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

Garden Party This Sunday at 2:00 AUMC

Hello Gardeners!

Please join us for our first Alliance Community Garden Party this Sunday, January 22, at 2:00 in the Family Life Center at AUMC. This will a time of celebration and planning as we take the second-step in our journey with the community garden. If you like to garden, to pray, to build things, to create artwork, to plant seeds, or just like to eat--we want you! We'll share ideas, discuss design, and pray for the future of the garden. This will be your opportunity to reserve a bed for spring planting. We will have Katey Rudd, a Tarrant County Garden Coordinator, on hand for expert advice. We'll also have a taste of the garden!

Hope to see you there!

Cauliflower as Big as Your Head

The Alliance Community Garden has continued to produce delicious vegetables, in spite of it being January. We recently harvested cauliflower and broccoli, and were able to offer it as an altar arrangement for Sunday Services. What a joy to share! The Archibalds and the Fitzpatricks each took home samples, and report that AUMC vegetables are awesome. (That's an official term, folks.)

We've set a Garden Party for January 22, at 2:00 p.m. in the Family Life Center of AUMC. Whether you like to garden, pray, build things, create artwork, or just like to eat--we'd love to have you join us and share your ideas. This will be a time to pray, brainstorm, and celebrate what God is doing in the garden.



We've spoken with the Keller Storehouse and we're setting up plans to donate a portion of our future harvest. So, the efforts of our gardening will be a blessing throughout our community and will help feed families and children in need, right here in our area. Who's excited?!