"The Garden of Concord" is a community garden created on the grounds of Concord United Methodist Church in Eli Whitney, NC. Support for starting the garden has been provided by the Council of Ministries of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. It is a garden dedicated to the community, to be worked and shared by the community. No experience is necessary. We will learn and grow together. Membership is open to all people who want to work together to grow fresh, healthy organic fruits and vegetables.
Our Vision: To plant a garden. To work it. To provide a means for those in our community, both in and outside the church, to experience Christian fellowship, love, and joy through the sharing of our gifts and fruits of the garden. It will be good. (Gen 2) The garden (100' X 150') is a collective (not individual plots) community garden with (27) 25’X4’ wide raised beds at present. Operating under the basic principles of sustainable agriculture, our crops are grown without fertilizers or chemicals, relying instead on cover cropping, manure, and the compost we make ourselves. Initially the ground was plowed with a member’s tractor but now all ongoing and future tasks – carting manure, weeding, planting, etc. are done manually. We are striving to work and give back to the land as stewards of God’s creation.
Membership in the garden is $10 a year per family with a commitment of working 4 hours a month and a share of the harvest, with a portion donated to the local ministries of the church. Members of the garden and anyone else interested may contribute to the “feeding of the soil” by saving their kitchen waste in a lidded bucket and bringing it to the church weekly to add to the compost bin. The garden is always open “to be worked and taken care of”. We also have regularly scheduled workdays on Monday and Wednesdays 5pm-8pm and Saturday 9-Noon.
Presently we are growing a wide assortment of seasonal crops, cut flowers, perennials, and herbs. Our children’s garden area consists of a sunflower house, bean teepee, and pumpkins. We have a beehive, a grape arbor entry, picnic tables and a children’s play area for when they get tired of gardening! Future plans include a native plant area, wedding garden, pavilion, garden shed with greenhouse, vegetable and fruit perennials, “how to” workshops, youth group projects, and so much more.
Feel free anytime to stop by for a visit to take a look at the garden or for a guided tour, stop by during a scheduled “workday”. You can also contact Donna Poe (336 512-7434) donnalpoe@hotmail.com at anytime for more information about our garden.
We are especially interested in sharing and inviting to the garden, children and young people to observe, plant, and learn. We have kid-sized tools and play things for when they get tired of gardening. Parents, this is a great way to get your kids to try new veggies!
While we are growing good things to eat in the garden, we also seek to build community relationships. Periodically, we will have meals together, and will participate in other events outside of the garden several times a year. The garden is a wonderful place to meet new people, make friends, and share our celebrations and our concerns with each other.
We will be working to build relationships, encourage each other in our gardening efforts, and provide support for those interested in starting gardens in their own communities in Central North Carolina.
Come grow with us!
