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May 30, 2022Laudato Si’ Week 2022, from May 22 to 29, marks the seventh anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical on care for creation. In Laudato Si, the pope notes the exemplary way in which natural ecosystems convert organic waste into new generations of plants. This cycle, which often requires little to no human intervention, is often overlooked by people in our “throwaway culture,” Pope Francis noted.
Disposing of food and garden waste through compost not only shows respect for creation but improves the soil as we grow the next generation of crops. Taking care of the soil in the garden is just one more way our Food Justice Garden cares for creation.
Our Food Justice Garden uses a three-pronged approach to compost by recycling garden waste, mixing in donated coffee grounds from Bean Traders and cultivating the worm population within the compost bins. These efforts produce rich soil that allows us to grow more than two tons of food annually for local food pantries.
“You can’t buy stuff that good,” says Bobi Gallagher, one of the garden coordinators, about the compost generated. “We are always generating our own soil.”
The garden ministry reuses everything. Even when a particular crop does not do well, they are able to put the waste in the compost pile and turn it back into rich soil.
Each garden bed receives a generous amount of compost before new planting begins. The compost provides nitrogen and other trace minerals as well as worms, who put air in the soil and provide what’s known as black gold, essentially worm poop.
One of our community partners, Bean Traders Coffee, supplies us with 14 to 18 gallons of ground daily. The grounds, sprinkled over the compost pile, help to break down the plant waste.
Plant waste and coffee grounds make up the bulk of our compost, but garden volunteers say that the addition of kitchen food waste can add even more nutrients to the soil. Parishioners are always welcome to stop by the garden to add their own kitchen food waste. Acceptable food waste for the compost includes fruits and vegetables and rinsed eggshells. In this small way, we can show respect for creation and help our garden feed more people.
Follow the map below (or the strong aroma of coffee) to the compost pile in the Food Justice Garden.
