More than a dozen years ago, then-Pastor Steve Hammer and members Wendy Benz and Julia Richards hatched an idea for the use of some empty land on Esperanza’s roomy campus: a community garden. The idea took root and within a couple years the Garden of Eatin’ sprouted.
The idea, explained longtime gardener Jayne Peterson, was to create a space in the vacant space west of the nursery building where people of all ages and cultures could work together to learn how to grow plants in our desert environment. The project was open to the community too.
Over the years the garden has flourished, planting friendships among members and neighbors, inspiring art shows and social events, and promoting good stewardship of the soil by employing organic gardening practices.
It’s an example of what garden chairperson Jodie Burke calls “taking your faith outside the walls.”
Breaking ground and building it out
Today 20 raised beds comprise the garden: 19 that are 4 feet by 12 feet and one accessible bed that is slightly narrower and taller. The property also includes a composting area open to the public, a tool shed and a picnic table under a spreading mesquite tree where the gardeners share lunch after their periodic workdays.
Members of the Scout troops based at Esperanza built most of the hard landscaping, including the raised beds and the seating area that is in use today.
Derek Wright built the first demonstration beds in 2012 as part of his Eagle project. Those beds were filled and planted in February 2013. Dieter Benz followed with the construction of nine more beds as his Eagle project in July 2014. That fall, the Garden of Eatin’ opened officially with local officials in attendance, refreshments and a market where plants were sold. And in December that year, Isaac Quah completed his Eagle work by constructing eight more raised beds.
In May of 2015, Zach Guarrera created the pea-gravel pathways and the river-rock area around the fruit trees. Ethan Fear installed the decorative rocks around all the beds and paths in March of 2019. Then, in February of 2021, Jeremy Fortunato installed the vegetable-washing station.
Most recently, Aidan Kirkpatrick (left) replaced the original demo beds, repaired the Little Free Library, and improved access to the accessible beds in January of 2025.
When fencing was needed, the Children of Hope Child Development Center applied for a grant to enclose the garden. Craig Peck won a grant as well and the money was used to build a shed where tools could be stored under lock and key.
Peck also spearheaded the development of the composting operation. The collection barrels at the south end of the parking lot are retired trash bins purchased from the City of Phoenix with the bottoms removed so that the floor of the bin is in the ground where all of the good bacteria and worms can feed on the raw materials. Gardeners and others bring kitchen scraps, paper and other plant-based materials and deposit them in the bins. Periodically the scraps are shoveled into stalls next to the bins, where everything “cooks” down to make rich humus. Peck presides over it all, earning his title Compost King.
Sharing knowledge and art
The small-scale farmers at the Garden of Eatin’ are always looking to learn. Early on, a Master Gardener gave talks and shared planting tricks. Tours, field trips and speakers raised gardening expertise, which is passed on to newcomers. In 2015, the garden leadership presented a workshop on community gardening at the synod assembly. Preschoolers learn about plants at the garden.
Also that year, gardeners added a Little Free Library to the garden. Alice Schultz introduced the idea, which has caught on all over the country. A weatherproof outdoor cabinet enables folks to share gardening and other books with each other. A local wood-workers club built the box, which is mounted on a stand in the garden, and artist Pam Coste painted it.
The garden committee has also promoted art. including holding an “Art in the Garden” show with prizes, vendors and food trucks.
Taking faith into the world
The garden fulfilled its mission to be an open door to the community as a number of neighbors and preschool parents – not necessarily Esperanza members – have rented beds and joined the group that cares for the space.
Two years ago, Jodie Burke and her mother, Sylvia Burke, had just moved to Arizona and were looking for a church. At the time, Esperanza members were still wearing masks – which they considered a big plus. And outside, gardeners were bustling around their beds.
“I felt something different about Esperanza,” she said. “The people were so friendly, and I saw that they were taking the faith outside the walls of the building.” Later, she said, she heard that Esperanza has the reputation in the community as the church that “does things in the world” in addition to worshipping inside the sanctuary. She saw the garden as intentionally welcoming. The garden was a spark.
Growing up, Jodie was the daughter who “mucked around in the garden” with her mother. After seeing the Garden of Eatin’ mother and daughter decided to rent a bed. Since then, Jodie has been learning. For example, “I quickly learned defensive strategies against garden predators like rabbits and insects. I plant stinky things, like marigolds, as a deterrent in order to defend our lettuce.”
They’ve been very successful with cauliflower – “It’s spectacular!” – and broccoli, beets and other vegetables. But, Sylvia said no squash – she doesn’t like it and “it takes over everything.” This summer Jodie visited the Arizona Worm Farm and came home with an Armenian snake plant – which thrived in last summer’s record heat.
“It’s all an experiment,” she says, in this very different climate. Now she’s enrolled in the Maricopa County Master Gardener program, a challenging course that trains gardeners in the science and practice of sustainably growing plants, eventually becoming a resource for others.
That could be a metaphor for the garden. It’s a welcoming place where people demonstrate the stewardship of God’s creation that we pray about inside our church. We are taking our faith outside the walls.
If you are interested in learning more about the Garden of Eatin, check out https://myesperanza.org/goe/
For more information on our 35th Anniversary please visit https://myesperanza.org/35th