The First Baptist Church of Longmont is launching its new community garden this week in an effort to create more green space and bring neighbors together.
The garden replaced a lawn on the west side of the church that wasn’t getting much use, said Pastor Matt Shinn.
“We were thinking of how we can provide a resource to bless the community and neighbors … we are fortunate in that we are right in the heart of downtown, and we know that there are many people who live in apartments and town homes around us who don’t have access to really any sort of gardening,” Shinn explained. “We want to provide a resource to help those who want to garden.”
The church received a $5,000 grant for the garden from the American Baptist Churches of the Rocky Mountains organization, which required a dollar match for the same amount. The Longmont church then hired a local company, Prospect Landscape, to create the garden at 701 Kimbark St.
“We wanted it done really, really well — we wanted this to be something that’s going to be in the community for a long time,” Shinn said. “With these garden beds, we can have drip irrigation, so you wouldn’t have to be slogging around water.”
The garden was largely set up in the fall of last year, but the church had some finishing touches to complete over the past few months.
The pastor hopes the garden will produce vegetables for people in need, and provide mental health support for the neighborhood.
“People love gardening and getting outside,” Shinn said. “We’re hoping the garden can be a huge blessing and resource for the community.”
Some church members and neighbors are ready to get planting, he said.
“We would love to grow some produce … tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, but if people also wanted to use one of the beds for flowers — having some pollinators, that would be welcome as well,” the pastor explained.
The church encourages volunteers to sign up and the garden is also accepting seed donations.
“We’re launching it in the community this week so people know about it,” the pastor said.
