Yes, we will be gardening this year, and doing more of it than ever. Our mission has always been to deliver Jesus’ love by feeding the hungry, and the pandemic makes that particularly needful. Food banks are facing unprecedented demand, nationally and here in Ohio. Jesus has given us a tool to help—our garden—and we must follow His mandate to make the most of it. See Matthew 25:14-46.
As tempting as it may be to stay away until the pandemic subsides, the need we’re trying to address is urgent. And given the unavoidable lag between planting and harvesting we must get to work as soon as possible.
We are trying to be wise in how we do that; our goal is combat the effects of Covid-19, not to spread it. We will therefore follow these protocols:
- If you are in a vulnerable category to the COVID-19 virus (e.g. age, health condition, etc.) please allow others to serve in the garden. We, first and foremost, want to produce this food in a way that keeps everyone safe.
- No more that 10 people will be allowed in the garden at one time.
- We will limit gardening sessions to two hours.
- We will take workers’ temperatures when they arrive and send folks with temps or other symptoms home.
- All folks in the garden will wear facemasks when there are two or more people. Please supply your own masks. Here is a tutorial for bandana masks that do not need sewn: mask tutorial.
- Children are welcome to work in the garden. However, with so few spots available, we need to fill them with those who can help with the work of the garden. We ask you to please use discretion when signing up children; therefore children who are too young to work should remain at home.
- We will limit individual groups of workers to family members to the extent possible.
- We will keep at least one garden bed between groups of workers. That will put at least 10 feet between groups of workers.
- We will structure tasks to keep workers within groups at least 6 feet apart.
- We will wipe down doors, gates, tables, etc. with disinfectant before volunteers arrive and will open all doors, gates, etc. before folks get there.
- We are asking folks to bring their own gloves and tools, but will have safe gloves and tools available for folks who don’t have their own.
- Our tools will be out & wiped down with disinfectant before each session. We will wipe down our tools after each session.
- We will have fresh gloves for each worker at each session. We will collect gloves at the end of each session & wash them in hot water and detergent for a full regular cycle before they are used again.
- We will have soap and water for handwashing.
- No food or water will be provided.
- The church building will not be open.
These protocols were developed with input from doctors, and are consistent with Ohio's Stay at Home Order and extension service advice to community gardens.
We will start structured gardening sessions on April 18, and may be calling on individual gardeners for help between now and then.
We have posted a sign up genius facilitate the 10-person limit. Please sign up come on out to the garden!
In the meantime, please pray for us and the folks we serve. Jesus’ directions in Luke 10:2 are particularly apt: “The harvest is huge, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest field.” Other good verses to pray over include James 2:15-17 and 1 John 3:17-20.
That’s it for now. Hope to see you soon (albeit from behind a face mask)!
