Reading an article about Earthkeepers in a recent edition of the West Ohio Conference T.R.E.E.S., Candace Rhoill knew this program was for her. “Equitable access to food is a lifelong mission of mine,” she said. Rhoill always keeps on hand a list of pantries and agencies to connect the food-insecure with resources.
A member of Shiloh UMC in the Great Miami River District in Cincinnati, Rhoill recruited fellow member Kathy Shea to take the training with her and create the community garden they both envisioned.
A training program of Global Ministries, Earthkeepers helps United Methodists develop and lead environmental sustainability projects in their communities.
In training, the anti-racism course impressed Shea and Rhoill. The community garden would become nothing as they had planned.
Shiloh UMC is in Price Hill, a diverse community with cultural influences from African Americans, Ghanaians, and Hispanic residents. Some neighbors have limited access to food, with one food pantry in the community and the other accessible by transportation.
As the team began building the garden, neighbors became curious. They asked questions, shared food traditions, and volunteered to work. In the process, they built relationships. “It’s important to have relationships with people to learn how to grow and cook these items,” Shea said.
Vegetables planted in the garden are as diverse as the community. Okra, a vegetable brought to America from West Africa through the transatlantic slave trade, is planted in the garden. Through conversations with neighbors, participants learn how to cultivate and prepare vegetables.
Other items planted in the garden include collards, Swiss chard, tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, squash, strawberries, lemon balm, and much more.
A neighbor once suggested planting purple coneflower in the community garden because his Native American grandfather planted the pollinator, which has medicinal purposes.
By harvest, the team envisions cooking classes to learn from one another. “We hope to build a legacy through conversations,” Shea said. “That’s community.”