Good Shepherd UMC partners with City of Thornton to provide flourishing Community Garden
In cooperation with the City of Thornton, Good Shepherd United Methodist Church provided the land located behind the church for the placement of numerous garden plots.
The congregants of Good Shepherd began the community garden by building the plots as you see located to the right. From there, the garden began to grow. To date all garden plots are spoken for. Individuals tend and water their own gardens. Water is generously provided by the City of Thornton. Excess vegetables grown in the garden areas are then donated to the local food banks so people may enjoy fresh vegetables in their diets.
Garden expanded in April 2010!
Thank you to all of our dedicated volunteers and to the City of Thornton for providing our much needed water!
Community Garden Update
April 2010 we expanded the garden by 20%. As of May 23rd, 2010 all space have been assigned for this year.
Garden Participation
7 food bank gardens & 1 youth group garden are 18% of the gardens.
22 non-church families are 49% of the gardens.
15 church families are 33% of the gardens.
Of the 14 new gardeners in 2010, 2 are church members, 12 are not. Of the participants in 2009, 9 did not continue in 2010. Some plan to travel, some don't have the time, some are gardening at home. We added 9 new garden spaces (expanded 25%), 4 of which are for the food banks. 37 households participating in 2010.
**Mission Garden Planting**
2009 Year end Summary for the Community Garden
at Good Shepherd UMC:
| Salad Mix/leaf lettuce | 128 |
| Spinach | 24 |
| Green Onions | 16 |
Yellow Squash/Zucchini |
361 |
| Green Beans | 43 |
| Beets | 20 |
| Variety Peppers | 26 |
| Green Bell peppers | 33 |
| Cucumber | 25 |
| Potatoes | 36 |
| Cabbage, red/green | 36 |
| Spaghetti Squash | 8 |
| Tomatoes | 228 |
| Cherry | 33 |
| Yellow cherry tomatoes | 32 |
| Carrots | 2 |
| Broccoli | 4 |
1,073 servings of fresh vegetables were donated to local foodbanks in 2009.