Hi, Folks! Here's The Phoenix's write-up of yesterday's Chester County Gleaning Project 2005 Kick-off with Chester County Commissioner Andrew Dinniman visiting St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden.
The Phoenix doesn't put photos on the web, but the issue has a GREAT photo of Rebecca working diligently on her plot while the rest of us just stand around! Rebecca's plot looks great and that's probably why! ;-) Thanks so much for Comissioner Dinniman and his aide, Stephannie Beemer, for setting up this visit and choosing our community garden to highlight this year! Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and Labyrinth A mission of St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460 *************************************************************************** http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14599793&BRD=1673&PAG=461&dept_id= 17915&rfi=6 The Phoenix, 05/27/2005 Community garden feeds the needy By BILL RETTEW JR., [EMAIL PROTECTED] PHOENIXVILLE - Almost hidden away, behind Bethel Baptist Church on Fairview Street, sits a community garden that helps to feed the needy. Raspberries, potatoes, 18 varieties of garlic (the garden is part of the SE Pa. garlic trials), heirloom tomatoes, broccoli raab, hardy kiwi, quince and apple trees, lilacs and 35 types of roses all flourish on 35 family and individual plots. This bounty is tended by local gardeners at the one acre St. John's UCC Organic Community Garden and Labyrinth. Gardeners each contribute at least ten percent - some even as much as 75 percent - of their harvest as part of a countywide gleaning project. Dinniman started the project and more than ten similar county gardens with a group of county workers and volunteers. "We started gleaning in 1996 at places like this that were just weeds and where people drank and rode motorcycles," said Dinniman. "And since then we've produced 220 tons of food at virtually no expense." Dinniman said that the idea for gleaning in Chester County is not an original one. Scripture from the Bible's Old Testament recounts that farmers would often set aside the edge of their fields for the poor and needy to pick "a little" produce. "This is a way which we see the concepts of the Bible put into a modern, working framework," said Dinniman. The plots are located on federally owned land that is controlled by the Chester County Housing Authority and has been open to the public for 10 years. A first year gardener from the area would be allowed a 25 square foot garden, with the promise for much more space after a successful trial run. "I understand my role as a government official to remind people that our responsibility is to provide people with the means to do this," said Dinniman. "All of us know that there is no reason for people to be hungry in Chester County - it's simple - just get it and then distribute food." The commissioner said that stocking canned foods and dry goods is comparatively easy, rather than supplying the fresh vegetables that the program does. "When you think of what we can do with the land that just sits there, with a little effort and some volunteers, we can feed, provide the opportunity to garden," said Dinniman. The commissioner also said that several troubled youth are able to "find themselves" through work at the garden. Patty Sobecki, manager of Chester County Cares, presented Dinniman with a scrapbook of new articles and correspondence that recounts that history of the gleaning program. "It's very important that we're able to keep our history," said the commissioner. Coordinator Doreen Pasekoff invited those who don't mind a bit of dirt beneath their fingernails to visit the Fairview Street garden Tuesday nights at 5:30 p.m. ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
