Tommy Haymore and crew waited until May for enough warm days to plant the community garden at their church, Piney Grove Baptist in Mount Airy, N.C.
They planted – then got 3 to 4 inches of rain, followed by another inch of hail. With most of the garden gone, they replanted. And now it’s pickin’ time.
Haymore, director of the community garden at Piney Grove Baptist Church, talks about the church’s garden in a new Skype interview with EthicsDaily.com.
Piney Grove Baptist had a community garden last year.
“It was new to us, and it was new to the community,” says Haymore, “and it was a learning experience for us.” People were hesitant to stop and pick, thinking they had to ask for permission.
Both church and community learned quickly, however, and year two is different.
“As a matter of fact, at this point, they have kept this garden picked clean,” says Haymore. “I even had a guy come up in the driveway yesterday and said, ‘I’ve come to get vegetables and there’s no vegetables out here!'”
Among garden offerings this year are corn, beans, cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, onions and cabbage.
“When we break our ground and everything,” says Haymore, “we usually plant everything at one time.”
The church got a grant last year for fertilizer and seed. This year they got another, this one for $5,000 from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Most went to purchase a produce cooler, which allows the church to prolong the availability of items, if necessary.
The idea for a community garden at Piney Grove Baptist began with a young church member, says Haymore, who felt the church needed to offer one.
Watch the interview with Haymore at vimeo.com/ethicsdaily/skype-tommyhaymore
Watch the interview about Piney Grove’s tutoring and ESL classes at vimeo.com/ethicsdaily/skype-eileenkidd
Learn more about Piney Grove Baptist Church at pgbcmountairy.org
Watch other EthicsDaily.com Skype interviews at vimeo.com/ethicsdaily