The growing season is in full swing, and Asbury United Methodist Church’s garden and food ministry has already donated approximately 350 pounds of fresh produce to organizations that feed the hungry.

Asbury UMC’s garden ministry, Ruby’s Garden, has played an important role in strengthening other local programs that help feed those in need, including Zion Shelter and Kitchen and Eagle’s Wings, according to Jim Reed, pastor at Asbury UMC.

Last year, the ministry donated 800 pounds of produce to Eagle’s Wings, according to Ann Marie Montague, director of Eagle’s Wings, the Washington-based food pantry.

Montague said the produce donated by the church is the freshest available for the pantry’s clients. The produce is picked and brought straight to the pantry, she said.

“The fresher it is, the more nutritious it is,” Montague said. “We try to promote healthy options and eating fresh fruit and vegetables. A community garden such as Ruby’s Garden is a great example of how the church is getting together an helping to feed their neighbors right here in Beaufort County. We are so grateful, and I know our clients are very grateful for the wonderful, fresh vegetables we get. We hope the garden will continue to be a success.”

Children participating in Beaufort County Schools Summer Feeding program will also benefit from the garden’s harvest, according to Reed. Asbury UMC helps operate several feeding sites throughout the county, and the church will distribute fresh produce for children to take home to their families.

The church’s garden ministry kicked off in 2014 in honor of lifelong member Ruby Pippin, who passed away in March 2014. Since, the ministry has grown exponentially, thanks in part to a $10,000 Duke Endowment grant awarded to the church in February.

The grant, along with a partnership with several volunteer fire departments, provided a means for the garden to expand. Two structures behind the church where the garden is located were burned to make room for the expansion.

Reed also enrolled in the Beaufort County Cooperative Extension Master Gardener class to strengthen the capacity behind the ministry.

Reed’s newfound knowledge has helped empower other church members to learn how to work in the garden, he said.

“The Master Gardeners program gives you the tools and knowledge where you can actually educate other people,” Reed said. “I guide the other members of the church who help with the garden ministry, and we use a reference book they gave me that can help guide us through problems and approach whatever issue you may have.”

Currently, the garden is yielding squash and green beans, but soon the church will harvest okra, butterbeans, tomatoes and sweet potatoes. The acreage behind the church will also house a quarter-acre of raised-bed gardens for members of the community to grow fresh vegetables.

Reed is also working on building a prayer labyrinth, which will include a flower garden and pavilion. The hope is for the labyrinth to be a place where people can pray and be at peace, as well as potentially host outdoor worship services, he said.

Reed said showing hospitality through its garden and other food ministries is an ongoing mission for the church.

“Hospitality is in our DNA,” Reed said. “We are out making a difference in the community, and it’s making a difference in us. If it changes our mindset and gets us in a servant mindset, I think it’s a good place to be. We’re taking Jesus at his word that we should feed the hungry, cloth the naked and give the thirsty something to drink. We’re just excited. (The church) has never done anything quite like this before. That’s what we like about the food ministries. It’s not just a one-shot deal. It’s over a duration of time. It’s exciting to see parents and children come and enjoy receiving the food. We’re also pushing out to get to know our neighbors in a new way.”