Roger cleans the statue of Jesus in the Humility of Mary Center circle drive.

The Sisters of Humility have several lay staff (of which I am one) who work in various departments and capacities here at Humility of Mary Center. Roger Voss came on board in October 2012 to help out with lawn and building maintenance. He mows, refinishes, repairs, hauls...you name it.

The CHM mission  includes "..care of Earth itself." With this in mind, an organic garden has been on the wish list for quite some time. Last year Roger got things started and now that vision is a reality! Here is what he just posted on the sisters' community bulletin board:

The 2014 Garden

"This year I planted: radishes, broccoli, tomatoes, zucchini, kohlrabi, cabbage, bell peppers, green beans, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, garlic, carrots, turnips, beets, onions, butternut squash and muskmelons.

Roger Voss in his creation -  the CHM organic garden.

"Last fall three inches of compost was tilled into the garden. This has helped the condition of the soil 100%. All of the plants are growing really well. A crop rotation schedule that's in place will also help with soil and plant nutrition and quality

"Four inches of grass clippings will be spread over the garden which will help with weed control and keep moisture in the soil during hot periods. In the fall the grass clippings will be tilled into the soil.

"There will be no synthetic chemical pesticides or fertilizers. I will be using compost tea and manure tea (both high in nitrogen). The compost tea will be made from the CHM compost pile and the manure tea will be made from my son's farm. His animals are fed natural grains and are not given growth hormones. As a side dressing for the plants I will use an organic kelp and seaweed fertilizer - high in potassium which prompts more blossoms.

"As far as insect control goes, keeping a clean and healthy garden will deter some insects.Companion planting of certain plants also helps. So a few things are in place to control the unwanted pests plus I will be adding homemade recipes of natural ingredients.

"If you want to visit the garden and can't walk down there, I will be glad to give you a ride. Just let Sister Inez know and she can get it organized." -Roger

Everyone here at Humility of Mary Center looks forward to the fresh, healthy produce coming directly from the organic garden to the CHM kitchen. Hallelujah! Thank you Roger for helping to make our food more nutritious and Earth a healthier place.