In the Beginning

Cid Barcellos and Gwen Oliver began what they consider the best years of their lives in the summer of 2009. That’s when fellow parishioner Jim Tischer was invited by his former pastor Rev. Gayle Pickerell to see the thriving community-driven Harvest for the Hungry Garden at Christ United Methodist Church in Santa Rosa. Knowing that Cid and Gwen were Master Gardeners, he asked them to go down with him. When they returned to Davis United Methodist Church, the three of them walked the back lot that was filled with weeds up to their hips of wild oats, grasses, and star thistle. With fervor and determination, they resolved to focus on clearing a 10’ x 10’ plot. As they worked, they were greeted with Bermuda grass underneath. Even the 4 feet long roots didn’t faze them! They worked steadily to begin what was to become in following years a 5/8 acre organic feeding garden that they named Grace Garden - a place truly filled with grace from above, in their midst, and beyond.  Jim also worked steadfastly beside them by providing help with what every growing garden needs – irrigation. They recruited volunteer garden lovers of all ages in the community. Together, they have given their hearts, skills, and countless hours to make Grace Garden truly a community gathering place. 

Milestones – From Weed Patch to Garden of Eden

2009 

• Cleared a 10’x10’ weed patch  (south of the present hoop house)

2010 

• Built four 50 foot beds, 4 raised beds and 2 demonstration areas. 

• First harvest was 309 squash, 679 peppers, 1805 tomatoes, 237 pounds of cherry tomatoes, 117 eggplant, 14 melons, 18 lemon cucumbers and a few green beans! 

• Food was shared with the community through Davis Korean Church 2010-2016 in the Friday Harvest Giveaway.

2011 

• Parishioners began to donate to the garden for many years through the Sunday plate offerings.

• - Twelve bareroot fruit trees were planted to honor loved ones

• - Added five more 50’ beds, another raised bed, and a third demonstration area. With a new scale, we weighed the second harvest. We had over 1000 pounds of tomatoes, squash, peppers, Swiss chard, beans, eggplant, carrots, herbs, melons, and cucumbers!

2012 

• Big year of donations large and small.

• Grants from the Rotary Club of  Davis and Congregation Bet Haverim: Biberstein Fund  helped pay for a badly needed  permanent drip irrigation system and a covered hoop house.

• Northern California Construction Training built us a small shed picnic and worktables.

• Donations of tools, bark chips, and wood came in for building more raised beds. First annual Spring Plant Sale.

• Community Harvest, a program inviting those who have too many vegetables in their home gardens to bring them to Grace Garden, was started. It was added to Grace Garden’s harvest to share with either Friday’s Harvest or Davis Community Meals.

2014 

• In the Spring, money from two Soroptimist grants helped to purchase a large Tuff Shed to hold everything and have room to expand.

• The fruit trees produced fruit for the first time: apricots, plums, pluots, nectarines, and peaches. Eleven fruit trees produced 294 pounds. Vegetables totaled 1067 pounds from squash, zucchini, and cucumbers. Tomatoes were slow and sensitive.

• Grace in Action set up a Remembrance Garden under the almond trees to remember their loved ones. Adirondack chairs were donated and added in loving memory of a valued volunteer.

2015

• 2015 Pat Riley, arborist, donated wood chips for 5 years.

• Large shed repainted

• Orchard irrigation updated

• A 2nd  Congregation Bet Haverim Biberstein grant helped to build the infrastructure.

2016

• Began building a stepping stone path, another raised bed, and new tables for the hoop house.

• Built three 5’x5’x5’ compost bins to enrich the garden soil

• Food began to go regularly to St. Martin for Davis Community Meals and Housing

2018 

• Grace Garden began to post on social media and has been listed on the UC Davis Volunteer Posting. 

• Number of volunteers increase above the 400/year mark.

2019 

• A 3rd Congregation Bet Haverim Biberstein grant helped to develop youth educational programs

2020 

• Stage deck built with donated Trex decking by a volunteer. 

• Parents of Blair Fox donated a bench in memory of their son, who had compassion for everyone and loved the purpose of Grace Garden. He enthusiastically led his Sigma Nu brothers to maintain the compost beds for years.

2021

• St. Martin’s donates their Easter Plate Offering to Grace Garden

• UC Davis students continue to come in droves to learn lifelong gardening skills, get relief from their studies, and receive an added bonus – volunteer hour credit.

• Cid and Gwen retired on October 1 as Grace Garden’s faithful and attentive founders and leaders. They leave a well-organized infrastructure with Dave Woods, Jim Tischer, and Laura Young as UMC liaisons to work as part of a motivated and resourceful new Leadership Team from many parts of Davis

2022

• Five UC Davis Interns earn course credit while learning hands-on garden leadership and sustainability skills 

• Team Leadership group of 12 begun

• Artwork introduced through signage, wall of tree stumps, and two murals

• Straw Bale Gardening introduced

• About 1200 sign-ins from all our volunteers. 

• Fall Harvest Fest celebrated our first year under new leadership. United Methodist Church Women partnered with us to provide food. Poetry reading, face painting, and music added to the festivities.

• Grace Garden produced over 1750 pounds.

• Congregation Bet Haverim awards Grace Garden with a 4th Biberstein grant to extend the original pathway

2023

• Celebration of Abraham chooses Grace Garden to be recipient of their annual donation drive. Together with the Biberstein grant, the two funds pay for two decomposed granite pathways and landing to improve mobility and education access.

• Donation of 144 tomato starts from Morningsun Herb Farm Nursery in March

• Plant and Pottery Sale. A big success with many pottery donations April 22

• Congregation Bet Haverim donates two Mandarin trees in May

• UC Davis Arboretum & Public Gardens donates  23 native plants in June

• Dick Berry donates labor to build  a large Grace Garden sign.  It is installed in front of the church in July.

• David Mojica from Grace in Action volunteers to paint 6 adirondack chairs and blue work table                                                    

• Donation from Ace Hardware (discount on 4 yards of compost and free delivery) - October

• Garden Work Party – Oct. 15. Yolo Noteworthy Band entertains  (Ron Goldberg, Wendy Silk, Mike Elfant)

• John and Pamela Baird donate a row cultivator. A huge help to prepare for Fall planting!

• Leadership Team grows to 20 volunteers

2024

• January 21 Rumi’s Caravan Poetry Benefit

• April 13 will possibly be our Plant and Craft Sale