We at St. Paul’s have a mission to preserve and improve our planet, our environment, and the community around us through our Environment/Sustainability Ministry. Our organic community gardens, bee apiary, and composting beds contribute to providing a healthy and safe environment in which we can grow vegetables and herbs, as well as many beautiful flowers that are contributed to local foodbanks and are used by the church for various services and events. Our recent installation of rooftop solar panels not only allow us to contribute energy that is added to the local power grids but also ensures that our campus is powered in the most sustainably friendly manner possible.
Ministry of Environment/Sustainability
Garden Rental Bed Information
It is time to rent your Garden Bed for the 2025 growing season. You must read and sign the Garden Bed Rental Agreement (link below) and submit your payment before you are assigned one of the 20 beds. In addition to growing your own vegetables for a small fee, we ask that you donate 20 hours of community service to maintain the garden for the season. You must supply your own plants and labor to maintain your garden bed. Soil, water, gardening tools and fencing are included with your rental.
Both the signed Garden Bed Rental Contract and rental payment are due now. Links to these documents with instructions may be found below. Even if you have completed the Garden Bed Rental Contract in previous growing seasons, you are required to submit the contract again this year.
- Garden Bed Rental Contract: https://forms.gle/wSnW4bPsbTM5xWpUA. If you would like to complete the Garden Bed Rental Contract by hand, a PDF copy of the agreement may be picked up in the Church Office.
- A rental fee of $60/bed is required before the bed can be formally assigned. This fee will go toward the expenses of the Community Garden. Payment is due now. On-line payment is available through the St. Paul’s website: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Exton – Acceptiva . Alternatively, payment may be made by check payable to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church-Exton and mailed or dropped off at the Church Office: 1105 East Lincoln Highway, Exton, PA 19341. Your garden space is not guaranteed until payment is received, and space availability is determined.
The Community Garden is the embodiment of St. Paul’s Environmental/ Sustainability Ministry. Using organic and other natural gardening practices in 20+ large garden beds, we plant and harvest vegetables and herbs that are donated to the Chester County Foodbank. We also grow many beautiful flowers that are used for services and other events. We raise revenue to support the Garden by annually leasing another 20 garden beds to members of the St. Paul’s and local communities.
Whether you are an experienced gardener or just interested in learning more about organic gardening and contributing to the important work of the Chester County Food Bank, we would love to have you join us for our next meetings held on the first Monday of every month at 7:00 PM via Zoom and in person.
Garden Coordinator: Steven Choc (steven.choc@gmail.com)
Garden Bed Rentals: Pat McDonald (pmcdonald182@gmail.com)
A special program to provide natural fertilizer to our Community Garden that helps us be more sustainable and provide for healthier soil, plants and vegetables!
Coordinator: Dave Kissane
Our beehives are located at the back of our property, where we meet weekly during the summer to “work” with the bees. While we enjoy honey, the honeybees are helping our garden produce more fruits and vegetables, as well as helping to pollinate the flowers of native plants and trees. In addition to the benefits of the honey and higher productivity of the garden, our honeybees add to the genetic diversity of colonies of honeybees that are living in the surrounding woods and fields neighboring St. Paul’s. Research suggests that is a very good thing for the environment and for wild colonies of bees. All are welcome to come and learn as we work with the bees! We also will look forward to the honey harvest. There is no experience needed to help with the bees, and we have all of the gear needed.
Coordinator: Dave Devenney
To celebrate the many blessings of our Environment/Sustainability ministry, all members of St. Paul’s and our garden bed renters are welcomed to our Sunset Socials held on the second Friday during the Summer months. The 2025 Sunset Socials are scheduled for June 20th, July 18th, August 15th, and September 19th in the Community Garden. Please bring your own chair, beverage of choice, and snacks to share if you would like. All are welcome.