Reaping fruits of their labor

(See the article for pictures.)

Church News
Reaping fruits of their labor
By Lisa Christensen
Church News staff writer
Published: Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009

What started as a simple idea to help a ward in troubled economic times has sprouted into a program that will continue to benefit present and future ward members and non-members alike.

A former farmer, Bishop William Erickson of the Battle Creek 2nd Ward thought of the ward garden as a way to help his ward through the trying economic and spiritual times. After the Pleasant Grove Utah East Stake was asked to develop a 3-acre parcel of land in 2008, Bishop Erickson realized gardening was an efficient way to teach gospel principles, as well as supplement the needs of the Bishops' Storehouse, the use of which, he said, had increased by 40 percent as the economy had recently faltered.


"This year we have more people who have been out of work for a period of time than ever before," he said.

A member of the ward, Shirley Stone, had a small field behind her house. She agreed to let the ward use it as a garden. The land, about 3/4 acre, hadn't been used for years, and there were a lot of rocks to clear — three weeks of work. From there, the ward planted some winter crops to be harvested in the spring. Bishop Erickson said they didn't have high expectations for the first year of crops but have been pleasantly surprised: The ward started harvesting in early July and now harvests three times a week. Tim Salsbury, co-chairman of the activities committee and garden specialist with Scott De Montmorence, said the progression of the garden from being rocky and unused to fertile and bountiful has been interesting and rewarding.

"It's been fun to see it develop from what it was to what it is now," he said.


Brother Salsbury was recruited in part because of his profession as a plumber. Bishop Erickson provided the materials necessary to set up a watering system and Brother Salsbury put it together, creating a drip watering system, which he said reduces weed and insect problems, and eliminates the need for furrows. It also makes it easy for members to water the garden, Bishop Erickson said.

The members planted a diverse bunch of vegetables, including not only the standard fare of tomatoes, beans and squash, but also less-ordinary plants like broccoli rabe. Their harvesting started this season with spinach and radishes, and now has moved on to include beans and peas. Their planting isn't over, either: The ward recently planted some carrot seeds for a late harvest. Bishop Erickson said the harvest, seeing the fruits of their labor, is one of the benefits to the members he had hoped for.


"Producing crops you can see the fruits of your labor," he said. Seeing those fruits makes the work worth it, and, he added, builds a work ethic within the members of the ward. Such patience and work ethic required to garden is rare these days, he noted, but so important. "They're going to have a lot of difficulty if they don't learn how to work," he said.

The produce, as per the original plan to help provide food for members in need of assistance during trying economic times, has been given to those who have been struggling recently and, as more preservable vegetables ripen, Relief Society members will can them for the months ahead, as well as teach others how to can their own. The garden has been a missionary tool, too, Bishop Erickson said. Neighbors and friends who aren't LDS have helped in the garden and reaped the benefits, also.


The point of the garden, Bishop Erickson said, is to share and give some to everyone. The ward strives to not only produce food and work hard at the garden, but also to utilize their resources as best as they can.

"We're utilizing every inch of that ground," Brother Salsbury said. The project has helped forge better ties between ward members, he said. "It's been a good fellowshipping thing."


Bishop Erickson said the fellowshipping has been particularly helpful in regard to less-active members and people who have recently moved in and might not know the people who have been there longer. He noted that the project has reaped not only tangible rewards but spiritual fruits have been cultivated, too.

"To have the opportunity to do this … it has been very, very spiritually rewarding," Bishop Erickson said.

© 2009 Deseret News Publishing Company