So far, the cost of starting and operating the First Christian Church Natural Community Garden has been $1,104.00 in cash money or in "in-kind" donations for items like mulch, tilling, steel posts, straw, composted manure, and so on. The actual amount invested is probably greater since we have not accounted for the cost of water and "quiet" donations by folks who show up after hours to re-install fencing, cut the grass, and design and paint signs.
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As you can see, it costs a lot to live simply. The good news is that, over time, the costs will go down because our initial investments for things like tomato cages and rain barrels will not be required again...but Mama Mia, stuff costs a lot.
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What has been the return on our investment? A rough estimate is $625, which includes the value of produce taken out of the garden by families, the value of produce donated to Loaves and Fishes, and sales of cut flowers at the Berryville Farmers' Market. Since we still have 1/3 of the gardening year ahead of us it looks like we might break-even by the end of the season.
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One return on our investment that is harder to assess is the social and spiritual capital we gain by doing a right thing and reflecting on it. The moments I spend beneath the cross at the far end of the garden have become special to me. They are certainly teachable moments. I learn first hand that the Apostle John was not just a holy man, but an experienced man as well who certainly must have spent time gardening. "I am the vine; you are the branches," he writes authoritatively. Thinking about John 15:1-10 now makes me feel good in a way that is richer than at any time before.
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