By Joanna Miller, Staff Writer

Harbor Community Church members are hoping their green thumbs can help keep some green in residents’ pocketbooks this summer and fall.

With economic times becoming a bit rough, Pastor Josh Johnson said the church decided to plant a community garden and to package the harvest to give to community members in need.

“We, as an outreach church, have been praying for ways that we can make an impact in this community. After praying and praying, God made it clear that he had a direction for our ministry to serve,” Johnson said.

After receiving numerous phone calls about financial assistance for food from people in the area, Johnson decided a community garden at the church might fill the need.

“With the cost of food at an all-time high, it was growing extremely difficult for some people to make ends meet,” he said. “We have passed out food cards, and will continue to do so, but by handing out fresh free vegetables, milk, eggs and bread, we have the opportunity to also establish relationships.”

Village Market will donate a bread, milk or egg item to include in the care packages of harvested vegetables the church will distribute.

Johnson said the garden will help church members to get outside of the doors and into the community.

The volunteers intend to hand out bags of food the last week of the month beginning in August, through the end of harvest, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the church site, 5995 Timber Trail, Prior Lake.

If an abundant harvest allows, they may include more donation dates.

The church expects the garden to produce about 10 care packages for each Saturday.

 “God came to serve, not be served, and as a church we are in Prior Lake, not to be served but to serve,” he said. “We pray that this garden brings us opportunities to not only help meet the physical needs of people, but to allow us to have conversations about relationships with Christ.”

Adam Dolney of Prior Lake was one of many volunteers who stayed behind after church this spring to help kick off the garden project.

Dolney said lending a hand allowed him and his family to get to know other church members.

“I’m fairly new to the church. It was a good bonding experience to help me and my other family members to get to know people from the church, and it was pretty fun,” Dolney said.

Dolney said the economic times have hit many families hard, and the garden is a way the church can help them get by a little easier.

“There are so many families struggling right now, even in Prior Lake alone,” Dolney said. “We wanted to give back to the people of Prior Lake.”

Dolney said most of the volunteers aren’t master gardeners, but they’re willing to take instructions and help out.

“My role was just pretty much to help out, just to get out there and rip up all of the grass, turning up the sod,” Dolney said. “Actually, I don’t know a thing about gardening. I know how to listen when somebody says, ‘We need to do this.’”

He estimated that the garden is a 20-foot-by-20-foot patch and said he’d volunteer again at the garden at harvest time if he’s needed.

“I will when the time comes, for sure,” Dolney said.

Do they hope to continue the garden project into the future?

“For sure. Maybe we can make it even bigger next year,” Dolney said, “to get more people involved.”

For more information, contact Harbor Community Church at (952) 447-6191.

  Joanna Miller can be reached at (952) 345-6375 or jmiller@swpub.com.