Who can get food from the garden?

The food is for everyone at no cost.

Who manages the garden?

Anyone and everyone. The garden is open to anyone who wants to stop by and water the plants, pull weeds, or pick veggies!

Why a garden?

This garden is here for those who can’t take care of their own garden (working parents, those with a disability, those who have no idea how to plant veggies, those who have aged to a point that taking care of a garden is more of a challenge rather than a joy.) Our hope is that this garden can provide some fresh produce to a town that doesn’t have any. The town of Union Bridge is known as a food desert and many folks in town do not have yard or live in an apartment. Having their own garden is not possible. Union Bridge CoB has the land, so lets share it with our neighbors!

What’s with the name?

Plot of Hope = Neighbors Coming Together = Jesus in the Neighborhood

The garden first took root in the Summer of 2024, but the dream began before that. When the solar panels were installed around our church building, Pastor Britnee started dreaming about what could be done with 5 acres of land we have around the building. One of those ideas was a community garden. The reason the name Plot of Hope came about was because she was hopeful this could be more than simply the church putting in a garden. For this to be a success our neighbors had to be involved. After many conversations with a few friends in town, a small group of seven gathered and came up with a plan that would be easily manageable for the seven to keep up with throughout the year. If no one else ended up helping, the seven of us could do the work and just cover it back up at the end of the season and never do it again. What would unfold beyond our eyes was something we hoped for, but didn’t know if it would happen. In a few short words, our neighbors came together!!

In May of 2024, the Plot of Hope came to life. Wood chips, veggie plants, compost, flowers, hoses, tools, and watering cans were all donated by church members and neighbors. On May 20th, 21 people (including the seven planners) showed up to mark out the plots and spread the wood chips. 14 random people of all ages, neighbors and congregants, showed up that day to make this Plot of Hope happen. As the summer went on, two of the original seven had significant injuries (not related to the garden) and one got pulled away due to a death in the family. The team went from seven to four, but new friends stepped in. We will never know how many people stopped by to pull weeds, pick veggies, or water the plants, but the work was completed. Pastor Britnee left for three weeks and was worried she would come back to a dried up garden and overgrown squash. When she returned posts were made on Facebook about the fresh produce added to the wagon and the plants were flourishing. Our neighbors came together.

Jonas Salk once said - Hope lies in Dreams, Imagination, and in the Courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality. A dream turned into reality with this project and free veggies were provided to those who stopped by the wagon to get some. One day, a grandson pushed his grandmother from their home to the garden in her wheel chair. The family got out of the house on a nice day and were able to take home some fresh veggies for dinner. A local church was able to deliver the fresh veggies to shut-ins around town. The St. James food pantry here in town was able to use the veggies to give to families that came to the pantry. The hard working moms that showed up to water the garden once a week, watching their kids get dirty in the kids plot, was able to add some veggies to the freezer and try new veggies throughout the summer!

Jeremiah 29:11 - For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. God offers us hope, even in the midst of despair. God gave us the greatest gift off all, God’s one and only Son, who walked this earth to show us what it means to love our neighbor as thyself. Jesus gave his life to save the lost, the least we can do is spend an hour or more, one day a week, in the garden to help bring fresh food to someone’s table! To bring a little hope to the ones who need it most!