The Garden Team officially launched on April 25 with a wonderful day of fellowship and fresh vision! While the primary goal was to create a meaningful women’s outreach opportunity to complement the men’s firewood fellowship gatherings, this event also marked a smooth transition out of the firewood season into the warmer months.

The firewood ministry will now pause its monthly campfire men’s fellowship workdays during the summer. However, small local groups will continue processing firewood on Tuesday mornings with weekly splitting and stacking sessions in preparation for the fall re-launch. Meanwhile, the new Garden Team will carry momentum through the summer months.

The vision for the Garden Team is both practical and exciting: to grow fresh vegetables that will be preserved and used in a new series of fall stew events. These stews will incorporate meat from the farm’s chickens and sheep, combined with garden produce, cooked in large batches. The firewood ministry men and Garden Team women will work together during the harvest season. The finished stews will be packed into quart containers and distributed to families served by our partner food pantry, The Storehouse.

This initiative not only promises nourishing food for those in need but also builds deeper relationships and shared service across ministries.

For the April 25 launch event, more than 20 people came together for food, fellowship, and meaningful work across the farm’s garden spaces. The gathering carried a true community spirit—multi-church, multi-racial, and warmly inclusive of both men and women. The women focused on planting seeds and preparing garden beds, while the men tackled several important infrastructure projects.

A highlight was the successful installation of over 200 feet of water lines buried below frost grade, along with three new yard hydrants. This major improvement was made possible through generous support from Mechanicsville Christian Center, which helped fund the trencher rental, while the men worked hard digging pits and operating the heavy equipment.

Our camp chef prepared a delicious lunch spread featuring pulled barbecue, potato salad, coleslaw, and more—adding to the joyful atmosphere of the day.

The next Garden Team workday is scheduled for Saturday, May 30 from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM. If you’re interested in joining, please contact us at reuben@promiselandpastures.org.

This is more than just gardening—it’s about building community, serving others, and watching something beautiful grow together!