All through the years, our Benedictine community has valued environmental stewardship and care of the earth. Some of our ministries in the past that promoted stewardship and respect for all creation included tending bees, orchards and large vegetable and flower gardens. Presently, our community has a vegetable garden, a vineyard, and a raspberry patch for growing some of our food. We also have multiple flower gardens, some of which are purposely dedicated as pollinator gardens for bees and butterflies.
In the past, we encouraged people in our area to eat locally grown food by establishing the Common Ground Garden, a community supported agriculture garden or CSA. It operated for 25 years and enabled the local community to come together and share in the labor, and fruits of that labor, through planting, nurturing and enjoying the delicious produce.
In 2018, our garden ministry shifted models and became the Sunset Drive Garden where individuals could, for minimal cost, rent plots of land to grow their own vegetables and flowers. The garden’s mission was to welcome and encourage people of different cultures, ages and economic status to work side by side, sharing hospitality and promoting sustainable practices for growing food.
In addition to our agricultural endeavors, our community is promoting environmental stewardship that will extend long into the future. We have acres of woodlands and prairie lands on our monastery property that we are protecting from development, and one of our sisters has planted over four hundred trees and has set up and is monitoring many birdhouses to encourage a flourishing of the bluebird population.
Years ago, some of our monastery property was permanently set aside and donated for the Sand Prairie Wildlife and Environmental Education Area. This area is important as an ongoing breeding locale for a host of waterfowl including the endangered sand hill crane, which is now making a comeback.
Currently, we are making exciting plans to downsize our home by building a new smaller monastery. Our new home will have a smaller carbon footprint as we are planning to use green technologies in its construction and operation, including both solar and geothermal.
#LikeaCatholicSister, we will continue to steward our resources and care for our Common Home.
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