What a day! Shay and I rolled up to the garden around 11 AM, and honestly, the community had already beaten us there. Half a dozen folks were already harvesting, mowing the lawn, and just soaking up the Sunday morning energy. There is nothing better than watching this place grow and evolve week after week.

Fresh Produce, Fresh Connections

Lauren had already set up our produce stand and posted on Facebook about the fresh vegetables we brought over from our Eastpointe garden – over 40 pounds of fresh goodness that we were ready to share with the neighborhood. And let me tell you, our South Warren garden delivered too! We harvested 12.26 pounds of our own produce, including:

• Chard: 1.44 lbs (plus smaller harvests)
• Cucumbers: 8.63 lbs (these plants are on fire!)
• Peppers: 2.19 lbs (plus additional smaller harvests)

The Pickle Boys Are Back!

My favorite part of the whole day? Those two young men who’ve been stopping by for pickling cucumbers the past couple weeks came by again! They’re somewhere between 7 and 11 (maybe??), and they absolutely light up when they see the garden. I got to chat with their mom for a while, and she told me how grateful she is for the community garden. Get this – next year they’re planning to get involved so the boys can learn how to start vegetables from scratch!

One of the tomato plants they took home last time? It’s growing and they’re taking care of it. I had to ask them if they were watering it (they were), and then I couldn’t resist asking if they were keeping it in a closet so it wouldn’t get any light. They both cracked up and told me that plants need light to grow! Smart kids – I think they’ve got this gardening thing figured out.

This is exactly why we do what we do. Watching families in the area come out, get involved, and teach their kids about sustainability and where their food comes from – that’s our mission in action.

New Neighbors, New Friends

We had a new neighbor stop by who just moved to town from Utica. He happened to be driving by on his way home, noticed people were at the garden, and decided to check us out. He’s genuinely excited that we’re here, and his wife is going to start coming by to help take care of the plants. Love when the garden just draws people in naturally!

Plus, Alia from our Eastpointe garden stopped by and helped mow the lawn while getting to meet everyone. It’s so cool watching our garden family connect across locations.

Shay’s Wisdom Corner

Shay was in full teacher mode today, sharing all the little tips and tricks she’s collected over the years with anyone who would listen. How to figure out when something’s ready to harvest, when to snip leaves for pruning – she was just freely sharing all that accumulated knowledge. There’s something really beautiful about watching experienced gardeners pass on what they know.

Hawks and Cleanup Crew

We had two absolutely massive hawks circling around the treetops today! Got some photos, but honestly, they don’t do justice to how majestic these birds were. It’s amazing how these green spaces become little ecosystems that attract all kinds of wildlife.

Meanwhile, Grayson, Jeff, Jody, Kai, and Zach all pitched in to clean up sticks and grapevine around the property line. Found some great grapevine that we’re definitely going to use for future trellising projects!

Compost Dreams Come True

Jeff brought by a gigantic compost bin and we set it up in the corner. I’m genuinely excited about being able to compost some of our yard waste instead of it just going to the landfill. It’s these little sustainability wins that add up to something bigger.

The Flower That Broke the Chain

Sometimes the most meaningful moments happen completely by accident. Shay picked a flower from the Rose of Sharon bush and handed it to me – just a simple, sweet gesture. I was deep in conversation with Jody about some heavy life stuff (gardens have a way of creating space for real talk), so I passed the flower to her.

That’s when someone joked about how we were literally “passing on trauma” with the flower. It was dark humor that somehow felt exactly right, and before we knew it, that single bloom became our unofficial mascot for the day. Everyone took a turn holding it, and the conversation shifted to breaking cycles instead of continuing them.

Jeff’s observation hit different though – he mentioned how most guys never get handed a flower unless they’re in a hospital or a casket. Made everyone pause for a second. There’s something powerful about receiving something beautiful just because. I enjoyed seeing the rest of the fellas smile at someone giving them a flower – even if just for a moment.

That Rose of Sharon has been growing on the adjacent property for nearly forty years now – my mom planted it when I was a kid. Pretty wild that it’s still here, still blooming, and now part of these moments where neighbors become friends over shared stories and silly flowers.

Everyone Pitched In

You know what I love about our garden days? Everyone just naturally finds their way to contribute. Lauren showed up at 10 AM and got the produce stand set up with Jeff, then spent time harvesting cucumbers with Grayson. Kat jumped right into lawn mowing duty while getting to know everyone – because nothing builds friendships quite like sharing a push mower on a Sunday morning!

Jeff went above and beyond, making not one but two trips to bring us the compost tumbler from Eastpointe. Had to navigate a packed church parking lot and nearly got blocked in, but managed to sneak his truck through a tight space. That’s dedication! After we got it set up in the back corner, he mostly hung out and socialized (which is exactly what Sunday garden days are for), but still managed to run an edger along the sidewalk before wrapping up.

Zach rolled in with materials and ended up helping with all kinds of projects (as per usual), while Jody brought over some of my moms old pavers she dug up from next door. Pete stopped by to take care of our native garden section, weeding everything and getting it spruced up. And Shay? She was absolutely in her element, weeding every single bed, trimming back the squash plants, and having deep conversations with Lauren about plant care and garden planning.

It’s that flat hierarchy thing we talk about – everyone contributes in their own way, whether that’s early morning setup, physical labor, sharing materials, or passing along decades of gardening wisdom. No job is too small, no contribution goes unnoticed.

Wrapping Up Another Great Day

By 2 o’clock, we wrapped up and headed home. It was one of those chill Sunday garden days where the work gets done, the community comes together, and somehow a flower ends up being the thread that connects everyone’s stories.

The fact that we gave away almost 50 pounds of food in a few hours – that’s what it’s all about. Fresh food, good people, and the kind of organic community building that only happens when you create space for people to just show up as they are.

Join Us Next Sunday!

South Warren Community Garden meets every Sunday from 10 AM to 2 PM at 13690 Toepfer Rd., Warren, MI. No experience needed, no registration required – just show up! The soil doesn’t judge, and neither do we.