Work Day, Saturday March 3

Hello Gardeners,

I have glorious news: four beautiful dump trucks brought us compost/soil and mulch yesterday and this morning Lowe's brought our cinder blocks and work tools. Hooray!

All this means we can have a work day this Saturday, March 3, beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The work will go like this: the front-end loader will help us level dirt for the beds, we will build the beds with the cinder blocks, and then we fill the beds with our fresh soil using the front-end loader, wheelbarrows and shovels. It will be a big job, but with plenty of volunteers, the work should go smoothly. We will have a volunteer on hand to document service hours, so send any Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts or Honor Society students our way and we'll put them to work.

The soil amendments will arrive within a week, the seedling plants should arrive in a couple of weeks, and I have seeds and planting guides for anyone who wants to sow directly.

Here's what to bring:
1. Newspapers and cardboard to line the beds.
2. Work gloves.
3. Cap/hat, sunscreen, water bottle, snacks etc. for your personal convenience.
4. A happy heart.
5. HELPERS!

We'll have three wheelbarrows and some shovels, but if you want to bring your own supplies, feel free. Most of all, please be in prayer that this garden will be done in service and glory to God. Remember, one plants and one waters, but God provides the increase.

Cheers to all, and see you tomorrow in the garden!

Blessings,
Britta

Garden Update: Plans and Prayers

Hello Gardeners!

We've had some more good news for the garden!

Here's what's happening:

• Katey Rudd finished our garden plans and Jack and Kern are headed to the HOA meeting tonight for final approval. We have a contact on the board who thinks the garden is a good idea, but we appreciate prayers that all will go smoothly tonight.
• As many of you know, we've had wonderful donations from church members and area businesses, and we've been blessed with grants for supplies from TAFB and TCPH. We're expecting a shipment of building materials and tools, hopefully to arrive later this week—possibly February 23.
• Gardeners are stepping up with ideas and donations—we've got contacts for free mulch, a possible greenhouse, and two free tillers so far. Thank you, gardeners!
• Will and Ellen Neff attended a class and have thoughtfully shared their notes with us to help us in the garden. We'll hand out copies of this at our next garden party.
• We received packets of seeds for our seed-starting efforts. If you're interested in free seeds, please contact me. I'll have them through build-out days and beyond! (Cue Buzz Lightyear.)
• Kern contacted Dig Tess and they'll be marking our lines this week, so we don't cut off electricity or phone lines while we're tilling. I'm sure our AUMC office staff will be pleased with our efforts.
• Ben and David have been in contact with Al Shave who is generously allowing us to use his front-end loader to move dirt.

Here's what’s next:
• Cash donations for the garden are coming in nicely (many thanks to all who have given!), but we're still a ways off from the slab and shed we need to house all these new supplies.
• WORK DAY! Once we get confirmation that our supplies are arriving, we'll send word about a work day (possibly for this weekend.) Kern and I will be doing prep-work this week, starting this afternoon. Jack and the Boy Scouts are camping on the land this weekend, and will be able to continue with the prep work. Once we schedule the workday, we'll need all hands on deck. So once you hear the call, please grab your teenagers, your neighbors, and your work gloves and be ready to go.

Here's what we need:
• Newspapers and cardboard for lining the bottom of new beds
• Vegetable and fruit scraps for compost
• Prayers for HOA meeting and new shed
• Donations for shed and other common areas
• Laborers for work days

Thank you all for your hands and your hearts as we work together to create this garden. Please continue to pray—God is moving and it's so much fun to be a part of the journey!

Cheers,
Britta Coleman