Not sure how we got here, but the end of September is in sight. The last monthly GG newsletter that went out was for July! Sorry for the lack of updates, but we have been crazy busy here in North Lima. I will attempt to give you a brief snapshot of our last two months of growing goodness...

The combo of rainy weather and dry weather with hot days and cool days seemed to agree with our gardens and fields. The produce - and the weeds - grew like crazy in August. Our crew couldn't keep up with the zucchinis that appeared practically over night! August also gave us much more, including an amazing sunflower harvest, a trip to White House (Very welcome, since the pandemic has halted most of our off-campus activities.), a visit from our friend Marcia and her pup, Kasi Jo, butterfly releases, and jam making. In August we also said goodbye to our intern, Cameron, as he headed back to college (Good luck, Cam! Study hard! See you in the spring!!) and then welcomed back Kelly Shannon, as she finished up her Senior year of college. (Welcome home, Kel!! We are so glad you're back!)

We try to thank our interns with a special meal or some type of celebration before they leave us. Cameron had a special request this year - a Nerf Gun Battle Day! Our friend Barry made this possible, bringing enough Nerf supplies to outfit an army. Cam invited Mike Ashby and the kids of GG staff members to join in the fun, and most of them were able to attend. It was a fantastic send-off to begin wrapping up our summer days and getting ready for back to school time.

Everyone was all smiles when Kelly Shannon came back to work at GG! Kelly last worked with us a few years ago, before she headed south for college. Now she's jumped right back into making jam, baking bread, harvesting produce, and having plenty of fun with our crew.

The final weeks of CSA 2021, beginning to get ready for the October 16th Giveaway, apple picking at Huffman Fruit Farm, stocking our jams for sale at the Columbiana Chamber of Commerce, harvesting squash, gourds, and pumpkins, Columbiana Uncorked...all this and more is September! Our other big news from this month is the creation of a new jam - Dragon Jungle Jam. Made using Dragon Toe peppers, Rachel and Kelly thought the name Dragon Toe Jungle Jam might be somewhat off-putting. So, Dragon Jungle Jam was born!

Now that the school year has begun, we are starting to settle into a bit of a routine. Pastor Mike, who discovered a love of cooking during the COVID lockdown, started joining us for lunch on Thursdays. The best part is that Mike (with his wonderful wife, Stacy) provides the lunch! So far we have enjoyed smoked cream cheese with hot peppers, pulled pork sandwiches, and a taco/fajita bar! It has been amazing. Thanks, Mike and Stacy!

Big thanks go out to all of our amazing subscribers. You guys have been such a pleasure! Thursdays just won't be the same without you! The 2021 growing season went well and we really enjoyed CSA days. We hope YOU did, too! We were even able to make many trips to area food pantries, sharing a wide array of produce with people in our valley. Now we are eager to get the 2022 season started. Keep an eye out in the winter - late January or early February - for CSA subscription information.

If you'd like to see the newsletters that went out to all our subscribers on Thursdays from June 24 through September 23, follow the link below. You can find out what was in each week's CSA share, see pictures of our crew and their hard work, and even enjoy some recipes and tips.

There's nothing like our jam to provide a pop of color and some fresh flavor in your meals and snacks! Stop in at GG Monday-Friday from 8:30am to 2:30pm, visit the Columbiana Chamber of Commerce office by the Main Street Theater, or head to Salem's Reach for the STARS store to pick up some jam to enjoy at home or to give as a gift. Christmas is coming!

Current Flavors at Goodness Grows:

Jungle Jam: Blueberry Jalapeno, Hot, Cherry Habanero,

Peach Habanero, Dragon

Juicy Jam: Peach Lemonade

The next flavors that will soon be available are seasonal favorites Cranberry Jalapeno Jungle Jam and Cranberry Orange Juicy Jam. We will announce their arrival on our website as well as on our Facebook page.

Mike Ashby has been volunteering once again at GG. (Thanks, Mike!!) This time he tackled the project of creating racks to be used in the warehouse for our annual Coat & Clothing (& More!) Giveaway. He planned out the project, brought in the materials, and then got to work on the construction of the racks with the help of our GG crew. We all love it when Mike works on a project here, and building projects are definitely a highlight.

Every year in the fall we help with the annual Giveaway day, started by Common Ground Church Community in 2017. We've already started moving items to the warehouse, helping folks unload donations from their cars, and building racks for coats and clothes. Soon we'll be organizing and starting to set up for the big day.

Anyone in the community with a need is welcome. No income or proof of residency requirements. It's not necessary to bring kids in order to choose items for them. If you could help spread the word to everyone you know, it would be appreciated. You are welcome to stop by on October 16th to see if there is anything you could use.

If you have items that you'd like to donate for a good cause, we would be glad to take them! Feel free to stop by Mondays through Fridays from 8:30-2:30 or give us a call at 330-549-9408 to arrange a drop off time. Donations can also be placed under the big front awning of ​the church (facing the road) or you can drive around the building to the awning at the back of the warehouse and we will find them. Donations welcome right up to the day of the event! We are also thankful for any bags, boxes, and hangers you may have to spare.

Items we accept include, but are not limited to:

Coats ~ Jackets ~ Raincoats & Umbrellas ~ Snow Pants ~ Gloves/Mittens ~ Hats ~ Scarves ~ Clothing for All Ages, Sizes, & Seasons ~ Baby Items ~ Shoes/Boots ~ Purses/Bags ~ ​Halloween Costumes ~ Household Items ~ Kitchen Items ~ Tools ~ Stuffed Animals ~ Toys & Games ~ Books...Any item you think might help someone out or brighten their day can be donated, as long at is clean, usable, and in good working order.

If you are looking for a way to help Goodness Grows, donating needed items is a huge help!

We are currently in need of 8oz. canning jars (regular), canning jar lids, and sugar. And, of course, monetary donations are always appreciated. We are truly grateful for your support to keep our mission growing! (Note from GG Treasurer, Jill Snyder ~ Cook's Corner in Columbiana often has the best prices for canning jars. Lately, prices are up and canning supply shelves are frequently empty. We never pay more than $10 for 12 jars...and Cook's has had them cheaper than that. We can use plain or quilted regular mouth 8oz. jars. Thank you!)

Part of the mission of Goodness Grows is caring for the Earth. We try to follow the mantra of "reduce, reuse, and recycle" as well as using careful, sustainable growing practices. We avoid the use of chemicals and use a variety of natural farming methods. One of the ways we do that is by composting items to enrich our gardens and fields. You can help with this by saving your egg shells and coffee grounds and dropping them off here whenever you can. We are also glad to take your empty egg cartons for our local egg lady to use.

As always, thank you for your interest in and support of Goodness Grows! We couldn't keep our programs operating without the generosity of this amazing community!

Goodness Grows is a 501(c)3 non-profit operating out of Common Ground Church Community. Our mission is to cultivate personal, social, and community growth through gardening, education, and opportunity for people of all abilities. We are working to improve people's lives through social and therapeutic gardening practices. We'd love for you to join us!

Create. Cultivate. Thrive.

Email: jlynch02@gmail.com
Website: https://www.goodnessgrows4all.org/
Location: 2310 W. South Range Rd., North Lima, OH 44452
Phone: 330-549-9408
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodnessGrows4all