Mount Olive has worked in collaboration with Twin Lakes Food Bank (TLFB) to grow produce to help feed the community since 2012. This is a testament of God's faithfulness and a beautiful example of how God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary provision in times of need. 

 

The garden is an on-going labor of love, but it began when the Mount Olive Church council agreed to partner with TLFB and provide the land located on the church property to plot the garden. God worked through many local businesses to make this garden transform from an idea to reality.

 

In the early stages, CNL Construction volunteered to grade the ground. A volunteer at TLFB, who was a member of the Rotary Club of Folsom at the time, encouraged the Rotary Club to donate all the supplies and labor for trenching and laying the water pipes; in addition to building and installing 24 raised beds for the garden. The soil for the ground was donated by Innovis Corp and was delivered from Cascade Rock, Inc. free of charge. The Boy Scout Troop 237 spent a Saturday filling the planter boxes with the soil. The garden was then ready for planting with NO cost to TLFB or Mount Olive! 

 

Next, Green Acres Nursery donated $100 worth of tomato seedlings, which were the first to be planted in the new garden on May 9, 2012. Volunteers from TLFB and Mount Olive planted seeds donated by Walmart. Boy Scout volunteers and Mount Olive youth helped with planting and installing a drip system for watering. Shady Glen Stables donated 15 yards of fertilizer and more plant seedlings were donated by Orchard Supply Hardware. The garden was now ready for growth with NO cost thus far to TLFB or Mount Olive! The "first fruits" from the garden were harvested on July 5, 2012.

 

In the Fall of 2012, a Girl Scout created a nine-tree orchard near the garden, so fruit, as well as vegetables could be provided to families in need. She designed, established, and sustains the orchard by raising all the funding and recruiting volunteers where help is needed. 

 

By the end of 2012, with the help of the TLFB Lead Gardener, multiple TLFB volunteers (including some Americorp volunteers) and Jehovah-Jirah (The LORD provides) the garden produced 2,313 pounds of vegetation which was distributed through TLFB to families in need.

 

In 2013, the Lead Gardener determined that another row of planter beds was needed. Once again, Jehovah-Jirah provided resources through a Boy Scout, who was in need of undertaking a project to earn his Eagle Scout award. This young Scout built another row of 12 planter beds; planning, funding and finding volunteers to build and install the beds. By the end of 2013, with 1,274 hours of work by the Lead Gardener, eight TLFB volunteers, Americorp volunteers, Intel volunteers, and Jehovah-Jirah, the earth produced 4,163 pounds of food which was harvested and distributed to families in need through TLFB. 

 

In 2014, there was need for a greenhouse to house seedlings in preparation for the garden. Jehovah-Jirah was on the move again. Once again, God paired the need of a Boy Scout looking for an Eagle Scout project with the need for a greenhouse. Seeds were planted by Whole Foods volunteers and raised to seedlings in the new greenhouse. By the end of 2014, the faithful work of many working together for a greater purpose other than themselves came to fruition. The ground yielded 5,902 pounds of produce which was harvested and distributed through TLFB to families in need! 

 

In the first 2.5 years of service, the Garden Project has produced over 12,000 pounds (that's over 6 tons) of fresh, organic produce to feed those in need living within our community! 

 

We give God all the glory for providing the faithful men and women who work tirelessly to keep this garden project producing food for our community. Mount Olive has members who volunteer at TLFB, but Mount Olive also has faithful members who pray consistantly in the garden and pray for the work of the garden.

 

At Mount Olive, we understand that we serve a God who cares about all the details of our lives. The testimony of the Garden Project, both past and future, is evidence of how God shows Himself plentiful in the midst of need. 

 

In the Hebrew language, "Jehovah-Jirah," means "The LORD will Provide." We read about Jehovah-Jirah in the Old Testament in the account of Abraham on Mt. Moriah where Abraham went to sacrifice his son, Isaac, but God intervened and instead provided a ram for sacrifice. It is a presentation of the Lord's eternal grace, continual provision, and all-encompassing wisdom. Jehovah-Jirah is NOT "The LORD DID Provide," rather, that The LORD WILL Provide. In other words, the name does not simply memorialize a past even; it anticipates a future action. 

 

Thank you for reading about God's Story/Our Story...stay tuned!