Gardens are a growing trend among church congregations across the country for a variety of reasons. At Columbia’s Forest Lake Presbyterian Church, youth from preschool to high school participate in the Kid’s Garden, an organic vegetable garden.

Lee Pippin, chair of Environmental Stewardship sprouted the idea for the garden and with the support of Associate Minister Travis Webster and his wife, Karen, who are both master gardeners as well as ordained ministers, plans for the garden got “in the ground.” Since habits of stewardship can start in early childhood, the garden is a way to teach children reasonable and responsible ways to care for and nurture Earth’s resources and share them with others.

A former playground on the church grounds was selected for the garden. The 65’ x 55’ area was a perfect location with sufficient sun for vegetables, shade for shelter, water faucet for hose hook–up, and a podocarpus hedge for privacy around the perimeter.

Cheerful sunflowers for children and the birds grow at the entranceway. Adults tackled initial site preparation and bed construction, now intergenerational fellowship groups plant, mulch, maintain, and harvest the produce. The tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow squash, peppers, okra, beans, peas, and potatoes are donated to Harvest Hope Food Bank.

The garden exemplifies a green ethic. Materials used are selected for low-environmental impact and recycling of resources. Raised beds are made of recycled plastic and wood chips. Old picnic tables and benches were refurbished with coats of colorful paint.

Church kitchen scraps and garden waste are composted. A rain barrel supplements the drip irrigation system used to get water to plant roots efficiently. Beds are filled with Dixie Mix®, a mushroom compost–based potting mix. No commercial chemicals are used for weed or pest control.

Gene Fisher and children harvest beets. Insect–repellent herbs and flowers like lavender, mints, and marigolds are the natural pest controls. And birds visiting the fruits of choke cherry and podocarpus and seedheads of sunflowers assist insect control too.

The Kid’s Garden was named by youngsters. Tools, gloves, and garden furniture are child–sized. The 4’ wide beds allow children to reach into the beds without entering and compacting soil and plants. Appropriate growing systems and supports are used for specific plant needs. Tomatoes are staked or caged; runner beans grow on teepees. Plants are labeled with laminated signs.

The Kid’s Garden is one part of Forest Lake Presbyterian’s environmental stewardship ministry. Visit the website for more information at

Ages three to 90 work in the Kid’s Garden. http://www.flpc.org/GettingInvolved/environmentalstewardship.htm
Runner beans grow on teepees.
Colorful containers of herbs supply seasoning and pest control.
Plants are named with laminated labels.
Master Gardener Karen Webster instructs children.