Inspiring Change. Caring for Creation.
Inspiring Change. Caring for Creation.
Across Canada, churches and communities are engaging people through community gardens. A Rocha aims to network with over 50 community gardens.
A Rocha currently has over 30 community gardens in its network across Canada, with more being added every year.
Community gardens are growing in number and size across Canada. A Rocha resources help facilitate starting and maintaining a community garden.
The community gardening manual helps facilitate the organizational aspects of starting a community garden.
This resource gives a detailed look at the “How Tos” of community gardening.
A Rocha Canada has launched our first ever Community Garden Network in hopes of connecting more people to gardens in their neighbourhoods! This network will give gardeners, info-seekers, and volunteers the chance to publicize a garden, learn about best gardening practices and connect with a local garden project. Tending a garden is a great way to care for creation, help those less fortunate, build friendships, and simply have fun. Community gardens supply fresh organic produce.
There are already 30 gardens in the network. Across Canada, community gardeners in churches, neighbourhoods and schools are keen to connect with other gardeners, gain more volunteer support and learn how to grow tasty food and beautiful flowers.
A Rocha will continue to consult with our in-house experts and engage with those who are part of the network. We hope to expand the resources, the number of gardens and our systems for networking. Look forward to increased activity on our network as more gardens join and more people connect with gardens and gardeners.
Click this link to access the resources from our Community Garden Network or email action@arocha.ca for more information!
A Rocha’s CSA produces over 8,000 pounds of organic vegetables annually. This cornucopia of produce is enjoyed by both “shareholder” families who receive weekly bins of food, as well as local food banks and the South Fraser Women’s Service Society that distributes this food to those in need. Our CSA garden is also a place of training, education and therapy. Within the group of dedicated volunteers and interns who help with the planting, weeding and harvesting are those who will translate what theyíve learned into future gardening endeavors (see our Garden Network Blog).
On the education front, both inner-city kids and those from our local community have traipsed through the garden and learned about food and nutrition first hand. And, finally, weíve continued our partnership with the Early Psychosis Intervention Program which brings out a group of young adults every week. These young people are in the early stages of recovery from their first psychotic episodes; for them, our garden is a place of therapy where they can find meaning and balance through the meaningful work of gardening.
For all those who come, the garden offers a place to work in soil, wonder at God’s creativity, connect with a caring community, and regain a sense of peace in a fragmented world. Such ìfruitî may seem less tangible then a vine-ripened tomato, but it is very much part of what we hope to cultivate in the A Rocha garden.
604.542.9022 19353 16th Ave Surrey BC Canada V3S 9V2
