Ribbon Cutting

 A recent ribbon cutting marked the launch for a $248,269 USDA grant awarded to First United Methodist Church of Fort Pierce in support of its community garden.  On hand to celebrate were Jeff Schmidt, Assistant State Conservationist for Field Operations in South Florida along with community leaders and representatives from each of the grant partners. Jeff told more than a hundred guests in attendance that First Church received one of 17 grants awarded nationwide competing against 600+ applicants.  He noted that funds from the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production will play a critical role in expanding local access to fresh, healthy food for those who are struggling with food insufficiency.  

First Church has aptly named its community garden project, “Harvesting Hope & Seeding Solutions”.  It all started with one small step and a tenacious lady who resided in the Park Terrace Housing Authority Senior Center who said she sorely missed fresh vegetables in her diet.  One of our church members noticed her clearing a small plot of land next to the senior center and decided to help.  Along the way, another member created a butterfly garden at our church entryway.  While beautiful, he had an epiphany that the neighborhood definitely needed food, not more butterflies!  That’s when several of the men at First Church got together and began planning, in earnest, to expand the small bed of produce into a community garden.  

Thanks to the infusion of recent USDA funding, we are now able to expand our efforts dramatically by initiating innovative agricultural practices including vertical gardening, hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaponics.  These innovations will allow our church community garden to share pounds and pounds of fresh produce each week, during grow season, with the hundreds of units at three Housing Authority properties, Sara’s Kitchen site at Bethel Baptist and the Iglesia De Christo Misionera of Fort Pierce.  Produce distributed includes:  lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, tomatillos, Swiss chard, okra, romaine, eggplant, peppers, beans, collard greens, cilantro, mustard greens, kale and cabbage.  

Local partners contribute greatly to the success of this project.  They include UF/IFAS Extension Family Nutrition Program, Florida Health Department St. Lucie, FK Sweet Elementary School and Key Club.  Standing along side The Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production are other local funders such as The Community Foundation – Martin/St. Lucie, City of Fort Pierce, Garden Club of Fort Pierce, JBR Exteriors, ACE Hardware, Diamond R. Fertilizer, Laine Drawdy, and the Breault’s along with many church members. 

But in the end, our most valuable resource is our volunteers -- most of whom are current or former USDA staff members who share their incredible expertise several days each week.  Of note is the fact that 100% of the funds raised are dedicated directly to the garden as everyone involved volunteers their services.  Please know that donations of time, talent and treasure are greatly appreciated.  For more information on how you can be a part of this incredible mission that has also been designated as a USDA “People’s Garden”, please contact Bernie McBee at (772) 201-9142, First United Methodist Church of Fort Pierce Office at (772) 464-0440 or visit our church website at www.firstchurchfp.org