Harvest Time!

I am happy to report that the grant I applied for last May from the Victory Noll Sisters of Huntington, Indiana has awarded St. Gertrude/ Northside Catholic Academy $1,000 to support our garden/compost project. The grant is under the umbrella of Catholic Climate Covenant that encourages Catholic communities to actively get involved with the principles of Laudato Sí, Pope Francis’ encyclical on caring for our common home. 

This money will pay for our new composter and the veggies and herbs that we are growing for Care For Real and St. Thomas of Canterbury soup kitchen. There is also money to work with NCA to help teach our youth sustainable growing practices and caring for our planet.

The Victory Noll Sisters received over 250 applications and we are so thankful that they have selected our program to support.

We are looking forward to a very productive summer of growing!

~ Mary Clare Barker

Thank you to NCA students Zoe Asnis, Carter Dant, Molly Dunne, and Evelyn Voukides who helped plant veggies and herbs on Saturday, June 4! We truly appreciate their hard work.      

If you wish to pitch in with weeding and watering the garden throughout the summer, please reach out to Mary Clare Barker at mcbarker@stgertrudechicago.org. 

Thank you to the team of volunteers (see images above) that turned out to do prep work on the parish garden on May 28! The group included Mary Clare Barker, Hallie Burhoe, Laurie Hasbrook, Gunther Heidkamp, Henry Jaconson,Jeanne McCurry, Beth Nelson, Allen Stryczek, Evelyn Voukides, Anna Ward, and Elizabeth Wyman. The team weeded, tilled the soil, added fences, and planted Easter lilies from our Easter Sunday services, preparing for the planting day this Saturday, June 4. 

From 9:00-11:00 am on Saturday morning, we'll plant lots of vegetables and herbs that will be shared with both Care for Real and the St. Thomas of Canterbury soup kitchen once harvested! If you are interested in joining in please bring your garden trowels, shovels, and knee pads if you have them and gather in front of the Rectory.  Additionally, if you wish to pitch in with weeding and watering the garden throughout the summer, please reach out to me at mcbarker@stgertrudechicago.org.  

~ Mary Clare Barker

All are welcome to be a part of our parish composting program! Those who join our program are welcome to use the parish’s new compost tumbler, a user-friendly options that will produce compost at a quicker pace.  

Those interested can watch a short video how to use the composter above or here: https://youtu.be/qDptFmSOixE.    

We are hoping to plant lots of vegetables and herbs on Saturday, June 4 from 9:00-11:00 am. Bring your garden trowels, tools, and knee pads and help us get our parish garden up and running. The vegetables and herbs grown from our garden will once again shared with both Care for Real and the St. Thomas of Canterbury soup kitchen!   

Additionally, we will need people to weed, plant, and water over the growing season.

If you are interested in joining our composting program or need information about our garden, please reach out to Mary Clare Barker at mcbarker@stgertrudechicago.org.

 What is compost?
Composting is the cultivation of organic waste into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. This is a natural process of decomposition that breaks down food waste into a fertile substance ideal for gardening. “Compost” can refer to the material at any stage of the process, either freshly deposited or ready to put in the garden. 

Why is compost good for the environment?
50% of typical municipal garbage is in the form of food waste and decomposing food waste in landfills produces methane, a harmful greenhouse gas.  Our Resurrection Compost repurposes and recycles the waste for the benefit of others. Compost, as it processes, actually sequesters CO2. Not only does it lower our carbon footprint, but it also reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and encourages contact with the Earth. 

By keeping the lid on your compost, depositing weekly, and rinsing your empty bucket, there should be no noticeable smell or interested critters. 

Why compost at St. Gertrude?
From the beginning, God made us as stewards of creation. By caring for creation through practices like composting, we honor that responsibility with gratitude for nature’s wonder and abundance.  Moreover, Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Sí – On Care for Our Common Home urges Catholics to reject consumerism and waste and work together to develop sustainable practices for the sake of our planet and our sisters and brothers. Resurrection Compost is St. Gertrude’s effort to answer these biblical and Church-wide appeals.