At Brooklet First Baptist Church, Billy Lane, Minister of Music and Youth, was inspired by his own love of gardening to start a community garden on the church property. The idea behind the garden is to provide food for whoever needs it, free of charge.
Lane says that he has always enjoyed gardening at his own home using raised beds and containers. He felt the need to use the church land to engage people in the community, build relationships, and create a place for community members, especially senior adults, to spend time helping with the garden.
He hopes “not only to provide food to people, but to show what can be done with different beds and containers—to empower people to do some of that at their own home.”
Lane expects by next summer, the garden will be fully operational. Currently, in the front garden, close to the entrance of the church, there are several raised beds containing herbs, like rosemary and oregano along with some varieties of pepper plants, winter vegetables and zinnias to attract pollinators.
He hopes the higher raised beds will make it more accessible for people with physical limitations.
A couple of blueberry bushes have also been planted as well as a lemon tree and olive tree, with muscadines and grapes growing on a trellis.
Lane also shared the details about a fruit tree planted, called calamondin, that has tiny little fruit. “My wife had a grandfather and grandmother in Miami, Florida—and they have these—they are very tart.” He says they blend the whole fruit to make cakes.
At this time, the property close to the entrance where the raised beds are located doesn’t have an irrigation system. For water, they use rain barrels, as well as a solar powered water tank that requires someone to be at the garden every day during the summer.
Since the front garden is in full sun, he hopes a greenhouse is in the garden's future in addition to a shed to keep equipment in.
Closer to the church, towards the back of the property, is a large garden plot they are hoping to expand. “We hope to increase, but we wanted to start small enough that we could handle it and get everything going.”
The garden has a solar powered electric fence to keep the rabbits and deer away. Lane explained, “Mr. William Hendrix has pretty much taken this on as a project— he put the fence in, tilled up the land. He and his son Wesley planted the vegetables, and he comes out and checks on it pretty much every day, so he's helped to make this happen.”
Currently, they have mustards, collards, and turnips, and all are self-pick.
Eventually, Lane would like to have organizations partner with the church as sponsors.
Educational events for kids and students as well as canning classes are all in the plans for the future. He also hopes to have an orchard, prayer garden, and flowers. “The hope is that others will join us in the process and that we can have a significant impact on those in the Brooklet area.”
Lane shares, “We want to have a place where we give out food for free to whoever needs it, no questions asked, just simply—here it is.”
All those instrumental in the development ot the garden include: Bro. Patrick McElveen, Bro. Billy Lane, Pastor and wife Paula , Sheri Grooms, Susan and Keith Brinson, William and Wesley Hendrix, the Spivey family, the Timms family, Esther and William Vickers, Jessica Mata, Lynda & Fred McCoy.
For more information, visit the Brooklet Baptist Church website here. Brooklet FBC is located at 19163 US-80, Brooklet, GA 30415.