Fresh Vegetables from Our Garden

We really should say ‘our gardens’ because we have two!

The first is our Pause for Thought garden - a wee hidden gem tucked in around the back of the church. It has a bench and a bower, an abundance of Scottish greenery, and is a lovely spot to take a quiet moment.

Our second garden is larger and grew out of our commitment to sustainability. Back in 2021, with the Covid pandemic still having a major impact on church life, we began to look a bit more deeply at what we could do with the large patch of unused land behind our old church hall. There were trees that needed to come down for safety reasons, and while we were organising this our then church officer suggested we give some consideration to turning the land into a garden.

This suggestion was met with enthusiasm and before long we had a keen and active group working to turn the land into a thriving community garden. We grow a wide array of vegetables, most of which are used in our cafe. “Food metres not miles!” Is our rallying cry. A couple of local groups such as Inspire, and Grampian Opportunities also have raised beds and work alongside our volunteers.

When we have excess we usually have a box in the cafe from which people can help themselves, giving a small donation if they are able.

The garden project has tied in very well with our efforts as a church to be as environmentally friendly and active as possible. We are an Eco-Congregation, have an Environmental Matters team, and hold periodic Climate Cafe events, including in 2022 a Climate Justice Festival weekend.