The St. Francis Sustainable Garden Project supports the hungry, at-risk children and their families in our area. We use a garden plot in front of the St. Francis rectory where we grow and harvest herbs, vegetables and flowers. In past years each harvest has produced over 180 lbs. of produce- all delivered to the pantry at Foundations Preschool of Ann Arbor, - child care center for at-risk, low-income families.

The St. Francis Grounds & Botanical Gardens: Several gardens surround the St Francis of Assisi campus of buildings, including, but not limited to, the church, school, rectory and/or parish offices. These gardens need to be a beautiful expression of hospitality, in particular, the entrances, to our fellow parishioners and visitors as well as reflect a statement of our appreciation for God's creation and nature.

Questions? Contact: Scott Wright (734-821-2121)

You gotta love the timing and what we do in the gardens!



The cleanup in the Peace Garden went really well this morning.  ... ... the team of 6 cleaning and planting the sustainable vegetable garden ... ... .  You all did a great job.   This lovely family with photographer (friend and/or professional) and their son who made his communion made a bee line to the Peace Garden for a photo op.  What timing and the whole area was so neat and tidy just after we finished!

I am so excited to get the gardens upgraded, improved, cleaned up, planted, etc, especially when you see parishioners using them like today.

See photos below.

Next week some mulching begins.

Thank you and God bless,
Erich

P.S.  I am trying to recruit the sustainable garden volunteers to consider the wider broader gardening ministry, too.
P.P.S. Eventually I want to have a conversation with the teacher who has the stones piled by the school kids to understand purpose.  We can share the garden but the space needs to be respected, too, and not cluttered.
P.P.S.  I would love to know about the Mary statue  and how it got placed in the Peace Garden.


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St Francis Sustainable Garden: Part 2 Saturday April 16, 10 am (i.e., 60-90 minutes) Cleanup

Please join us (and RSVP to Erich) for Saturday April 16 @ 10 am to continue spring cleaning and planting by:
  • Amending Matthew, Mark, and Paul beds with top soil
  • Removing dead plant matter and leaves from Peter, Paul and Francis beds including, but not limited to deadheading daffodils, pruning red and black raspberry canes, removing browned flower heads from Autumn Joy sedum
  • Setting up the bean pole structure in Paul bed
  • Planting onion and potato seed/sets
  • Weeding native plant beds
  • Setting up 2 rain barrels 
  • Edging the perimeter of the 4 gospels garden

We made a lot of progress on April 1 with Erich and Ann Marie Jensen, John, Patrick and Rose Sherry, Julie White, and Susan Bass.  Many thanks to them for the following garden activities on the cool gray, but not rainy Good Friday morning:

  • Repaired the Luke Bed the north edge wood frame.
  • Amended Luke and John beds each with 4 bags top soil
  • Planted peas and spinach seeds in Luke and John bed
  • Set-up poles/string frames for peas 
  • Removed/composted leaves caught in corners and/or perimeter of the entire white picket fence area

    • Here are photos of the April 1st event

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