Organizations ask community to get hands dirty, help plant community garden Saturday

Recognizing people are hungry in her hometown, Brittney Eaton is asking for help this Saturday planting vegetables.

“It’s really exciting; we’ve been working so hard,” she said of a new project at Our House, a homeless shelter at 829 Jefferson St., Fulton.

In 14 above-ground wooden cribs, workers will plant fruits and vegetables donated by Bonnie Plant Farm in California.

“We’re doing hardy, simpler stuff,” Eaton said of the plants to be installed in the new garden. “There’s nothing like freshly sliced tomatoes with a little salt and some cottage cheese.”

Also donated will be melons, plus peppers and lettuce, spinach and kale, and a herb garden, too.

Eaton has partnered on the project with Greg Newsom, Fulton branch manager of the United Credit Union. They proposed the idea to Brad Sheppard, director of Our House, at the organization’s Christmas party, he said.

“It’s quite an endeavor,” Sheppard said of the large-scale project. “We hope a significant portion can go to other organizations.”

Eaton was raised on a farm in Callaway County, she said.

“My dad was a farmer,” she added. “We ate everything from the garden. My mom canned, and we were very frugal. I was always interested in growing things and watching my family provide for us, even when it was a struggle.”

She grew up and had children of her own, and several years ago, became involved with a non-profit organization, “Because Every Mother Matters,” formed by Steffanie Cooper of Millersburg.

“She was interested in orphan prevention and maternal health,” Eaton said, adding she has served on the board of directors and was named president of BEMM last week. “The new garden is through BEMM. One of my roles with BEMM is to give back to my community.”

Members of BEMM will be among those helping to plant a new garden on Saturday, hoping to provide fresh food for Our House patron and other hungry people.

“We all know how important just taking care of yourself is,” Eaton said. “We know eating healthy is good for the mind, body and spirit.”

Last year, Eaton planted an above-ground garden at the Callaway County YMCA, she said. Recently, Melissa Siegel, membership director of the YMCA, offered Eaton the garden bed forms.

“She asked if I wanted them, and instantly, I was interested,” Eaton said.

She talked to Newsom, whose organization has raised $1,000 for the project. Last weekend, local firefighters came out to move the garden forms from the YMCA to the Jefferson Street shelter.

“I’m a licensed EMT — I used to volunteer with Central Fire and Protection District,” Eaton said. “I talked to Assistant Chief Ronnie Huff. They showed up with a Bobcat and all kinds of trucks. Thirty people came. It was amazing.”

This weekend, Eaton wants more volunteers to come get their hands dirty. Eaton is asking community residents to help plant the new garden about 10 a.m. Saturday, and bring their children, too.

“We’ll be planting veggies and having a barbecue,” she said, adding there will be free brats, chips and water. “People can come out and get involved and find out what we’re doing.”

Our House’s “Haven House” program furnishes four rooms that families where families and disabled persons may stay until they’re on their feet. Another shelter, Wiley House, opened in 2009 and accommodates overnight stays for single, homeless men and women. Sheppard said Wiley House averages eight residents per night, and the family accommodations are almost always occupied.

“Our House is the only provider in Callaway County,” he said. “We serve the entire county and, really, Central Missouri.”

Veggies from the new garden will not only be prepared for Our House residents, but those left over also will be contributed to other initiatives, such as a soup kitchen at the John C. Harris Community Center in Fulton which provides lunches and dinners.

“What we appreciate here is folks in the community getting involved,” Sheppard said, adding many businesses have contributed to making the new garden grow. “We hope to offer cooking classes, too. ”

Eaton said the cooking classes will be simple recipes, and she’s also planning a cookbook with more of the same.

“I’m going to ask people to give us ideas of what they would do from the garden,” she said. “Simple recipes. Under five ingredients. We don’t want to make it intimidating.”

Eaton said the Our House garden project is not a one-time deal.

“We’re going to continue to work with this project,” she said. “It’s not something we will just walk away from. It just feels right, and it’s so exciting.”

The organization “Our House: Caring for Callaway’s Homeless” was founded in 1970 as Ecumenical Ministries of Callaway County Inc. The organization has had an active presence in Callaway County for more than 40 years with programs for children, the terminally ill, inmates and the economically disadvantaged. In 2009, the organization opened the Wiley House to provide emergency shelter for adult men and women. At that time, the decision was made to focus exclusively on homelessness.

To learn more about Our House: Caring for Callaway’s Homeless, go online to: ourhousecallaway.org.