Women's Ministry of Highlands Presbyterian

On Sunday March 25, Karen and I had the opportunity to attend the Spring gathering of the Women's Ministry of Highlands Presbyterian Church.  Highlands is one of MadCAAP's faithful partners and so we were thrilled to attend and share MadCAAP's story while enjoying a delicious meal, hearing an inspiring speaker and seeing amazing floral arrangements materialize before our very eyes.  Since their theme centered around "Planting the Seeds of the Lord",  the evening culminated with plans for the group to work in the Helping Hands Garden on Saturday, March 31.  

...and work they did!!!

Girls from elementary age on up "shoveled, weeded, planted, staked and tied" with such a spirit of joy and determination.  I don't know if I've ever seen a group of volunteers accomplish as much as this charming group.  There were absolutely no slackers!  They kept Harold and myself busy with their, "What do we do next questions?"  Saturday morning was just a fabulous time of hard work and muddy fun!  We look forward to working with this group again.  

  SHOVELING & HAULING DIRT

   

WEEDING

TYING AND STAKING TOMATO PLANTS

 

 

 THANKS, HIGHLANDS FOR YOUR "HELPING HANDS"!

Green and Growing - March 2012

Helping Hands Garden is Green and Growing!

Just have to share few pictures that I took this morning (March 16, 2012) at the garden.  Harold and two of his client volunteers were preparing beds and planting more potatoes and tomatoes while Johnny, my wonderful husband, tilled up the area that will grow the watermelons, cantaloupes and other assorted veggies.  I must say that the garden looks great...thanks to Cliff and Carole for mowing the area on Tuesday.  The days are becoming warmer and the garden is popping with excitement.  Come join the fun!

What kind of peppers???

Our potatoes are growing!

                                                             

 

 

The Garden: Year's End 2011

Whenever I pause to think about the Helping Hands Garden, the first words that come to mind are from the nursery rhyme, 

"Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary,

     How does your garden grow?"

...and I must confess, I have many times considered rewriting this childhood rhyme to reflect the harvest of our garden; but today will not be the day that I successfully complete that rhyming task.

I must say that MadCAAP's premier gardening project has exceeded my wildest dreams even though I have to confess being overwhelmed during the early months as our small group of gardeners planned and built beds, ordered and hauled dirt, gin trash and Black Cow manure; filled our first round of raised bed; planted seeds and seedlings, tried to stay ahead of the voracious weeds and began the process of watering and harvesting.  The success of our Helping Hands Garden is the result of many dirty, blistered hands, sweat-drenched brows and aching muscles.

There were many individuals and groups whose brains and brawn helped to make this garden dream a reality. 

Broadmoor Baptist, Wisconsin Volunteers, St. Matthew's UMC, St. Joseph Catholic Youth,

Youth Group from Louisiana, Wal-Mart Regional and HR Managers, MadCAAP Clients

Carole & Cliff Mains, Daniel Logan, Dorothy Chadwick, Sheila Crowder, Vicky Edwards, Vicky Farlow, Rebecca Coody-Cobb, Johnny Miller, John Robison, Gary Anderson, Kermit Harness.

Josh Miller created our garden logo.  First United Methodist Church in Canton shared the land for the garden and the majority of our expenses were funded through a grant from MS Foodnetwork by way of BCBS Foundation.

Southern Homes and Garden Supply of Canton, DeViney Rental, Gardenworks, Black Kow,
Madison County Co-Op, Rivers Plant Farm, Barnett-Phillips, USDA and Wal-Mart provided donations of materials, plants and machinery.


Then there is one fellow who just knows how to "grow stuff" and without whom this project would not have been such an amazing success...my dear messy friend, Harold Waldrop.  I learned lots from you in 2011 and I'm looking forward to being a more productive gardener in the new year with you as my green thumb mentor.  THANK YOU, SIR!!!


So,  in answer to the question posed by the Mother Goose rhyme...

The Helping Hands Garden has grown, harvested and distributed over 12,000 pounds of produce at this point...

...And as of 4:15 today, we are still growing a variety of greens and onions as December 2011 draws to a close!

LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH EACH OF YOU, AGAIN, IN THE NEW YEAR!

Greens, Greens and More Greens!

Greens, Greens and More Greens!

Over 1,000 pounds of greens harvested during the month of October.  Mustard greens, collard greens and turnip greens have been enjoyed by around 200 families so far this month.  We've been pleased to have the help of a number of client volunteers in the garden to assist Harold with the planting and picking of our fall crops.  In addition to the greens, you will also find carrots, onions and cabbage growing in our Helping Hands garden.  Thanks to Harold for keeping the garden growing and producing and to Cliff Mains for keeping the grass under control with regular mowing.  Great folks doing great work for the poor in our community.

Greens from the Garden

11 Bunches of Turnip Greens Harvested on Wednesday

11 Families Thrilled to Take Turnip Greens Home for Supper



August Arrives

The recent abundance of rain has encouraged our weedy friends to multiply; so if you have any time to spare in the early morning hours, drop by and remove a few weeds. The peas and tomatoes will be most appreciative.  The heat and humidity have not dampened the spirits of our dedicated gardeners.  There are 12 or so new raised beds where the pole beans once stood.  These beds have been planted with turnip & mustard greens, bush beans and winter squash.  Most of the yellow squash has succumbed to the summer's heat and those beds are being prepared to welcome some fall crops.  Our sweet potates are being harvested and there is a new crop of peas overflowing the beds that once housed the new potatoes.  Oh yes, there are bee hives, too and a wide variety of graceful sunflowers standing guard on the garden's east boundary. 

Come out and give us a hand! 



OUR LATEST PRIDE AND JOY

"Helping Hands" first watermelon

weighing in at 38 pounds!

When Harold and I talked "garden" on Monday, he said it would be another week before the watermelons would be ready.  When he came into MadCAAP around noon on Wednesday, with this humongous watermelon, I was flabergasted and demanded a picture.  Several other melons were unloaded, but none compared to this one.  The youth group from Louisiana who'd been working with Harold in the garden, quickly added, ...and they are delicious!"  HMMM...I wondered, just how to do they know?  It seems that one watermelon in the field was split so these compassionate youth, not wanting to see any of our produce go to waste...volunteered to give the watermelon from our patch, a taste test... the less than perfect melon was pronounced, "THE BEST!"

We are also harvesting cantaloupe --- 44 at one time last week, along with squash, tomatoes, okra, cucumbers and a few peas.  The pole beans at the north end of the garden have been replaced with a whole row of raised beds...getting prepped for turnip and mustard greens, winter squash and who knows what else. 

We have a small group of awesome gardeners who are persevering in the midst of the summer HEAT!  I pretty sure that Harold, Kermit, Carole, Carolyn, Shirley, Daniel and Sheila would welcome some new muscles and sweat-pertise to the crew.