Franciscan Ministries' Newsletter - Fall 2023

FALL 2023 NEWSLETTER The Begging Bowl

From the desk of Sr. Ann Cecile Albers, SFP Interim Executive Director Franciscan Ministries continues its many ministries year-round; however, it is that time of year when the season of fall arrives and the majority of our garden plots are put to sleep for a few months. We are dedicating this newsletter to the Community Garden as our harvest season ends and our time of rest begins.

I invite you to learn a bit about the comings and goings in the Garden and the story of its history. I hope you enjoy reading about this project and all the people it has provided food for over these many years.

God’s blessings on each of our readers for the support given to our various Ministries!

We wish you a time of rest and renewal as well!

Message from the Director of the Community Garden When I was asked to take on the role of Director of the Community Garden in 2016, the first words out of my mouth were a resounding … “I AM NOT A GARDENER!” ... followed by, “But I’m willing to give it a go.”

Now, seven years later, I am still not a gardener, but I have learned a lot: • I know where to put your ear on the top of a water spigot to hear if it is leaking.

• I admit that a field of mustard seed plants can look deceptively like a field of weeds to the untrained eye.

• I am adept at using pictures within signage to circumvent language barriers.

• I recognize that morning glories, while beautiful, spread like nobody’s business and are ever so difficult to remove fully.

• I can repair a deer fence with zip ties, duct tape, and a step stool.

Most importantly, I can say that I have watched a community grow and flourish with as much variety and beauty within as is found in the vegetables and flowers it produces.And it is truly a sight to behold.

With a Little Help From Our Friends ...

Over the years we have developed lasting partnerships with Turner Farm, Heartfelt Tidbits, and the Civic Garden Center.

• •

•

Turner Farm helps manage our composting in a 3-pile system, they occasionally hold classes on gardening on campus, and, in some seasons, they have cultivated their own educational plot. They also offer general support, expertise, and resources to the garden.

Heartfelt Tidbits, a local non-profit, is our main support in working with our Bhutanese gardeners. They assist with communication, translating, and navigating various cultural challenges. This year, 66% of our plots are cultivated by Bhutanese individuals and families.

The Civic Garden Center is a resource to us for information, community garden networking, and seed resources. The network of community garden coordinators in turn also helps to fill in gaps of knowledge, resources, and best practices.

We have also benefitted from numerous Eagle Scout and volunteer projects and donations which have resulted in sheds, shelters, gravel paths, picnic tables, hose posts, and much, much more over the years. THANK YOU!

Marci Peebles, Director of Operations Marci was hired by Franciscan Ministries in 2011, and in 2016, when the Community Garden became a full program within the Ministries, Marci took on the role of Director in addition to her other duties. Subsequently, in 2018, Marci also assumed the Director’s role for Haircuts from the Heart. She holds a Bachelor’s in English and a Master of Education in Human Resource Development, both from Xavier University. Prior to arriving at FM, Marci worked in Youth Ministry and Young Adult Ministry within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and she has served as a trainer for the Cincinnati Association of Volunteer Administrators and as adjunct retreat staff with the Jesuit Spiritual Center. Over the years her duties at Franciscan Ministries have expanded exponentially, resulting in her current, inclusive title of Director of Operations. She loves what she does - being a part of FM’s mission of meeting unmet needs in the community while carrying on the charism of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor. When not at FM, Marci and her husband are adjusting to being empty-nesters, while delighting in every phone call, text, and visit from their twin sons.

Rachel Lwin, In Garden Manager Rachel began gardening as a hobbyist with one raised bed about nine years ago when her son was born, and she has not stopped learning and growing since. From nurturing seeds into transplants to developing healthy soil and enjoying the bounty of the harvest, growing food for her family and friends has transformed from a maternity leave project into a calling. As a former children’s librarian, public service has always been an essential part of her life, and in 2022, she had the opportunity to join Loveland Learning Garden, a large educational garden nestled between Loveland Primary and Elementary Schools, as the Garden Manager. This year, she’s very excited to serve the diverse group of community gardeners at Franciscan Ministries as the InGarden Manager! Though she adores her native Baltimore, she is very grateful to be gardening and raising her family in the North Avondale neighborhood of Cincinnati.

Help Our Garden Grow – Faucet and Fence Fund Year after year our Garden grows and flourishes and is a delight and refuge to so many!

and our water system has started to require regular repairs and replacements.

Typically, unless there is an unexpected repair (or five) or a particularly hot and dry season comes along, our small plot fees cover much of our expenses.

Most years we are able to secure small operating grants here and there, and we are always able to rely upon the generosity of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor who support us wholeheartedly – they even have their own plot!

What’s a Garden to do?!

While we are being proactive and diligently applying for grants and funds to prepare for these inevitable expenses, we are also inviting all of you who have green thumbs (or who love those who have them) to consider contributing to our newly established Fence and Faucet Fund! Our hope is to create a bit of a nest egg to hold in reserve for the fateful day that a full overhaul is unavoidable.

However, the daily wear and tear of the elements and 100+ gardeners’ use is understandably starting to show. Our deer fence is reaching its typical life expectancy within the next few years,

If you would like to support our mission through a contribution, please contact our Development Coordinator, Grace Marie Eckman, at gmeckman@ FranciscanMinistriesInc.org.

2 2 | Info@FranciscanMinistriesInc.org

Want to Join Us? Garden Applications are accepted starting in December for the following Garden season.

Priority is given to returning Gardeners, with notifications of plot assignments occurring in mid-March. If interested, please email us around Thanksgiving to ask for an application. Requests can be sent and inquiries made to mpeebles@ FranciscanMinistriesInc.org.

History of the Community Garden The Community Garden has looked different over the seasons since its beginnings in 2009. However, it has always had the blessing of the Sisters at St Clare.

From the beginning, the use of the grounds has been offered as a gift of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor who own the property.

The opportunity to promote stewardship of nature and cultivation of the land for the benefit of others was right in line with the charism of the Congregation.

At first, the Garden was composed of a small group of local gardeners who came together to plant and harvest a single large plot which was completely tilled and turned over between seasons.

The endeavor was volunteerled with some guidance provided by the staff of the Centennial Barn – Franciscan Ministries as an incorporated non-profit did not yet exist.

Over time, the overall number of gardeners grew and the desire for individual plots maintained from season to season emerged.

Early on, our first Bhutanese gardeners joined us after seeing people planting on the grounds and asking for the same opportunity – their presence has been an opportunity and blessing for all!

The Garden came fully under the auspices of a program of Franciscan Ministries, Inc. in 2016.

Today, after at least three expansions over the years, our Garden is one of the largest organic gardens in Southwest Ohio. It currently encompasses 105 plots which vary in size from 200-1,200 square feet. While the plots themselves cover just over one acre of land, the full fencedin area (including outbuildings, paths, and gathering space) covers approximately two and a half acres on the St Clare grounds.

A handful of our plots are set aside as Community Crop Plots specifically cultivated to “give back” through donations to local agencies and to the St Clare Convent kitchen as a thank-you for the use of the land.

Additionally, many gardeners donate from their surplus, and some specifically grow a part of their plot to donate. Since our start, we have donated over 13,750 pounds of food to local community organizations.

Plots are rented for a nominal fee which gives gardeners use of a plot for the season, as well as access to water, composting, and community tools.

In return, we ask that the community works together for the greater good: to keep the Garden a happy, secure, and enjoyable place where all participants can garden and socialize peacefully in a neighborly manner as good stewards of the land and resources.

We are so grateful for our community of gardeners. We are blessed by our differences and learn so much from one another. We have “grown” something wonderful over the years!

Our Bhutanese Friends Our community is racially, ethnically, and economically diverse made up of individuals and families from 21 different zip codes across Hamilton County.

Our largest contingent with the Garden is made up of our Bhutanese neighbors. For many of these families, the Garden is a primary food source. It encourages integration and social engagement which is often difficult for those living in a land that is culturally foreign to them. The act of gardening helps to create a positive impact on mental health and fosters an active and healthy lifestyle. It offers an opportunity to reconnect with and share their agricultural roots.

Conversely, these individuals bring a wealth of knowledge and a new perspective to the localborn gardeners in the community. Everyone in the community, regardless of birthplace, have exchanged gardening advice and taught each other about their ethnic foods and culture.

There is a shared joy of the earth and its bounty that is apparent.

For a fuller picture of our Bhutanese gardeners’ experience, please take twelve minutes to view OUR OHIO: New Arrivals, New Roots which was filmed at our site in 2018. This short film can be found on our website at www.FranciscanMinistriesInc.org/ community-garden.html

FranciscanMinistriesInc.org | 3

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PA I D CINCINNATI, OHIO PERMIT# 2580

Franciscan Ministries, Inc. 110 Compton Road Cincinnati, OH 45215

By the Numbers: 105 plots total •

66% cultivated by Bhutanese gardeners

•

3 dedicated Community Crop Plots

•

Plots vary in size from 20x10 to 20x60

•

If all plots were 20x10, we would have 235 plots

122 registered / official gardeners •

13 new gardeners joined us this season

7 Garden Work Days / Community Events 662 hours of gardener volunteer time in the Garden 497 pounds of produce donated A Special Thank You to The Franciscan Peddler Thrift Store The Franciscan Peddler Thrift Store is located on the St. Clare Campus offering a large variety of merchandise. We are very grateful to receive the proceeds of all sales from The Peddler to support the programs at Franciscan Ministries. Store hours are Fridays from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Saturdays from 10:00 am -1:00 pm.