Looking at the lush Irondequoit Community Garden on the grounds of The Vineyard Church, you’d never know the greater Rochester area had been classified as in a “moderate” drought earlier this summer.
Pastor Jeff Printy admitted late last month that he waters the abundant garden daily.
Located on the grounds of the church, located off Portland Avenue just south of Titus Avenue, the garden has been enlarged to twice its original size this year, just the second year of the collaborative project.
The 25-foot by 50-foot garden now has 12 raised beds in which are planted pole beans, green beans, Hubbard squash, green and red peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant, summer squash, two kinds of cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and more. There’s even a small bed for herbs.
“Last year we had just tomatoes and cucumbers,” Printy said, “but this year we experimented ... We wanted to try to have vegetables throughout the growing season.”
Most of the produce from the garden is donated to the Irondequoit Community Cupboard. As of late July, 100 pounds of produce had already been given to the cupboard this summer.
The cupboard provides the fresh, locally grown produce to the families and seniors it helps.
The project is based on the South Wedge community garden in Rochester, Printy said, “but it’s our (the church’s) outreach ... It’s our way of contributing to the community.”
He added that since the Irondequoit area, and especially the land all around the church, has a farming history, “it seemed like an organic, historic way of using the land.” He has been pastor of the church, which at one time also provided space for the Irondequoit Community Cupboard, for 11 years.
The garden project this year is the cumulative result of volunteer labor from members of The Vineyard and its youth group, community cupboard board members like John Kane, and several Boy Scouts.
The volunteers built the raised beds, spread soil and mulch, amended the soil with manure and planted, Printy said, and now do the weeding and help with watering.
“It’s relatively low maintenance,” Printy said.
The garden is fenced to keep out wildlife, like deer and woodchucks.
Donations of soil and mulch were provided by Jeff Reisenberger of Irondequoit Lawn and Landscape.
“We planted Memorial Day weekend and by July 1 were already harvesting zucchini,” Printy said.
“We’re so pleased with it this year.”
The church hopes to keep expanding the garden each year, Printy said.
“We feel blessed at what we’ve been able to do,” he added.
Looking at the lush Irondequoit Community Garden on the grounds of The Vineyard Church, you’d never know the greater Rochester area had been classified as in a “moderate” drought earlier this summer.
Pastor Jeff Printy admitted late last month that he waters the abundant garden daily.
Located on the grounds of the church, located off Portland Avenue just south of Titus Avenue, the garden has been enlarged to twice its original size this year, just the second year of the collaborative project.
The 25-foot by 50-foot garden now has 12 raised beds in which are planted pole beans, green beans, Hubbard squash, green and red peppers, cauliflower, broccoli, eggplant, summer squash, two kinds of cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, and more. There’s even a small bed for herbs.
“Last year we had just tomatoes and cucumbers,” Printy said, “but this year we experimented ... We wanted to try to have vegetables throughout the growing season.”
Most of the produce from the garden is donated to the Irondequoit Community Cupboard. As of late July, 100 pounds of produce had already been given to the cupboard this summer.
The cupboard provides the fresh, locally grown produce to the families and seniors it helps.
The project is based on the South Wedge community garden in Rochester, Printy said, “but it’s our (the church’s) outreach ... It’s our way of contributing to the community.”
He added that since the Irondequoit area, and especially the land all around the church, has a farming history, “it seemed like an organic, historic way of using the land.” He has been pastor of the church, which at one time also provided space for the Irondequoit Community Cupboard, for 11 years.
The garden project this year is the cumulative result of volunteer labor from members of The Vineyard and its youth group, community cupboard board members like John Kane, and several Boy Scouts.
The volunteers built the raised beds, spread soil and mulch, amended the soil with manure and planted, Printy said, and now do the weeding and help with watering.
“It’s relatively low maintenance,” Printy said.
The garden is fenced to keep out wildlife, like deer and woodchucks.
Donations of soil and mulch were provided by Jeff Reisenberger of Irondequoit Lawn and Landscape.
“We planted Memorial Day weekend and by July 1 were already harvesting zucchini,” Printy said.
“We’re so pleased with it this year.”
The church hopes to keep expanding the garden each year, Printy said.
“We feel blessed at what we’ve been able to do,” he added.
