Grow Green - MK Pentecost Ecology Grant Project at MPC
Planting Lettuce and Spinach in the Organic boxes
Thanks to a grant from the M.K. Penetcost Ecology Fund, administered by the Savannah Presbytery, Montgomery Presbyterian Youth were able to build and plant in four organic above ground garden boxes. Since we got a late start on building the boxes, we decided to plant Fall growing vegetables. So far we have planted lettuce, Swiss Chard, spinach, cabbage and onions and have already been able to prepare a salad for our last youth night. We are also using the planting boxes as teaching tools for our youth as many have never seen lettuce seeds before or knew that there were differnt varieties other than iceberg! Pastor Craig is keeping an eye on his Swiss Chard, which is currently almost four inches high and surviving our last cold snap with no problems.
In the Spring we are hoping to plant some flowers, herbs and fruits and vegetables to use for the church and to give away to shut-ins and the needy.
The MPC Youth have been awared a $400 Grant from Savannah Presbytery's MK Pentecost Ecology Fund to build above ground planting boxes. The summer heat, illnesses, threats of hurricanes and conflicting schedules put us behind our target goal of having four boxes completed in September, but we have two of the four in place now and ready to be filled and planted. This Sunday when we meet for youth group, we will plant the first seeds in our boxes and keep a journal of how well they grow. Hopefully we will have some leaf lettuce growing and ready to share with the congregation and an assortment of Fall growing herbs and flowers to dry for use in potpouri for the shut in baskets in November and December. We were able to give away some vegetable produce and organic fruit grown by congregation members in July, August and September.
Grow Green Project Going Strong
Our lettuce, swiss chard, onions and cabbage have faired well with temperatures below freezing. We've had a few problems with squirrels digging things up, but nothing serious. At February's.potluck dinner we were able to provide a huge salad of mixed greens.
In early March, the tulip bulbs sprouted green tops and are well on their way to budding. We were hoping they might flower by Easter so we can take bunches of them to our shut-ins, and God willing, we will be right on target.
We still have plenty of seeds to replace the spinach and lettuce when they start to go to seed and are planning to ask session's permission to set out a few five gallon buckets for tomato plants.
We have discovered that the Swiss Chard Pastor Craig planted is very pretty but tastes pungent. Our next task is to find out how to prepare Swiss Chard to make it edible, especially for picky teenagers.
We are very grateful to Savannah Presbytery and the MK Pentecostal Foundation in providing us the grant money to build these abovre ground planting boxes and are thrilled that we can use them as an educational tool for youth and share the abundance of God's love with others.
Lettuce, Cabbage and Sweet Onions
Our plants have faired well, through freezing temperatures, squirrels, an abundance of rain and boy and girl scouts using them as picnic tables to set their drinks on ! We are looking forward to the flowering of the tulip bulbs and replanting with new seed to grow in the Spring and Summer.
