I have been growing things since I was about eight years old and still to this day I find it fascinating the potential one tiny seed has. It all started with one small row of green beans that lined the path I walked to my door.
Since then I have added education to my love of growing things so I can share that love and inspire others to do the same. My Associate of Horticulture Technologies gave me a strong foundation in plant and soil science that is priceless in the work I do now. To help teach others, I earned a Bachelors in Agriculture Education and Professional Services. I am currently working on a Masters in Sustainable Food Systems so that I can gain a better understanding of how everything is connected and be more effective with my work.
I’m Chantal Mullen, a North Carolina transplant from New Hampshire, and I’m 30 years old. My family and I spent last year living in Roanoke, VA. While in Roanoke God led me to start a group called Seed2Seed (S2S). S2S is a community outreach garden program that is linking churches with the community through gardening. In Roanoke the community garden partners with a group called Community Outreach Program (COP). COP works with children and adults to teach a wide range of skills to the families and serves them a dinner as well. You can check out this link to see more about what they do.
We collaborate by coming once a month and inviting families to work with us in the kitchen. We cook healthy, from scratch meals, with raw ingredients that are not processed, and then we serve all the families that attend. In the current food system, churches are often left out of the discussion but have actually been doing food systems work before Food Systems was even a thing. This is where God has called me to walk the line and bridge connections to and throughout the Food System. Here is a link to our Facebook page to see some of what we are doing.
Our motto is “We plant in SOIL”, which stands for: Sowing Opportunity, Improving Lives. This means we not only look for opportunities to sow into the ground but in each other’s lives. We Improve Lives though personal experiences in and around the garden as well as through the use of the harvest that God gives to us to bless those in need. God showed me this through Jeremiah 29:4-7. We use Back to Eden gardening style- no watering, no chemicals, and heirloom varieties so we may save our own seeds for the next year! Here is a link to scientific evidence that backs up this style of gardening or farming.
Now that we have moved to back to NC, God has opened two doors for us to plant in the Piedmont Triad! The first of which is at Living Hope Church in Kernersville where about 5 acres of land have been given to us for farming. We are in the planning stages of land use now. We recently held an in house interest meeting for our core group of volunteers and the turnout was great!. A secondary open house (to the public) meeting was held February 27th for anyone in the community that may be interested in partnering with us in our overall goals.
Some of the areas we hope to incorporate on this land are beekeeping, vermiculture, cut flower production, outdoor classroom, a produce farm stand, a prayer garden, food forest, mushroom cultivation. All of these areas will be centered around hands on sustainable education for the community. I have made contacts with two local colleges to gain input on what we could implement that would be beneficial to their students. We are giving opportunities to anyone interested in learning how to do what we are doing. This location will also be acting as the main Hub for supplementing any new gardens until they are up, running, and producing. This is the case with the garden at Ward Elementary School.
The second is at Ward Elementary School in Winston Salem where we will be installing a garden on the school grounds. The school already has a back pack program and a food pantry was recently started due to the huge response for the back packs. The garden will serve as a teaching tool for math, science, health, food and nutrition education as well as sourcing food for the food pantry. There is collaboration of 4 churches that are supporting this project as well as the school itself.
We have already had a meeting with the engineer for the school board and will be meeting with grounds soon. I have also been working with a local grower for a donation of greenhouse space to start our tomatoes. I have been in contact with Lowes Home Improvement in hopes that they will choose Ward Elementary school as their once a year big project. Another contact I am trying to make is a chef from a community restaurant that sources food locally. This will allow us to put on taste tests for the children at the school with produce from the garden.
What we aim to accomplish is to bring the Piedmont community together through education, service, and partnership. Sustainable practices that close holes and gaps in areas like waste, education, and specific community needs are of high priority to us. Community building allows us to broaden our reach and resources so that more needs get met in the end for all. Ultimately we seek to partner with people and organizations in our community to serve and connect the Piedmont Triad area of North Carolina through agriculture
Budget
Vermiculture bin systems $100
Cinder blocks for composing area $200
Composting thermometers $50
Plastic for over winter low tunnels $1000
Metal hoops for over winter low tunnels $1155
Sand bags $200
Bins for harvesting $300
Wheel barrows $250
Shovels $240
Spades $50
Pruning shears $120
Plant stakes $260
Plant ties $100
Plant labels $25
Gloves $50
Small Shed for storage of tools $900
The time line for this project is spring 2016. Most of the items we need to start our main Hub which is in Kernersville. The plastic for over winter tunnels, and the metal hoops would be needed by September. This will ensure we can produce through the winter as well.
Blogpost and picture submitted by Chantal Mullen (USA) – c_flowers_nc[at]yahoo.com
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Chantal,
You are doing wonderful work – we need people like you to spread the word about the benefits of whole foods, plant based diets. The idea of teaching people not only how to prepare nutritious meals, but to be involved in the growing of food will give people a deeper appreciation for what they put into their bodies and how what they choose to eat impacts our environment.
I wonder if the families you work with understand the politics around food and the importance of those heirloom seeds?
Thanks! Yes making the connections between what to cook, how to cook, and how to grow it is very important to us. Politics is a different animal all together; one that I am honestly not sure how to integrate into the program other than generalities such as laws surrounding organic growing…
We do however make the decision to only use heirloom seeds in production. In fact we teach about seed saving and why it is important in every garden. The goal in doing this is to allow people to be self sufficient, and to reduce the amount of purchases that must be made the next year of production. Reducing capital for creating a garden or farm will allow for crop production to be more attainable to all people.
I have seen how well the works at the Roanoke branch. I can’t wait to see the impact it will have on the communities in the Triad area!
Us too! The model we have built in Roanoke, VA is working well. We have been given feed back from COP that the participants like and enjoy what we are doing, they are learning from it, and they want it to continue. There have been meetings with others in the community to try and replicate the collaboration that we have with COP.
It’s all very exciting and we can’t wait to see what else God does through Seed2Seed!
This is awesome! I get excited about gowing community and using gardens to do that is perfect. I have learned a lot from Chantal!
Thanks Eddy! This year will be no different! That’s what great about learning in the garden, every year is different and you can always learn something new about creation!
Hi Chantal,
I am excited about your vision for sustainable gardening and farming in our community, and I look forward to partnering with you and others to help the community at Ward Elementary School!
Paul
Paul, we are excited that your collaboration and heart for the community lead you to start the food pantry. We may not have focused on Ward otherwise, but your efforts clearly showed a need for fresh, healthy, sustainably grown foods. We are honored to partner with you!
I am very excited to see how this will play out in the Triad. I keep imagining and then every time I hear more about it it is a more exciting thing. thanks for all you do! Do you usually have follow up with the families that participate or do they tend to come back because of what they are learning and getting?
Heather,
I feel the same way. I’m am a creative person but every time I plan something out God just blows my plans out of the water and blesses us with something way better than I could have ever planned!
The families in Roanoke that participate with COP sign up for the program for the school year. The families that participate in the kitchen with us are asked about their experience and if they found value in it. Signing up to work with us in the kitchen is optional. They sign up out of free will, and we try to accommodate as many families as we can. COP gives us feed back on what the families are saying.
I can only say “Praise God” for what He is doing through Seed2Seed to bless the city!
You will find your blessing in the city you are exiled to. For in it’s welfare yours will be also!
Amen, thanks Ed!
I can only say “praise God” for what He is doing through Seed2Seed – for those in Roanoke and now for us in the Triad! It’s exciting to see the community connect and the opportunity sown!
Yes we grow food, but your right; it’s much more than food! It’s about making connections and educating people through food.
So excited to see how this is changing lives and sowing hope in Roanoke – can’t wait to see it happen here in the Triad!
The Triad is the region where we are called now. Our model is to find or raise up a community around a need that the community is aware of. We then install a garden to meet the need in some way. We teach the community how to care for the garden and raise up a leader from the community to be the main point of contact with us. Then we hand the reigns over to the leader and step into a support role for the community providing technical support, extra help for large projects, and making planting plans, ordering seeds, or facilitating in another way to supplement the goals of the particular garden.
What a wonderful project!! I know God will richly bless this program so that many others will be blessed in turn. Lifting prayers for huge success.
Alice,
Thanks for your prayers! We aim to stand with other organizations that are helping the community by making connections that help to fill in voids and gaps in sustainability, education, and sourcing healthy, fresh, local, non gmo produce to people who may be socially disadvantaged or otherwise not have access to it.
So VERY excited about this possible new adventure for Ward Elementary! Thank you Chantal!
Ginine,
Thank you for all your help with spreading the word about our project! It is truly a blessing. We have already identified some free resources for the teachers to use. It is through Harvest of the Month programs that many states have already. They offer an online data base which includes curriculum, posters, recipe cards, worksheets, and activities centered around different vegetables and fruits.
This first year however, we will work with interested teachers to plant fruit and veggies that they already use with their students so that they may concentrate on and get used to integrating the students with the garden.
Very exciting for Ward Elementary!
Yes it is! We are working with some chefs to get some taste tests in school, and maybe a cooking demonstration.
Good things for Ward!
The garden at Ward Elementary is based on one I saw on a Sustainability Tour of Vermont back over the summer. A woman by the name of Bonnie Acker set up a garden in an inner city school. In stead of having the garden on the side of the school they placed it where the children play. This, they found, made a huge difference in the children’s interaction with the food. They were able to interact with the food and try new things in their own comfort. They could also see what the children were eating the most of. Taking that information they were able to integrate those vegetables an fruit which the children liked the most into the cafeteria. It makes all the difference in the world!
Chantal, you are doing amazing work! I’m eager to see how far this takes off in the Triad! Great job!
Melanie, Thanks, but It has also been a huge effort of many people who first believed in me in Roanoke! Also my fearless leader of Roanoke- Erica Yoon! She stepped up in a big way and was an encouragement to me in doing so! Obviously God is blessing this and We all can’t wait to see teh effect on the Triad!
Great job you are doing
Amber, thanks!
I am so excited for this program to get going both in Kernersville and at Ward ES! Chantal is so passionate and knowledgeable and I am so inspired!
Jessica,
Thank you for all your support and We look forward to starting as well!
This is a garden group that impacts all people, from all walks of life, in so many ways!
People are learning valuable garden skills to sustain themselves. It’s easy for children to be a part of it too. The garden is building momentum for community and soul enrichment. As a contributor to the Roanoke plant, I’m so excited to see this flourish and grow.
Erica!
You are right! The Roanoke branch is definitely a model for the others. GCC will also be hosting COP’s End of Year celebration for all the families to attend and get their hands dirty in the garden!
This is a garden group that impacts all people, from all walks of life, in so many ways!
People are learning valuable garden skills to sustain themselves. It’s easy for children to be a part of it too. The garden is building momentum for community and soul enrichment. As a contributor to the Roanoke plant, I’m so excited to see this flourish and grow!
I am excited about the program coming to the Triad area! Thank you Chantal for making this happening!
Leah, God went before me! Thanks for being wiling to listen to my crazy ideas! I value your input and I can’t wait to get my hands into the soil!
Would love for this to be started at Ward Elementary. It would be a valuable to for the kids and community.
Dottie,
Yes it certainly would be valuable. There are many educational impacts that this could have as well as health, wellness, and eating of course!
This is very exciting to see this morning! I fully support ward elementary school in this endeavor. I think this will be a great educational experience for the kids and community!! Go ward ❤
Thank you for your comment! We aim to use experiential learning to make these important connections!
What a wonderful thing to have at Ward!
Melissa- We think so!
This would be great for Ward Elementary!
Holly,
Forsyth County is one of only a hand full of counties in NC that doesn’t have a Farm to School Program. That makes what we are trying to accomplish even more important!
Can’t wait to see this working here!
Ben,
When God Moves…
This is such an exciting thing! I am so glad God brought you to Kernersville. I am very curious about the mushroom cultivation. I thought that had to be underground?
Kris,
Some mushrooms are and can be grown in basement like conditions, but we will most likely be using inoculated logs for our cultivation. It’s a really interesting process that I am personally looking forward to. At our Open House we had a member of the local mushroom club come. This is what we love to see happen! I am no expert on mushroom cultivation but this person was. We can now connect the mushroom club with the public and other areas of the system that may not regularly see connections in! Love it!
Wow. This is great stuff. Is the community of Kernsville supportive of your efforts?
Christine,
YES! The local Extension and City Sustainability Leader have been. We are also signed up for our local Earth Day Celebration in Kernersville!
I have been involved with several projects headed by Chantall Mullens. She is a go getter, hard worker and true believer in everything she does. She is also a great teacher. Please help this project out!
Thanks Diana!
You were always a pleasure to work with as well! Thank you for your support!
This is the kind of work that can change the world…one seed at a time, one garden at a time, one person at a time. I support the work Chantal is led to do and hope she receives the financial support to grow this dream.
Lisa,
Thanks! I’m glad you said one seed at a time. Seed2Seed got it’s name from this idea. Plants start out as a tiny seed. They grow and develop in different ways. They take root in the soil and bear their own fruit which in turn carries the next seed. From seed; to seed. This is the vision.
This is wonderful! Although I am not in NC, I have witnessed the importance of sustainable agriculture in both Cuba and Costa Rica! Our communities need to become more dependent on self versus larger corporations that modify the things we eat and do little to monitor the extended outcomes. More importantly is your educational component which is necessary in propelling these continued practices. Good Luck! I’m certainly rooting for you; I always will be!
E’lisha,
Thanks Friend! You are so right. Every person has the ability to grow their own food. The system we live in is not always conducive of this however. That is where we come in and make connections within the community to get the education necessary to facilitate new growth.
Chantal I have always been inspired and motivated by your passion to help the community grow and learn to love and sustain themselves. May all your endeavors be blessed by God and may they all be successful.
Helen,
God has already blessed my path beyond what I had imagined! My prayers seem small and unfaithful to the amount of grace and blessing we have received. It is encouraging for someone say that they were motivated or inspired by something I did- But I would be here now if God had not motivated and inspired me first!
This is awesome!! I especially love the idea of the garden as an educational tool for science, math, and nutrition! Hands-on learning and appreciation for where and how good gets to our table.
Delcey,
Yes I have heard of too many children who don’t know where food comes from or can’t identify real food. We hope to attack these areas at the school through the garden!
This garden has brought families, friends together, and have made new relationships. I love being able to go every Sunday and see how much the garden has grown! It’s been such a wonderful this for our whole church and seeing the kids light up by being able to help and do things, has been so wonderful to watch. So excited to see what else is going to be planted next!!
Sarah,
You are right! This is another aspect that happens in our program. Families, friends, and new relationships are built up. The community is being brought back. In many of the places I have lived neighbors don’t know each other any more, or not to the degree they could or should. A true sense of community make a huge difference in people’s lives.
This is awesome! Can’t wait to follow the progress you make!
Sara,
Thanks! We will be improving on the progress we have made in Roanoke last year as well!
We post updates on our Fb page which anyone can like and follow!
https://www.facebook.com/Seed2Seed/
I love Back To Eden style gardening and communal gardens.
Heather,
Thanks for the comment! Back to Eden style gardening is sustainable! No Watering, No Chemical pesticides or herbicides or fertilizers, and minimal weeding. We use open pollinated heirloom seeds. Here is are a few links to resources on this
https://www.facebook.com/groups/626624767449889/
http://www.backtoedenfilm.com/how-to-grow-an-organic-garden.html
http://learningandyearning.com/wood-chips
Make it happen!
Amen! Thanks for the comment!
I can’t wait to see what God is going to do through this program! I want to learn about growing organic food, and to help supply fresh produce for kids in need. This is going to be great!
Molly,
It’s pretty exciting and rewarding for me as well! In Roanoke we had mostly people who had never gardened before. They were nervous and excited, and they all planted tiny seeds of faith into the ground; for themselves and their community! That’s rewarding to see!
You are doing great! Keep up the good work 🙂
Bailey,
Thanks for the encouragement and support!
It’s nice to see people like Chantal getting passionate about spreading not just knowledge and meals to our communities but means for it to sustainably provide it for itself. Communities need to have all that knowledge back! Give power and health back to the people!!
Alex,
Thank you! It is certainly powerful for a person to learn how to sustain themselves and that they have the choice to do so. Knowledge is powerful!
What a great project! Happy to hear you’re back in NC!
Becca,
God leads and I try to do my best to follow! Thanks for the comment and your support.
Reblogged this on alxgim.
Thanks for the reblog!
Great job Chantal! The garden here and its outreach continues to grow. Best of luck in establishing a new garden there. What a great way to educate others! We miss you!
Amy,
Thanks for your support. Prayers are always welcome! We miss you too!
Great work being done here! I am so happy that there are people like you inspired to implement school and community gardens.
“IF people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny” – Thomas Jefferson
The Agrarian vision is alive and well! haha! Thanks Jessica for your support!
Great work your doing, keep it up !
Thanks for your support!
Hi Chantal,
Everything I’ve heard from you about this project has been so interesting! It’s great to see it all laid out here. Best of luck,
–laura
Thanks Laura!
I always read your posts for any nuggets to borrow for our program! I look forward to hearing more about your urban endeavors!
We plant SOIL! Go Chantal Go! Thank you for all you do.
Ashley,
Thanks for the chant! Onward!
This is awesome!! So great to see God working in others! What a wonderul way to reach a community.
Chantal,
I’m utterly impressed and humbled by your journey and continual process to take care of the very thing that takes care of us. The part of this project that amazes me most is the investment in the community that you will be farming. I especially like the outreach to the educational institutions in your area. Just as you take care from seed to surplus on the farm, you seem to mirror that effort with the youth of our nation. I can’t wait until I can visit and possibly get my hands dirty and support your efforts.
Isaiah,
Thanks for your support! Education is a powerful tool that we aim to arm the community with. We have got to invest in the youth now, they will inherit what we leave behind. Lets leave them with as many opportunities as we can and teach them how to take advantage of those opportunities.
We would love to have you come down and share your skills with the community. I have a few ideas brewing! Keep in touch!
I spent 3 weeks last summer with Chantal taking a course on sustainable food systems. She is passionate, dedicated, and mission-driven. I know this project will be successful because she is excited about bringing communities together around healthy food and gardening. This project sounds amazing and deserves as much support as possible! Good luck Chantal!
Thank you Kasey, It was a pleasure to get to know you as well! I look back on that experience and I am grateful that people of your age have taken notice of what is going on and the need to make changes.
Mr. H,
Thank you for your support!
What a blessing to see God using you to bless so many!
Amen, Thanks for your support! Can’t wait to get our project up and running and to have a celebration with the community!
Fantastic work!! Great way to bring the community together and teach people where their food comes from! Keep up the great work, Chantal!
Donna,
Thank you! Please be praying for us and our community!
Chantal,
This is awesome! So proud of you!
Thanks Kim! This has taken the efforts of many to even get to this point!
Food comes from farms. Our kids need to know this! Thanks for all you do!
Cathy,
You are so right! Since Forsyth County doesn’t have programs in the schools to incorporate healthy local foods we have a bit of a higher wall to climb but are up to the challenge!
Keep up the great work, what you’re doing is awesome.
Christa,
Thank you for your encouragement!
Very exciting..keep up the good work!!
Kelly,
Thanks for your support!
So happy and proud that there are others who care about a sustainable future. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Sheree! Sustainability is certainly important to us and we hope to teach that to others.
This is such a wonderful thing! I can’t wait to see how this project grows in our community!
Rachel. We would love to make more connections in the community to help build a stronger foundation.
Awesome work Chantal!! Great way to get the community involved!!!
Cassandra,
Thanks for your support! What we want to do is centered around a community need that the community helps to decide. I think that is important to remember. You don’t come in and tell people what they need. You have to listen and ask questions.
Chantal, this is a great proposal and will be an asset to the community. I read that you primarily use heirloom seeds but if you’re interested Rutgers University is bringing back the old NJ tomato as well as the variety that Campbell’s soup has used and hoarded for years. These are open pollinated and can be saved year after year. Here is the link if you’re interested.
Click to access rutgers-njaes-tomato-seeds-order-form.pdf
Vickie,
Thanks for the link! I had no idea about Campells’s hoarding of tomatoes! I will have to look into that!
Love what you’re doing Chantal! You’ve got the heart and the passion to make such a difference!
Amen! I hope others can use the gifts that God gave them to make a difference as well!
Thank you so much Chantal for your passion and love for plants and healthy food. I think this is more important today than it ever was to teach our generation and the coming one about this. I was wondering how are you going to get the kids to engage? We all know how addictive fast food is and how hard it is to change our habits!
Alisa,
Getting kids involved is important to us. There are a few ways that we do this currently. One is by working directly with the schools and teachers to implement gardens; like we are doing in Winston Salem. The garden can be used as an effective experiential learning tool and can incorporate multiple disciplines at one time. We also are trying to bring chefs in to facilitate cooking education, and of course taste tests for the children so that they can start to develop a broader palate. Many children have never picked a vegetable out of the ground. We aim to change that in our community. Another way we offer kids opportunities to be engaged is in the building process. There will be open building days where anyone from the community can come and help us put a garden together. There are multiple tasks that need to be done and age appropriate activities for children are included to give a sense of ownership.
Love love love reading about the work your doing Chantal. I fully support the education of gardening, food, nutrition and science to the next generation and even the generation we are in. Miss you!
Isabella,
There are people of all ages that can benefit from education in these areas. People who have never gardened and also people who have been farming for ever.
Wow, this is a really awesome thing that is happening. So glad to see people getting involved. Hopefully it continues. Keep up the good work!
Rebecca,
It is Amazing to watch when God moves!
Sounds like a great opportunity for botanical and communal growth! Good luck!
Jon,
We think so too!
Sounds like a great idea! Keep up the good work!
Thanks Megan!
Looking forward to helping and getting this started at the church. Great work Chantel
We look forward to having you there and making an impact in our community.
As a teacher I’m thrilled you are working with a local school. I love the idea of letting kids get their hands dirty. (Anything is better than screen time.) Thanks for all you do!
Cory,
Thanks for the encouragement! We need more teachers to work with us and communicate what works best for integration- to make your life easier.
I am very happy with all the progress that this group has made! I enjoy helping and look forward to to doing as much as I can to support all efforts in this field of gardening and food prep!
Arthur,
Thanks for your support! You have been a great addition to Roanoke!
This is so awesome! I really cool way to reach the community. Good luck!
Julie,
Thanks!
AWESOME!!!!!!
Susan,
thanks for your support!
This is an amazing idea.
Thanks Jeff!
I’m so excited to be a part of this! Such a good thing to bring the Triad community together!! I see this as a HUGE blessing to the community; I believe there will be many testimonies of God’s goodness coming out of this.
Debbie! Hope so! All the Glory to HIM!
Chantal’s enthusiasm for growing crops is contagious! I learned so much from her while she was here in Roanoke. So excited to see all of the good things that will come from her work in NC.
Thanh,
You are always such a fun person to be around! I enjoyed sharing my knowledge with you and your family! Thanks for your support
Chantel! How awesome! I am not surprised at what you are accomplishing because you have always been like a little Bee yourself, always working hard and helping others. Being raised on farming and gardening myself, I have often worried about future generations not understanding or knowing how to garden. Thanks to programs like this, it reaches out and shows the importance of our nutrition and the uses of this earth that God created for us. You are creative (which I have always loved about you) and God is using taking advantage that you want to work and help others. I look forward to seeing where this continues to go!
Love Ya!
Kim,
Thanks! We certainly are busy right now! We do need to preserve the knowledge about how to grow our own food for future generations. Thanks for your support!
You’re doing great work!!!
Thank you Abby! Praise God for His Blessing!
This group is amazing I love following you on Facebook to see the progress you’ve made. Chantal, your heart has always been in the right place and I know your drive and knowledge will positively effect this community in so many ways! I’m exited to stop by and help soon! Good luck, S2S!!
Amber!
I can’t wait to be able to show you around our gardens and to tell about all the work that God has done. It really is exciting!
I knew that when you started Seed2Seed here in Roanoke that it was something special. I am so excited to see just how much this ministry has grown in less than a year! Keep up the wonderful work of growing relationships through growing healthy food!
Kimber,
Thanks for being a supporter from the start!
This is beautiful, plants accept everyone without condition and respond equally. Such a soul healing for all involved, this is the way to build communities, from the soil up!
Bravo
Mary,
That is the goal. Building communities up through agriculture! Thanks for your support.
I think making collaborations with cooking and nutrition is a great idea.- doesn’t have to be magical
Freddy,
Yes, some times simple ideas can be the most effective!
After working with Chantal for a short time, I could immediately tell she had a passion for gardening and sustainable practices. My wife and I have recently begun to try living more sustainably and projects like Chantal’s can help encourage more people to do so. It is especially important to reach the next generation. This is something I think would greatly benefit the local community and I can think of no one better than Chantal to put this money to good use.
Sam,
We hope that we can support people like you and your wife to reach your goals.
What a beautiful vision God has laid before you!!! I would love to see this be a success. I pray that you shine with the light of Jesus in this endeavor!!
Thanks Tana! We definitely need prayers as we continue to look towards God for direction in this group!
This is awesome! I especially love the fact that this project is not only for growing food – but for actually teaching people how to garden and farm food for themselves! Food and nutrition education tends to be so lacking in schools today, so I think this is an excellent opportunity for young kids and adults alike! Keep up all the great work!
Mikayla,
yes we believe that teaching people the connections is just as important as the ideas themselves are. Any on can learn something but what makes it stick is connecting it to other areas you already know.
This is such an awesome opportunity to share with our families – getting back to our roots and eating healthier! Our small group in Greensboro can’t wait to help out watch this project grow!
Jenna,
We look forward to getting in the trenches with the Greensboro group! Thanks for your support!
Looks like an awesome project that will not only sow practical fruit but also spiritual…so cool!
Harry,
We hope to be able to make meaningful connections in the community through service! Thanks for your support!
It’s so awesome to see you fulfilling your dreams Chantal! This is awesome and the community needs more people like you. Keep rocking!
Paige,
God has been so good to me and to see Him working through me is just truly amazing! Thanks for your support!
I’ve seen the things accomplished in Roanoke. I’m sending prayers that the same success occurs in your new home. God will provide!
Nick,
Thanks for your prayers and support!
Chantal! You are an inspiration! Your work is so important. Keep it up! God Bless you and everything you do!
Andi,
Thanks for your prayers! I hope and pray that God continues to bless this group and our communities!
Chantal this is amazing! You are an inspiration and I hope this huge project is a success!! Eating healthier is something we all need to do. I love how you are incorporating God into this project – we need more of Him in Everything we do!!
Amen to that Melissa! God is the one who brought me to this place so I know I can follow Him in it!
These projects are truly amazing. I’ve seen the service and excitement this has generated in the Roanoke area. It is a wonderful service to the community to children and adults. This will change lives!
Diana,
We pray it will change lives. True service to people gets attention and give us an opportunity to Share Jesus with them! We will take every opportunity presented!
I had no idea you program had advanced so far chantel. Its a blessing in and of itself to see dreams happening and people being helped. Keep up the work its diverse and heartfelt wich means its end result is limitless. Its nice to think of a day when all people know the value of produce and nutrition. And its one step closer thanks to this project. Good luck and God bless!
Thank you for your support! We believe that there is flexibility in our model and that it’s important to choose needs that the community actually wants and knows they need.
This is WONDERFUL. Can’t wait to help out in the gardens and learn more about fresh and locally grown food. Keep up the awesome work, Chantal and the S2S team. 🙂
Elisa,
There will be plenty to do! We look forward to helping you plant your own seeds in the soil!
What a great thing your doing for the community! It’s such a blessing to have people like you thinking of others and working hard to make a difference.
Kristina,
We hope to inspire a new generation of thinkers, and farmers in our community!
THIS IS AMAZING! I love a well-planned project, this sounds great! Can’t wait to get to work!
Josh,
we are itching to get our hands in the soil!
Chantal, this is AWESOME!! I’m so proud of what you have accomplished & what you continue to accomplish! Way to go…. keep up the good work!
Cass,
Thanks for your encouragement and support!
This is a wonderful program! The people running it are great and always make serving the community the number one priority!
Matt,
We have a high level of commitment to serving the community and we think that makes a big difference in the outcome.
Chantal,
What a great mission and a well written article. This is very exciting and I find sustainable living and gardening to be some of my passions too. So proud to see where you are today in life, you are a wonderful person.
God bless,
Kristen
Kristen,
Thank you for your encouragement! Many of the people we help may not have the means to make big changes throughout their lifestyle but we hope to encourage people towards sustainability through food.
S2S brought together so many individuals! How exciting it is to see such a positive program expanding.
Erin,
When we first started I wouldn’t have thought we would be here with these wonderful opportunities to build up communities!
This is amazing and would be a blessing to the community!
Caroline,
Thanks for your support!
Chantal,
You are doing a wonderful work. God gave you knowledge to do things that you love, and also helping the community and inspiring people to get healthy by eating healthy food. Gardening is not just to grow healthy food, but also to keep peoples mind away from stress. Hope I can do the same.
Teresa,
You make a great point about stress. There is something so therapeutic about working in the garden or on a farm. I have had some of my best conversations on my knees in the soil pulling weeds, and planting seeds. No matter how hard I am working my soul always feels refreshed!
Good job chica!
Ruth,
Thanks for your encouragement and support!
Awesome story! So exciting to see what happens next. You’re doing an awesome job.
Jessica,
Thanks for your encouragement! The Roanoke Branch will be holding the end of the year celebration for COP with many families!
Jessica,
Thanks for your support!
This is brilliant!
Praise God!
(1) I love that you not only are teaching parents how to grow & cook for their families, but you are actually bringing families together to learn these skills, skills that will span many generations. (2) Educational gardening is such a break from the normal classroom model & I believe there will be many children who thrive in this hands-on approach to education. (3) Plus, supplementing the backpack program/food pantry with organic, self-grown produce- what a gift! Instead of jamming backpacks full of item that contribute to the obesity of American children, you are giving them the opportunity to develop a palette for the truly good foods in life. I love your passion & heart for your community, Chantal, and your vision of bring people from all walks of life into service for others. Wishing you much success!
Jendra,
Thanks you so much for your support! When we first decided to walk this vision out i said that I want to feed people through this garden. But I wanna feed people something I would want to eat. High quality, healthy, fresh foods, the ones that are normally out of reach for many people.
This is a fantastic program. You are doing great work that helps all involved. The more people that we have like you the better we all will be. You are an inspiration to those who wish that they could think big like you do.
Cliff,
Thanks for your support! I hope that people will see what we are doing and that they will become inspired to use their gifts from God to bless others in a meaningful way too! I have seen in my life that God blesses faithful first steps!
This idea, this group, Chantal – all have left a tremendous mark on our community in Roanoke. And it literally started as just a seed. Feel like it’s just the beginning. So much possibility here! Thank you!
Thanks Chris!
I don’t know if I would have had the confidence had you and others not encouraged me to start in Roanoke! Thank you!
This is great!
Thanks Lindsay, We hope to be digging in the soil soon!
So proud of you Chantal!! Sounds like the type of outreach that this world need right now. Health is not just important physically, but mentally, and spiritually as well. Great idea!!
Hope this marvelous mission becomes a model for many! Thank you for your hard work!
Ruth, seeing people change their minds and attitudes about foods is worth all the hard work!
Jill,
Yes you are right, physical wellness is only part of the sum!
Chantal, you have a great vision, with your hard work and dedication, and God’s blessing, you will certainly succeed! You will be teaching people not only about food, but about plants and sustainability! You may change peoples lives in the process! I am so excited to see how this all comes together!
Beth,
We are counting on it!
As a person who is going to help with this, I thank you for bringing the energy necessary to get this done. This will be a wonderful opportunity for me to learn about growing things for the first time in my life and being part of something that will bless others is also a great opportunity to help others.
Victor,
We have had so many first time gardeners, and people who thought they had a black thumb! You will be surprised at the amount of information you will gain by helping and serving others in the process!
This is such a neat idea. “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” Can’t wait to see how it turns out, Chantal!
That is exactly what we are doing. Not just giving handouts, but allowing people to be self sufficient.
Such an exciting vision being brought to the Triad! Can’t wait to see how God blesses this harvest! This year and in the years to come.
Susan,
Thanks! We are so excited to see the fruit of this as well.
Awesome ideas and I’m very excited to see how this will grow!
Xavier, Thanks for leaving us a comment and for your support!
Awesome project. Can’t wait to see how God will use this project to bless the Triad.
Amy , thanks! More opportunities present themselves each day! God is Good!
A blessing to those in the area.
Trish,
We had a great meeting this morning with LOWES! Can’t wait to share with everyone!
I truly enjoyed reading the presentation. Can’t wait to c this project take off .
Teresa,
It was great having at the Open House! Thanks for your support!
Can’t wait to see how God uses and blesses this project in the Triad.
We hope that it will make a huge difference in the community!
How very exciting to get people involved with their food production from the ground up. I love the idea of actually making a meal together from the fruits of your harvest. What a great community project!
Food certainly is powerful! All kinds of people come together around food so it transcends cultural barriers!
What a wonderful project involving all ages of communities working together. Keep up the good work.
Karen,
We think that involvement of all ages is important especially in the family unit.
What a great idea for the community👍
Thanks Terry!
Great job! This is awesome, keep up the good work!
Bonnie,
Thanks for your support!
This will be a wonderful blessing for the community. I hope you receive the grant.
Marie C. Thanks so much!
Looking forward to participating myself…
We look forward to swapping knowledge with you!
This sounds like a great project! I have heard that this area of North Carolina has the highest hunger rate in the state. Do you know if that is true? This Seed2Seed project could be part of the solution to a real problem here.
Debby, https://www.facebook.com/MSFSgmc/photos/a.980938018638701.1073741829.296745297057980/980938578638645/?type=3&theater I borrowed this slide from a fellow Green Mountain student, Karla Capacetti.
Food insecurity in Forsyth County, NC is not the highest in the state however there is still a large need. Feeding America shows there to be 61,090 food insecure people in Forsyth county making the rate 17.2 %.
http://map.feedingamerica.org/county/2013/overall/north-carolina/county/forsyth
WE hope that by enabling people through education to grow at least some of their own food that we can make a difference in those numbers. It’s not just about giving handouts, or giving caned, heavily processed foods, we want to give high quality healthy nutritious foods to people who need it.
I am thoroughly impressed and excited to see this sustainable approach to farming moving more around the Kernersville area. We are really excited about the work you are doing Chantal! Keep it up because we are changing the lives of the next generation!
Thanks Kristy, the work that we are doing at the elementary school will hopefully make an impression on the children there and start to break down some of the barriers to the information that is vital to their success.
This would be such a wonderful fit for Ward and a great addition to the new food pantry!
Yes, we have secured the $2500 grant and have a community of volunteers ready to go! FOurch churches, a school, and Lowes volunteers! We are waiting on a board to make a decision! Who has some time to call the board and request a prompt decision!?
Thank you so much for trying to bring this to Ward! What a wonderful idea. I look forward to what the future holds.
We are eagerly awaiting to get our hands dirty and make this happen!
This is an awesome idea! I am so proud of you Chantal! I knew you would very quickly figure out how to make a huge difference in this area in Kernersville! I have so much to learn from you!
Tiffany, I can’t wait till you get back so you can tell me all about your journey and I can share mine with you as well!
Great project and this should be done everywhere!
Dan, I would love to see this done in other areas! One thing we are working on is our model so that we can help others do the same. Install other Hubs that would then make more branches!
What great work you started in VA and continue in NC. Blessings as you live out your beliefs for your neighbor’s good!
Suzanne, we hope to show God’s love through this service.