Faith, Community and Nature Create Common Ground Partnership

ST. JOSEPH, Minn. - Tucked in the heart of small community life lies a tradition of Benedictine values that runs deep into the soil. For the past nine years, the Common Ground Garden on the Saint Benedict's Monastery campus has delivered organic, fresh produce to St. Joseph and surrounding communities.

The Common Ground Garden is a subscription garden that provides members fresh produce once a week, for sixteen weeks. The produce consists of a "light-bag" variety in the spring - mainly leafy vegetables such as lettuce, radishes and carrots, while the "heavy" winter produce includes squash, pumpkins and melons. This year, the Garden hopes to grow larger specialty crops, such as beets and popcorn. A subscription to the Garden is $250, and a membership can be shared. The money from subscriptions is used to enhance the Garden, buy equipment and purchase seeds for the following year. If you would like to become a member of Common Ground or renew a subscription, call S. Phyllis Plantenberg at 320-363-7101, before May 15. Enrollment is limited to 40 members.

The Garden consists of four plots of land, totaling 4/10 of an acre. According to S. Phyllis Plantenberg, retired CSB/SJU professor of biology and founder of Common Ground, 'The Garden may not be grown to scale, but it's grown with heart and graciousness. Last year, the Garden produced 11,000 pounds of produce, and this year, our goal is 15,000 pounds."

"If I had my own garden, the quantity of produce would vary greatly according to weather and other factors," said Maureen Opitz, director of donor relations at CSB and Common Ground member. "With Common Ground, there is an abundance or produce, but I only take what I can use, knowing the rest will be offered to someone else. And, I can always count on the quality and organic dependability of the produce. It tastes delicious, and I know it's grown with care."

According to S. Phyllis, the Garden is inspired by a way of life that has been part of the St. Joseph community since the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict settled in the area in 1857. "As Benedictine Sisters, we share common threads in our values of stability and preservation. We are taught that everything on earth is connected and that we should treat all things as sacred vessels of the altar." The outreach and success of Common Ground is also based on a Benedictine value - one that is defined by an emphasis on building community.

Community efforts and success go hand-in-hand for the Garden. The efforts of many, including volunteers from the St. Joseph community and monastery and CSB/SJU student employees, keep the Garden going and help make improvements each year. The monastery provides the land, leadership and the facilities to operate the Garden.

"The Garden belongs to the community, and everything we do has community in mind," said S. Phyllis. Each year, seniors from the St. Joseph apartments are given plots of land in the Garden to grow their own produce. First graders from St. Joseph Lab School plant pumpkin seeds in May and come to the Garden on a field trip to pick a pumpkin in the fall. The extra produce is donated to area food shelves.

In a closer look at the community benefits of the Garden, S. Phyllis notes that the Garden has helped create relationships and skills for lifelong learning for the CSB/SJU students and the many volunteers who work at the Garden. "I can't take credit for students who have left the Garden and gone on to do wonderful things such as doing missionary work or teaching in other countries," said S. Phyllis. "Typically, people who care about the earth have a social conscience. The Garden doesn't transform people, but it brings out wonderful things."

The Garden has also played an integral part in establishing the St. Joseph Farmer's Market. Three years ago, community discussions about Common Ground helped cultivate the idea of a local farmer's market. Now in its third year, the St. Joseph Farmer's Market continues to grow and expand its variety of offerings. Held every Friday from May through October, the Farmer's Market offers herbs, baked goods, fresh produce and other produces from growers who live within 30 miles of St. Joseph. And, there is always musical or educational entertainment included in the weekly gathering.

For more information about the Common Ground Garden, call S. Phyllis Plantenberg at 320-363-7101.