OC Catholic – Sowing the Seeds of Hope

By Catherine Grattan

“The garden consists of 96 state-of-the-art raised garden beds — “A hydroponic vertical garden system using recycled water,” according to designer and builder Alan Smith. Six years ago, he built a smaller garden at Christ Cathedral Academy to teach children how to grow food.

‘This effort has to be expanded across the country because of food and water shortages,” he explained, adding that he hopes his innovation will go viral. “All churches need to see the need for growing their own food.’

The facility includes an education center for CalFresh Living Services, a ministry of Catholic Charities of Orange County. The staff gives cooking demonstrations and holds classes on healthy eating and good nutrition using ingredients from the garden. They teach the local community how to stretch food dollars and build partnerships in communities to make healthy choices.”

Click Here to read the full article by Spencer Grant and Mara Casey in the OC Catholic