THE LOURDES BOUNTY COMMUNITY GARDEN: A Work of Mercy and A Garden of Love

As St. Basil once said, “A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.” The members of the Lourdes Bounty Community Garden have a passion and drive for doing good deeds by literally planting seeds and gathering in love the food that is produced to be given to the needy. This ministry was first formed in 2015. An idea grew into a garden that not only beautifies the parish grounds but fulfills one of the corporal works of mercy — feeding the hungry.

“It is so important to be engaged in something that interests and fulfills you,” says parishioner Dorothea Bitler, one of the founding members of this group. “We have a real measurable product that helps people. It is a way to reach out and touch others that we may never see.”

The garden is a way for those who have a passion for gardening to use their God-given talents and skills to help others.

“As of February, we have donated over 4,000 pounds of produce,” Dorothea says.

The produce is donated to the group Plant a Row for the Hungry. The harvest is brought to Logan’s Nursery and distributed to the local poor through their networks.

The garden is supplied by the annual dues of $10 for each family that is involved. They have also received donations from other parishioners and applied for seed grants.

“We have been financially independent from the parish since about the second year after we started the group,” Dorothea says. “We had an adequate fence in place and then we were blessed by one of our parishioners and their family donating a beautiful new fence in honor of her sister who had passed away.”

The garden is full of an assortment of vegetables and the moderate climate allows produce to be grown year-round. Each season, members harvest vegetables such as peas, beans, spinach and lettuces, okra, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peppers, and artichokes, just to name a few. Winter crops include cabbages, turnips, kale, carrots, and radishes.

“We have had a lot of trial and error,” Dorothea says. “We have learned what plants work and what doesn’t. We are blessed with great people with knowledge of gardening, as well as people who have other talents that help us to plan the garden to make it very productive.”

Each year, the third-grade class starts bean seedlings and then they plant them in the garden.

“We have about 15 families that help in the garden,” Dorothea says. “We always welcome any volunteers who would like to be involved. Whether you can help seasonally or each week, we always welcome new members!”

If you would like to find out more, or to join this ministry, please contact Dorothea Bitler at 919-621-6841 or bitler82@gmail.com.