NEW BREMEN – A new orchard and garden will help feed the community in New Bremen thanks to a young woman’s hard work.
Girl Scout Taylor Paul completed her Gold Award project by arranging the building of six raised-bed gardens and an orchard of eight fruit trees across the street from St. Paul’s United Church of Christ on North Franklin Street.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Aug. 7 to commemorate Paul’s accomplishment and discuss the benefits of a community garden. Paul said she felt creating the garden and orchard would add fresh fruit and vegetables to the food pantry she also created at St. Paul’s. Called a blessings cabinet, Paul said people come in daily to take advantage of supplies ranging from toiletries to food.
Each item in the garden and orchard were donated by members of the community, Paul said. The raised beds were built by her uncle David Muether. She said this all taught her how to manage projects and work with various community members. She said the church’s discipleship will take over managing the gardens.
St. Paul’s minister Rev. Becky Erb Strang said she had wanted this asset for years. Winning a grant from their church’s United Church of Christ denomination provided funding to start the project. She also said she was impressed by how Paul was able to pull it all together since beginning the project in June 2018.
Logan O’Neill, Southwest Auglaize County Chamber of Commerce president, also on hand, said it was good to see a project that nourishes both the body and the spirit. He added that the project is more proof what can be done by a community working together.
Paul is the daughter of Jeff and Renee Paul.
