Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012
The Reverend Peter C. Lane, Rector
Dear People of St. Paul & the Redeemer:
Keep your eyes on the SPR garden! In the next weeks, the space between the trees lining Dorchester and the bushes lining the cement wall of the old foundation will be turned into a beautiful ornamental, organic food producing garden using a powerful layout that mimics our church Nave (see diagram below). We will grow fresh, organic vegetables there this summer to give to Soup Kitchens throughout the South Side of Chicago. And to make it more exciting, we will do it in partnership with KAM Isaiah Israel, the reformed synagogue just blocks from SPR. The project will be headed up by parishioner Jim Schaal, who championed it along with new vestry member Sara Bigger. The plan was approved by the Vestry at our meeting last Wednesday night. Let me let Jim tell you more about the project. I look forward to gardening with you all this summer. As always, if you have questions or concerns, call me.
Sincerely,
Peter
The Plan:
Jim Schaal, parishioner
Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and share what they produce…Seek the shalom of the city where I have sent you, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its wellbeing you will find your wellbeing.
—Adapted from Jeremiah 9:5,7
Introduction: Gardening for Food Justice
From the time of the Hebrew prophets, our faith has recognized food as both a fundamental human need and a fertile symbol of God’s gracious provision. As such, the reality of hunger in the midst of plenty is an issue of both social justice and spiritual wellbeing. At the Church of St. Paul and the Redeemer, we have long affirmed our commitment to food justice through our own parish food pantry, through our steadfast support of the Hyde Park-Kenwood Interfaith Council Soup Kitchen and the Food Pantry, and through various diocesan and denominational ministries. More recently, many in our parish have been learning about the systemic connections between food production and distribution, public health, environmental sustainability, and economic equity. In particular, many of our neighbors here on the Southside of Chicago do not have access to fresh, wholesome vegetables and fruit because they live in “food deserts” where the only available foods are highly processed, nutritionally poor, environmentally unsustainable, and often overpriced products from convenience stores, liquor stores, and gas stations. Many others, hard hit by the current economic recession, have access to better produce but simply cannot afford it at retail prices. All of these neighbors rely upon local food pantries and soup kitchens as well as public assistance to feed their families.
SPR has an exciting opportunity to partner with our neighbors at KAM Isaiah Israel, the oldest Jewish synagogue in the Midwest, to address hunger in our midst by following the call of the prophets: “plant gardens, and share what they produce.”
Opportunity for Partnership
Our neighbors at KAM Isaiah Israel, led by architect Robert Nevel, have developed an award-winning model of urban agriculture in which faith communities grow fresh vegetables and fruit for local food pantries and soup kitchens. Beginning in 2008, they have successfully developed gardens at KAMII and at Kenwood United Church of Christ, each producing hundreds of pounds of food annually for our neighbors in need. KAMII’s food justice program has grown to include weekly gleaning of surplus produce from other community gardens, an annual educational conference, and a summer youth program. In the process, KAMII’s program has cultivated a community of concerned neighbors notable for its multicultural, interreligious, and intergenerational diversity.
KAMII has grant funding available to start another garden this spring and has expressed strong interest in partnering with SP-R to create a large food-producing garden on the northwest corner of our existing church lawn.
Proposed Garden Design
Based on preliminary discussions with Jim Schaal and Sara Bigger from SP-R, Robert Nevel has drawn up a plan for a garden of approximately 1200 square feet with the potential to produce up to a thousand pounds of food per year. Since soil samples at the proposed site indicate high soil quality and exceptionally low levels of heavy-metal contamination, the garden would use surface-level beds of existing soil tilled with compost and natural soil amendments. In order to conserve water and minimize labor, the growing beds would be equipped with a drip irrigation system. In order to minimize expenses and maintain an inviting streetscape, the garden would be clearly defined but not fenced; happily, theft and vandalism have not been serious problems at KAMII’s other sites.
The proposed design reflects the interior of SP-R’s nave, with the old stone baptismal font (currently in our sunken lawn area) set at the south end of the new garden and a new octagonal table (reminiscent of our Eucharistic table) set at the north end; the layout includes three growing beds separated by two wood-chip paths along the north-south axis. We believe that this design would offer SP-R a beautiful new space for community gatherings and contemplative prayer as well as a visible sign of our commitment to food justice. In addition to the garden space depicted in the drawing, we would use some of the unused area north of the church parking lot for composting bins and storage of garden tools and supplies.
Financial Resources
Thanks to KAMII’s grant funding and donated materials, SP-R will partner with KAMII to start the new garden at minimal initial expense; we anticipate that the grant funds and donated materials would provide for the entire installation except for the table and any other desired furniture. On an ongoing basis, annual expenses will average $500-$750 per year for soil amendments, seed, and tools, expenses that will be included in SP-R’s operating budget in subsequent years.
Human Resources
Based on KAMII’s experience at its other sites, we at SP-R would need to recruit 4-6 regular volunteers able to commit several hours per week for garden care through the growing season. We would also host occasional work parties for planting, harvest, and other projects; these would be great opportunities for parish fellowship and neighborhood outreach. SP-R member Jim Schaal, who currently coordinates community gardening and composting in seminary housing at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, is prepared to serve as a lead volunteer and liaison to KAMII at least through the first year of the project.
When do we start?
We will work from 1:00 to 6:00 for the next five Sundays to help get it going: February 26 through March 25. Please contact Jim or Peter with questions or to sign up to help!
Jim Schaal
jschaal@lstc.edu, (773) 818-1143
Posted in Word
