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The Community Gardeners love to garden. The Marigold Pre-Schoolers love to play and work in the garden. Wouldn’t you say that makes for a great combination! The “older” children like to dig in the dirt as do the “younger” children. The “Young” children can pull weeds and spread mulch. The “older” children are not so keen on the weeds and spread the mulch with vigor – wanting the job to just be done. Those tiny, enthusiastic little bodies behind their tiny wheelbarrows and tiny rakes and shovels think they have a great project to accomplish and do it with enthusiasm and joy!

 

[A couple weeks ago] the children came back in to their classroom from being at the garden and were excited to share with me their little stems of flowers and a few colored leaves. One little one wanted to share that they had tried to break up pinecones so that they could taste the pitch – not something I would have thought of at that age or even now! But it was the joy on their faces and their enthusiasm to share with me whom they have named “Farmer Trish” that made me realize what a blessing it is to have these young children wanting to share the community garden activities with us. They will have their own strawberry patch next year and one of the individual plots to plant with vegetables. Along with their teachers, they plan to care for the flowers around the fence. Since their arrival in early September, they have already tackled taking out wood timbers and digging in landscape stones for edging. It looks amazing!

 

They are so joyful and so excited to be sharing with us “older” people who look like their grandparents in tending a garden that grows produce for those less fortunate than us. What a way to begin their years of learning – giving back to the community. I am in awe each time I see them and watch them run around and enjoy the outdoors.

 

With the Scouts having recently improved the firepit area and the addition of the pre-school play things along with the garden and the trees that provide shade, it has become an inviting area to just come and sit on the benches and reflect. Stairs are in the process of being built by the Scouts so one will be able to safely get down to that area. We encourage you to come and sit and reflect on how God has called our church family to reach out to our neighbors, serving those we are called to serve.