Grace Giving Garden
Growing and Sharing God's Bounty in Fellowship & Learning with All |
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Grace Giving Garden wins National Contest and $1000 prize!
2024 Creation Care Campers
On Wednesday, June 12, GraceFirst kids, mid-week in their annual Creation Care Camp, enjoyed a day at Grace Church diving deep into the love of nature. After a
lunch of pizza, salad and watermelon the children walked from FUMC down to the Grace Giving Garden where they assembled for prayer and then divided into activity groups.
One group went indoors with Suzanne LeClaire and Patty Coulter to make “stained glass” Father’s Day cards from flowers and repurposed materials. Another group
gathered with Joyce Hooley and learned about nature journaling, making small journals for themselves. A third group went with Betty Bradley and Emily Chatfield-
Lusto into the Giving Garden to water, deadhead spent flowers, pull potatoes out of compost, and remove grass from the lettuce bed. After a while the groups rotated so everyone could spend time doing all of the above as well as sing a few camp songs—one in French!—accompanied on guitar by Tom Lasley and John Klingler. The mastermind behind the day’s agenda, song conductor, game referee and activity overseer was Mary Alice Lodico. Volunteers Heidi and Eddie Allison and Susan
Williams along with FUMC’s Anna Belle Lamar and her camp counselors helped make the action flow. This day was such fun that we’re already cooking up ideas for next year’s camp. If you’d like to learn more or get involved in any capacity large or small, please talk with Mary Alice, Susan or Emily. (By the way, you don’t have to wait till next summer to get involved in Grace First. We meet with the kids each Sunday afternoon from 4:00 to 6:30 over at FUMC. No volunteer age requirements or
experience needed—just an interest in having fun with children.) In the meantime, enjoy some pictures that capture a bit of our Creation Care Camp afternoon.
Creation Care Camp is made possible through many community partnerships and funded through the Community Outreach Support Grant given by the Tennessee Valley Authority to the Environmental Action Community of WNC.
Certification Awards in the Grace Giving Garden and Summer 2021
For the past two summers we have focused on growing more vegetables for the Grace Food Pantry. We were able to safely garden with youth on our monthly garden days, and with the help of two groups of teens from Camp Henry, we've just harvested garlic, potatoes, collards and onions and are busy planting our fall crops even as our beans, okra and squash begin to mature. We've also increased our pollinator and wildlife friendly plantings so that now, in addition to being a certified Monarch Waystation, we are certified as one of the Million Pollinator Gardens in the U.S. and also as a National Federation of Wildlife garden. You can visit the Grace Giving Garden anytime of the year but especially when flowers are blooming and our veggies are producing. We hope to see you there soon.
Contact us to learn how you can participate.
For the past two summers we have focused on growing more vegetables for the Grace Food Pantry. We were able to safely garden with youth on our monthly garden days, and with the help of two groups of teens from Camp Henry, we've just harvested garlic, potatoes, collards and onions and are busy planting our fall crops even as our beans, okra and squash begin to mature. We've also increased our pollinator and wildlife friendly plantings so that now, in addition to being a certified Monarch Waystation, we are certified as one of the Million Pollinator Gardens in the U.S. and also as a National Federation of Wildlife garden. You can visit the Grace Giving Garden anytime of the year but especially when flowers are blooming and our veggies are producing. We hope to see you there soon.
Contact us to learn how you can participate.
What is the GGG?
Over the last ten years the Grace Giving Garden has expanded from a “one-plot Wee Weeders” church garden to a multi-bed Creation Care and teaching garden for the entire community of Waynesville. We are ever changing. Currently we have an herb garden, fruit trees and blueberry bushes, pollinator beds for bees and butterflies (especially Monarchs), and various native and other perennial flowers and ornamental shrubs interspersed among 6 raised beds, one high raised bed for gardeners with mobility challenges, and a field bed for larger summer vegetable production to serve the church Food Pantry. Our harvests regularly include beans, lettuces, collards and other greens, okra, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, candy roaster squash and flowers. We compost year-round to turn vegetable matter and
leaves back into beautiful, rich soil for the garden beds. Learn more about composting here.
Covering most of the area behind Grace Church, the GGG hardscape also includes a large garden shed, two picnic tables, and a teaching amphitheater built by Tuscola High School masonry students. We are proud of our drip irrigation system, which is fed by a 1,000-gallon rainwater cistern (donated by the Soil & Water Conservation District and installed with their help and the help of Haywood Waterways volunteers).
Over the last ten years the Grace Giving Garden has expanded from a “one-plot Wee Weeders” church garden to a multi-bed Creation Care and teaching garden for the entire community of Waynesville. We are ever changing. Currently we have an herb garden, fruit trees and blueberry bushes, pollinator beds for bees and butterflies (especially Monarchs), and various native and other perennial flowers and ornamental shrubs interspersed among 6 raised beds, one high raised bed for gardeners with mobility challenges, and a field bed for larger summer vegetable production to serve the church Food Pantry. Our harvests regularly include beans, lettuces, collards and other greens, okra, onions, garlic, sweet potatoes, candy roaster squash and flowers. We compost year-round to turn vegetable matter and
leaves back into beautiful, rich soil for the garden beds. Learn more about composting here.
Covering most of the area behind Grace Church, the GGG hardscape also includes a large garden shed, two picnic tables, and a teaching amphitheater built by Tuscola High School masonry students. We are proud of our drip irrigation system, which is fed by a 1,000-gallon rainwater cistern (donated by the Soil & Water Conservation District and installed with their help and the help of Haywood Waterways volunteers).
Who gardens in the GGG?
People from Grace Church and all over our community plant, maintain, and harvest vegetables that they and our food pantry guests enjoy. On M-W-F from late Spring through Fall, between 10-11:00 a.m. we pick organic produce. Any extra produce goes to Meals on Wheels of Haywood County.
People from Grace Church and all over our community plant, maintain, and harvest vegetables that they and our food pantry guests enjoy. On M-W-F from late Spring through Fall, between 10-11:00 a.m. we pick organic produce. Any extra produce goes to Meals on Wheels of Haywood County.
How do we do what we do?
We garden with people just like you! Our teaching volunteers are experienced, lifelong and Master Gardeners. Many volunteers are simply folks who want to be outdoors and garden with nice people. We are ready to teach anytime we’re in the garden but also on schedule we work with groups. With pandemic restrictions easing, we have regular monthly garden days on Saturdays.
We garden with people just like you! Our teaching volunteers are experienced, lifelong and Master Gardeners. Many volunteers are simply folks who want to be outdoors and garden with nice people. We are ready to teach anytime we’re in the garden but also on schedule we work with groups. With pandemic restrictions easing, we have regular monthly garden days on Saturdays.
Why do we do it?
It’s our wish that people everywhere not lose touch with the earth, that they develop love and respect for all aspects of nature, and understand that God’s gifts to us are precious. Isn’t it our responsibility to preserve and protect the earth so it can continue to sustain all life? We think so. To further our mission, we recently joined with the Grace Church Creation Care ministry to attend conferences, partner with other area churches and local Climate Crisis groups and host a variety of environmental stewardship activities. Find more information about our Creation Care efforts here.
It’s our wish that people everywhere not lose touch with the earth, that they develop love and respect for all aspects of nature, and understand that God’s gifts to us are precious. Isn’t it our responsibility to preserve and protect the earth so it can continue to sustain all life? We think so. To further our mission, we recently joined with the Grace Church Creation Care ministry to attend conferences, partner with other area churches and local Climate Crisis groups and host a variety of environmental stewardship activities. Find more information about our Creation Care efforts here.
Where are we?
Grace Giving Garden is located behind Grace Church in the Mountains (394 N. Haywood Street), and easy entrance is by a driveway on Miller Street. You'll see our sign—and the entrance to our garden—by the stone walk at the top of the parking lot.
Grace Giving Garden is located behind Grace Church in the Mountains (394 N. Haywood Street), and easy entrance is by a driveway on Miller Street. You'll see our sign—and the entrance to our garden—by the stone walk at the top of the parking lot.
Questions? Contact us.
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Worship Times
Sunday 8:00am in person and live stream 9:15am Education Hour for all ages 10:30am in person Taizé Service - 1st Sundays @ 7:00 pm Wednesday 12:00 pm Eucharist + Healing Service |
Grace Church in the Mountains
394 N. Haywood Street, Waynesville, North Carolina 28786 • Phone: (828) 456-6029 Email: [email protected]
394 N. Haywood Street, Waynesville, North Carolina 28786 • Phone: (828) 456-6029 Email: [email protected]
