For nearly 70 years, St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church has become known for outreach beyond its campus on Snell Isle Boulevard NE.
One of its most recent major undertakings is Benison Farm, a coalition among St. Thomas’ and St. Augustine’s Episcopal churches and Mercy Keepers, a nonprofit started by the 20th Street Church of Christ. The farm takes its name from an old English word that means “blessing.”
An idea planted
The Rev. Martha Goodwill, now director of finance for the YMCA of Greater St. Petersburg, was ordained a deacon in the Episcopal church in 2017. In her case, that means she is a volunteer whose mission is to serve others, especially the needy. A St. Petersburg native who then worked at the Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, Goodwill knew that closure of the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Tangerine Plaza on 22nd Street S left many nearby residents with limited access to fresh produce.
St. Augustine’s is a historically black church with a multicultural congregation. St. Thomas’ membership is predominantly white. Over the years, the two parishes have collaborated on volunteer and social activities. “I’ve always gardened, and I had heard about a (previous) farm at St. Augustine’s,” Goodwill said. “I thought, what an amazing thing that would be to grow food for those who need it and have a diverse group of people doing the work.” St. Augustine’s, at 2920 26th Ave. S, is about a mile away from Tangerine Plaza. Goodwill, who serves at St. Thomas’, approached leaders at both churches. Was there any interest in establishing the farm? There was. She applied for a grant from the Episcopal Church’s United Thank Offering and received $64,600, the fund’s largest grant ever. The diocese added $3,000.
“The work of writing the grant helped us gel what our mission was and how we would go about it,” Goodwill said. “The grant helped us get going faster.”
Establishing the farm
Clearing and leveling the 1.5-acre plot came first, then a pump for a deep-water well, plus irrigation and constructing raised beds.
Plantings include okra, sweet potatoes, peppers, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, and several varieties of greens. A goal this year is to establish fruit trees: bananas, mangoes, papaya, jackfruit, and soursop.
Farmers learn to be nimble. For a time, half the harvest went to nearby families; the rest was sold to various markets. COVID-19 shuttered some of the commercial venues. Weeds overtook vegetable beds, which had to be cleared and replanted. The farm now partners with Mercy Keepers, a nonprofit organization that serves about 100 low-income families weekly. The current crops yield enough to distribute to about 30.
“We run out of fresh stuff quickly,” Goodwill said. “Our goal is to increase the amount we give to Mercy Keepers.”
Growing forward
Benison Farm now has laying hens. Egg sales help support the farm. A recently added beehive will produce honey.
“The farm reminds me so much of the lessons we have to learn over and over,” said Misty Landers, a St. Thomas’ parishioner who coordinates Benison Farm’s harvest.
“You have to have faith that when you plant the seeds, they’re going to grow into a plant. It reminds me to have hope. Every time that I’m there at the farm, we never know who is going to show up. Always, and without fail, at the end of it, whoever we’ve hosted, we did something productive, and it was meaningful.”
Work days are 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays. No tools or expertise required; bring hats, work gloves and drinking water. For additional information, visit benisonfarm.org or email [email protected].
