We had a great day with members of the Sacred Heart VITA Youth Group, from the Archdiocese of Newark, who volunteered with the Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild on June 29 and July 1, 2015. A special thanks to Fr. Stephen Fichter and Susan Jansson for contacting us.
We are grateful for the heavy lifting the group provided, which included:
- Moving luminaria to the root cellar (including broken ones in the greenhouse)
- Collecting rocks throughout the garden to facilitate lawn mowing and rototilling
- Moving flower pots by the root cellar entrances and wooden pallets into the greenhouse
- Labeling wooden pallets ‘FMGG’
- Weed whacking the hill below pumpkin patch and areas throughout Fr. Francis’ Garden
- Mowing the lawn throughout Fr. Francis’ Garden
- Removing compost, black plastic tarp in the rose garden; and weeds from rose garden and greenhouse’s interior
- Moving obsolete items to the dumpster
- Removing plastic tarp and wooden pallets above the root cellar’s stair house
- Adding flexible fencing at all fenced tomato rows (to keep deer out)
- Planting angel trumpet plants in front of the main gate to the monastery and in and in Fr. Jim’s Insect Garden
- Planting banana trees in back of Monastery
- Collecting tree limbs and branches felled during heavy thunderstorm
If your youth or young adult group is interested in volunteering with the Franciscan Monastery Garden Guild, contact Lou or Joe at gardenguild@gmail.com.