Starting a new crop in 2014

Finding peace and fun in gardening? Perfect, join us!

We have started planting seeds indoors for our new crop this year.

Also new this year is that the Lab school has asked to 'adopt' the first raised bed, close to their playground. This will be a fantastic opportunity for sowing the seeds of love with the children. We are all very excited!

If you feel you would like to be a part of this ministry, please contact us anytime.

Thanks!

Thankful for abundance

The gardens had ample tomatoes to give to the Circle of Concern Food Pantry. We are very thankful to all who helped grow, harvest and distribute our harvest to the needy and hungry.
After gathering 16 square feet of basil, it was a Pesto making day to remember!
We produced 80 jars of delicious pesto, which you can obtain for only $5. All proceeds to to our Creation Care Ministry, helping the hungry and this year also, the energy poor. We elected to donate funds to Energycare.org to help with energy related services for the underprivileged, elderly and disabled members of the St. Louis community.

Saturday - December 14: from 10-11 am we will clean up the garden beds and invite YOU to come and help us out.
Bring family/friends and a rake to join in the fun!

Gardens of Grace field day on April 28th

Come and dig in the dirt on Sunday April 28 after the 10 o clock service. 

Bring a change of clothes and get ready to plant food! All the families are encouraged to have their kids/teens come and help too.

The Gardens of Grace need some TLC. Tasks of raking, adding compost to the beds as well as sowing seeds for carrots, lettuce and radishes will be done. Fun for the whole family!

Looking ahead: Veggie plant sale in May and raffle!

It might not feel like spring but the seeds in my packets can hardly wait to be planted! Tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, squash and basil are just a few items we will grow again this summer. All but the basil will be donated to the food pantry 'Circle of Concern'.
Our basil will be transformed into delicious pesto in September!
The third annual tomato, cucumber and basil plant sale will be on May 19 
Orders will be taken 3 weeks ahead with a special surprise this year...
We will sell tickets to win an  Earth Box, a ready made kit to grow your special plants or veggies in a handy self watering container. A $80 value. The winner will be drawn on May 19!
Stay posted for details.

Furniture to food

Furniture to food

St. Louis Green.com has partnered with many organizations to provide recycling of furniture and metal, turning profits into food!
Click on the link to learn more.

We are excited to announce the very first 'Faith and Sustainability' program by the US Green Building Council's regional chapter. It will be hosted at our Grace Church on October 9th from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm. While the event is free to the public, registrations are required. It's very simple. Just click on:

Register for program

and follow the link. We are expecting over 120 guests from all faiths and backgrounds. This is a wonderful opportunity to show hospitality and network with interfaith organizations on how to tackle climate change. Would you like to help in Albright Hall? Chairs and tables need to be set up as well as taken down. ANY kind of help is appreciated. Just e-mail us at gracecreationcare@gmail.com and we will get you in!

Eco Faith Meetup, Sunday 8/26

Eco Faith Meetup 8/26


Everyone is invited to come and network with people interested in Faith and Sustainability.
RSVP's are requested by clicking on the link. Be there!

Girls pick fresh produce from Gardens of Grace

Fresh pick of the day

3 eager helpers were amazed at the crop from one harvest spree last Sunday. Tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, squash and more tomatoes!
Thanks to their help and Barb W., who will bring the harvest to 'Circle of Concern', our food pantry we like to help out with fresh produce.
THANKS EVERYONE!

Hannah and James picking veggies

Our Gardens of Grace are very fruitful this year. After an early scare of tomato rotting, Sue Nixon quickly amended the soil with limestone and we are happy to report that it worked! Our very first tomato crop is being delivered almost weekly now to 'Circle of Concern' Food Pantry in Valley Park.  In addition to tomatoes we have peppers, green beans, cucumbers, lettuce, zucchini, and yellow squash. Thank you Alice, Sue, Jim and Barb for all your help, picking, watering and delivering. We would love to have more gardening angels. Are you available and interested in investing an hour a week to help feed the hungry?
Send us an email HERE and we will put you right to work. Blessings to all the angels out there, making this wonderful ministry possible. Especially to our plant takers, whose donations work right back into the gardens.

Summer crop in full gear

Now what's for summer crop?

Two raised beds have been plugged of their crop: Radishes and carrots have been donated to the food pantry and we are having big plans for our summer crop: Tomatoes, basil, zucchini, yellow squash, bush beans, cucumbers, peppers, and lettuce. PLEASE squirrels, stay away from this summer's crop...

Our first spring Harvest is here!

Darling carrots and yummy radishes

Volunteers at 'Circle of Concern'

 Our very first spring harvest was a big hit with the Food Pantry 'Circle of Concern' in Valley Park. Fresh food is a big treat for some of their clients. We were so thrilled that the volunteers divided the produce up in bags to be handed out to those in need.

Click here to visit 'Circle of Concern'

Celebrate Earth Day in St. Louis

Click the link to go to Earth Day Festivities in St. Louis, Sunday April 22.
This event is a wonderful place to take the whole family to have fun with all kinds of activities and to learn more about how we can help God's fragile earth.

Gardens of Grace officially open for spring crops

Add caption

 With the help of Sue Nixon, the Sunday School kids unroll some toilet paper that has been prepared with carrot seeds.

Now cover the carrots with the nice soil and God willing we'll have carrots galore in about 56 days!

Live Webcast - The Episcopal Church on Poverty and environment

Saturday- April 21:
Poverty and Environment is the theme for the live Webcast that you can watch from home. Ask questions, take notes and engage in your local parish to fight poverty. Find out more by clicking on the link above.

EARTH DAY PARTY - April 22

Earth Day is Sunday April 22. Grace will host the PBS Special 'Nourish'. Where does our food come from? What's the relationship of food and community. All this and more will be explored in a 25 minute video we will show in the LaVielle room at 11:30. Local smorgasboard will be served. This is a party not to be missed!

The Carrots are coming, the carrots are coming!

It's hard to believe but we will plant carrots in one of our garden beds this Sunday, March 11th. Sue Nixon and the Sunday School children will plant on one of the 4x8 plots. 2 weeks later we will plant radishes and lettuce.
The proceeds of the harvest will go to the local food pantry 'Kirkcare'.

The Seeds are here!

Seeds of Change packets are ready for pickup. Come by and get yours on February 12th after the 8 and 10 o'clock service in the Parish Hall. A seed swap is also planned. Don't like the flower packet you received? Swap it out with someone who would love to have flowers!

Battery recycling going strong

After a short interruption with our battery recycling program (The plant we used stopped accepting single use batteries) we are back in track.
In 2011 our ministry diverted almost 100 lbs of batteries from the waste stream. We also recycle cell phones and rechargeable batteries through a program called 'Call2Recycle'. The bucket to leave the batteries.

Christmas Light recycling update

Grace was one of 200 drop off points. The barrel had to be emptied several times. What a success!

A Green Advent Calendar

Green Advent Calendar

Feeling especially close to nature this year? Not wanting to contribute to the immense environmental burden, each holiday brings? Check out this Green Advent Calendar by Earth Ministry.