The CSM gardens, located in our backyard, are one of the best parts of summer around here, and we certainly couldn’t do it without the helping hands of our volunteers and friends! The produce from our gardens goes directly to our partner, Grace’s Kitchen, “feeding hungry souls” throughout Birmingham. Grace’s Kitchen can utilize fresh, local produce in their meals through this partnership, meaning healthier and more nutritious meals for our neighbors. Click here to learn more about Grace’s Kitchen and the fantastic work they do in our community.
Among our many volunteers, gardening with the youth of Birmingham has been such a joy! Youth groups such as Creative Montessori School “Garden Club” and Camp Bethel have lent their hands and hard work to our gardens, some even claiming that this field trip was the “best field trip ever.” We’ve had a blast watching these groups light up as they participated in gardening activities.
We believe that exposing young people to the beauty and importance of local, fresh produce empowers them to make healthy decisions for their lives. Additionally, we think it is important to expose youth to where their food originates. By visiting our gardens and gaining hands-on experience, they learn more about God’s creation, and that food doesn’t just come from the grocery store! CSM encourages the children of these camps to consider planting gardens of their own by teaching them how to plant seeds and tend garden beds. We’re excited to see how they put what they’ve learned into practice!
“What are we growing,” you ask? Our interns and volunteers have worked hard to grow fresh herbs, sugar snap peas, tomatoes, corn, snap beans, multiple varieties of peppers, sunflowers, and marigolds!
If you have a green thumb, or you like the idea of spending some time in a garden, visit our volunteer page by signing up to be a volunteer here.
