Community gardens grow, unite residents in Beatrice

Each with their own story and purposes, Beatrice community gardens at Centenary United Methodist Church, the YMCA and the Homestead National Monument of America all have the shared goal of continued growth, the Beatrice Daily Sun (http://bit.ly/29V3LlE ) reported.

The Seeds of Hope community garden on the Centenary United Methodist Church property is a tool to connect the church with its neighbors and give back to the community, said Deanna Holland, chair of the garden team.

The garden was started four years ago by a grant from The Big Garden, an Omaha-based United Methodist Ministries project with the goal of creating community gardens in the region.

About 10 people form the garden team, with five of them tending to the six raised beds of vegetables and other plants in the garden this year.

Through the years, gardeners have consumed their produce at home and donated extra to the Community Food Pantry at St. John Lutheran Church or to church members at Centenary United Methodist.

In and around garden boxes, green peppers, cucumbers, squash, green beans, tomatoes, strawberries, pumpkins and other plants are growing.

Preschoolers through fifth graders in YMCA summer school programs are responsible for the garden.

"The idea is to let kids see these plants from start to finish," said YMCA wellness coordinator Shely Bauman.

The group aims to have produce from the garden before school starts.

Profits will fund the Gage County Sheriff's Office in its quest to purchase a dog for its canine unit.

Bauman said the kids also learn about growing food in healthy ways, as the group takes an organic approach without pesticides and other chemicals.

Homestead National Monument's public garden is a unique way for it to connect to the community and for visitors and gardeners to reflect on the vitality of gardens for homesteaders.