Anathoth Community Garden & Farm

At Anathoth, we mourned the loss and gave deep thanks for the life of Geof Gledhill. Geof passed away in December. He was one of the founding visionaries of the garden, a long-time board member, and a very long-time friend of so many in the Anathoth community. Here is a reflection from Chas Edens: “This past Saturday (Dec. 16), I lost a neighbor, a close friend and mentor. Geof Gledhill exemplified the values I first read about in the essays […] → Continue Reading Remembering Geof Gledhill

This week (Dec. 6, 2017), HarvestShare members can choose a cut of venison: extraordinarily healthy protein from deer hunted at the farm. The venison comes thanks to HarvestShare member Rob Gray and his organization, Orange County Outdoors Ministry. After learning about Anathoth’s mission at Efland United Methodist two years ago, Rob reached out to partner with us: to help us manage deer damage, while providing venison to as many HarvestShare participants as possible. Rob lives in Efland with his wife Staci, and […] → Continue Reading Meet Rob Gray and Orange County Outdoors Ministry

(Find the full essay, and persimmon pudding recipe, at the link) “Hold on a minute, let me get the recipe. Can you hold a minute?” I held a minute. “Found it on the first look. Alright, you know you need really ripe persimmons, right?” I knew that. “First, run ’em through a colander…” Nana kept her persimmon pudding recipe closely. I’d phoned her in the fall of 2012 for instructions on the pudding, prompted by a food writing class assignment […] → Continue Reading From “Persimmon Notes” By Laura Fieselman

How does a commitment like HarvestShare shape you? How does committing to a piece of land, to the people who work the land, and to your fellow eaters bring rhythms of wholeness and love to your life? At the recent Life Around the Table Retreat, I led a workshop on “Receiving the CSA as a Spiritual Discipline.” With a CSA, people are often quick to notice what’s easy (“I love strawberries!”) vs. what’s hard (“How do I get my kids […] → Continue Reading Homemade HarvestShare Prayers

We are thrilled to welcome Micah Smalley to Anathoth! Through a new partnership with the Johnson Service Corps (through the Episcopal Service Corps), Micah will spend the next year at Anathoth learning about, participating in, and deepening our farming and communications work. Come out to a workday and help us welcome Micah! Here’s her own introduction: Hi everybody, my name is Micah Smalley and I’m doing an internship with Anathoth for just about a year through the Johnson Service Corps! I’m from […] → Continue Reading Meet new intern, Micah Smalley

By HarvestShare member Denise Waters, part of the clergy HarvestShare program through Life Around the Table. Denise is the Croasdaile Village Life Enrichment Director and Chaplain’s Associate. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful story, Denise! Magic happens at Anathoth Community Gardens and Farm every week, but nowhere is that magic so evident as in homegrown tomato sandwich days at Croasdaile Village Retirement Community.  This nearly two decades long tradition generates much excitement every year and has grown large enough to need […] → Continue Reading “If I could just have…” Magic Happens: Homegrown Tomato Sandwich Days at Croasdaile Village Retirement Community

Below, Hillsborough Presbyterian member Pam Beveridge describes the church’s and Anathoth’s relationship with families seeking refuge from Syria. In future weeks, family members will share their own perspectives, within the bounds of confidentiality.     Above you see a finished meal using each of the ingredients provided from last week’s 1/2 box of fresh produce. Hillsborough Presbyterian Church has co-sponsored 2 Syrian Refugee families (composed of 2 parents and 4 children each) since their arrival one year ago this week. Each […] → Continue Reading Connect with Syrian and Afghan Families Seeking Refuge

We’re grateful to share an excerpt from Rev. Monica Beacham’s Sunday sermon at Cedar Grove United Methodist. Monica reflects on God’s call to face fear and discomfort, to respond to racism — in Charlottesville, in our daily lives, everywhere. Monica became Cedar Grove United Methodist Church’s new pastor this summer.  Her self-introduction: “I do pray before each sermon that God will speak through me or perhaps in spite of me…” We will link to the full sermon once it’s posted online — and you can […] → Continue Reading “Be Afraid”

Chas wrote a reflection for the Faith & Leadership publication, to remember and re-member Jocelyn Patterson, beloved and faithful garden member. As the journal describes the piece, “The lonely death of a member of his community prompts the director of a community garden to reconsider the project’s mission.” An excerpt is below — find the whole piece here. “…Of the many characters that have animated this ministry, Jocelyn was one of the most consistent and colorful. She was a self-described hippie who […] → Continue Reading Reflection from Chas Edens: Remembering my friend Jocelyn

Amy Mejia graduated from Cedar Ridge High School in 2016, and wrote this reflection while preparing for a gap year in Kenya. She shared some reflections from her summer internship at Anathoth: My name is Amy and I have recently graduated from Cedar Ridge High School. Both parents were born in Mexico, but I was born in California. I have grown up living with two cultures where at home our family holds Mexican values. But when I go outside my […] → Continue Reading Meet Open Hands intern Amy Mejia