Louis is underway.
“In delivering fresh, organically-grown produce, we become part of a network of people who care deeply about others and act on it,” says Diane Stirling, Shepherd Farm manager and member of Hope Church. “We expand our definition and experience of ‘neighbor’ to include families who live throughout St. Louis City and County. And we have recognized our role in a national movement of The Episcopal Church as active members of Good News Gardens.
A key goal of Shepherd Farm is self-sufficiency. Funded by grants from the Diocese in its initial years, Shepherd Farm relies on no financial support from its sponsor church, Hope Episcopal. And thanks to the addition of a water collection system in 2016, the Farm gets almost all of its water from rain.
Through the years, Shepherd Farm reaped the labors of volunteer teams that numbered between seven and 10. With COVID, moves and aging, that number is now down to three teams. Bob and Diane Stirling manage the farm. It is a “learn as we go” process, as Diane says. Bob is the problem-solver and heavy-lifter. Diane seeks and nurtures connections. They cut the quantity that is planted in half so they can manage the harvests with fewer adult volunteers, but they have creatively expanded connections to the garden. A next-door neighbor and naturalist, April Anderson, now grows vegetables in the garden and donates half of them for pantry delivery. She coordinated a 12-member team of Principia Middle School volunteers who dedicated three Saturday afternoons in March to mulching a truckload of leaf compost into the beds.
Focusing on youth
Diane is focusing on incorporating younger people in this ministry. The garden has become a path of hope for a group of Life Essentials students at Gateway Science Academy. Thanks to a serendipitous connection, Diane met Steven Doll, a special education teacher at Gateway Middle School, and together they developed a plan to integrate his students into the life of Shepherd Farm. In February 2023, the students built a grow-light station in their Gateway classroom and planted swiss chard, kale and spinach seeds. They tended the seeds until ready to transplant into the garden.
In April, Elihu Isele, former plant manager at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and currently a Field Specialist in Agriculture for the University of Missouri, spoke to the students about potential careers in horticulture. On May 18, these Gateway students traveled to Shepherd Farm to plant 36 tomato seedlings.
“It’s good math,” comments Mohammed as he measures the space between the plants to allow for their growth.
“It’s fascinating,” says Jayme, soon to be a freshman and a gentle hand with live plants. Peter was intrigued by the worms and their value to the garden. And Alicia, perhaps the shyest, liked nesting the young tomato plants in the rich dirt.
In September, they will return with a few new classmates to harvest the tomatoes.
Shepherd Farm also serves as a hands-on learning experience for preschoolers from St. Luke’s Preschool in Manchester, which is another ministry supported by Hope Episcopal Church. The inquisitive 4- and 5-year-old students planted kale and swiss chard seeds in February and placed them in a grow-light station tended by the teachers. On Saturday, May 13, parents and students visited Shepherd Farm to see the transplanted seedlings and to plant beans. They will be invited back in early fall to help harvest.
Food for the spirit
For Diane, working in the garden is spiritually grounding. “When you watch something grow and see the process of it maturing, it’s the work of God – seed, water, soil, sun, and God’s hand. The mystery of goodness and growth unfolds at a tangible, touchable level. And sharing this with others is a kind of communion.”
It’s no mystery that Shepherd Farm and those who support it provide nourishment not only for the body, but also the mind and the spirit.
Interested in volunteering at Shepherd Farm? Please contact Diane Stirling at 314-303-6815 or email at [email protected]. All are welcome!
Shepherd Farm: Planting Seeds of Hope
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