“THIS AUTUMN, 2026, we are delighted to be harvesting an abundance of wonderful items, all of which equate to true nutritious beauty. Our list this year includes: summer squash (e.g., zucchini), winter squash (e.g., acorn, butternut), cherry tomatoes, big slicing tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, cow peas, asparagus, Swiss chard, eggplant, basil, strawberries, mint, rhubarb, blackberries, raspberries, grapes, hot peppers, sweet peppers, cucumbers, kale, arugula, herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, dill, cilantro, stevia), valerian root, Jerusalem artichoke, garlic chives, lemon balm, catnip, pumpkins, ornamental pumpkins, beets, and much more.

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“The goal of this homestead is to provide a self-sufficient gardening ecosystem through the use of heirloom seeds (if it’s not heirloom, you really can’t save and reuse the seeds and expect them to germinate true to what came before). We practice seed-saving, and self-sowing methods so that the garden becomes a renewable source of food for our family and cuts down on, or even eliminates, the need to rely on box stores for our vegetables and fruits.

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“This project is meant not only to prepare for a future when it might not be possible to buy food in stores but also to protect the health and well-being of our family by ensuring that the food they eat is grown without bacterial contaminants, pesticides, and other chemicals that impact health and well-being.

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“Our garden is also a sanctuary that provides spiritual meditation and enlightenment through the power of the Holy Spirit’s speaking to the individual giving wisdom and perseverance, especially in the face of failure, because this avocation by nature is fraught with failure and trial-and-error.

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“The garden teaches Christians to rely on God for the things that are outside of the gardener’s control; it puts the focus on relying on the Lord instead of relying on oneself for strength and the intellect. So it is like a partnership between oneself and God when you are out there toiling in the field. 

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“And, so, it is a truly good discipline for the mind, body, and spirit. After all, our first parents were planted in the Garden. It’s where we belong! 

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“When there is an abundance of flowers planted among the vegetables to attract pollinators, the beauty that is all around you is quite overwhelming. You can spend hours out there even just to observe the insects, the butterflies, and the birds that feed on the flowerhead seeds.

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“There is a whole world out here filled with not merely utilitarian values but also beauty for its own sake. It causes you to slow down and give thanks to the Creator for making all things good, beautiful, and perfect.

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“Laster year we began branching out spatially and experimenting with using natural dye to color clothing. For example, we have native pokeberry growing all over the property, and so this year and last we harvested the berries and they are currently soaking in vinegar to make a deep purple dye that we will use with white cotton t-shirts and see if we can treat the fabric in such a way that the color does not fade this time. We have dyed fabric from walnuts that fall from our trees as well.  

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“Next year, we plan on growing indigo and other plants specifically to seeing what kinds of natural dyes we may be able to have success with.

We also plan to dedicate a plot to cultivating medicinal herbs, such as toothache plant and feverfew. These plants are not meant to be ingested but to be used in tinctures, ointments, poultices and the like. 

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“Now that the hot season is winding down, we are taking note of whatever varietals have given us difficulty and which one did very well. Thus, we are narrowing our repertoire in order to maximize success and productivity. The point is to choose those varieties that are most resistant to diseases and pest destruction, being that our homestead is entirely organic. 

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“Meanwhile, we are, as always, saving and preserving more seeds than we can even use. Hence, we hope to start a seed exchange with like-minded growers.

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“A few words about tea: Another plant that is naturally growing in this area is catnip. Most people don’t know that catnip makes an excellent tea that is meant for relaxation and the reduction of anxiety in humans. On this homestead, we dry our mint, our catnip, chamomile, and our lemon balm, along with other types of teas, all of which we store for the season. 

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“Goldenrod is naturally growing all over the walking trail, and we have found that this too makes very good tea especially if mixed with mint or other tea.

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“Regarding medicinal herbs, we have jewel weed growing all over the patches of poison ivy, which is ironic (and seems like God’s sense of humor!), because jewelweed is used in tinctures to reduce the itching of poison ivy in people who are allergic. Goldenrod may be used as a diuretic and is also known to be an anti-inflammatory. It also is purported to aid with urinary tract infection and to help pass kidney stones. Moreover, goldenrod aids in skin and wound care.

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“What’s more, next year we plan on trying to grow some medicinal plants that we don’t already have. We have begun propagating valerian root, a well-known muscle relaxant, which will be mature enough for harvesting in two years. 

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“Next year we intend to plant mullein in Pennsylvania, which is used to treat coughs and colds and other respiratory issues. Our northern lands—our ‘priestly-glebe’ properties in the Adirondack mountains of New York—grow five-foot tall mullein plants from which we extract seeds. We hope to plant these seeds somewhere dry and barren, which is where mullein thrives.

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“There is really no way to summarize all of the different ways to use plants as medicine. The balancing act is weighing the need to produce food over and against the need to produce medicine, so I would say that the medicine garden would probably need to take up not more than 10 to 15 percent of the space. 

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There is neither time nor space here to detail the incredible loss to wellness that resulted from the overhauling of natural plant remediation in favor of the pharmaceutical, chemical approach to health. However, the plants and roots are all still here in the soil and are not the output of a lab but come from the hand of God.

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“It should be emphasized that many plants have a dual or even triple use. They can be beautiful or culinary while at the same time being medicinal. We now have horseradish growing which has a dual use, and both calendula and echinacea, flowers growing on our homestead, are beautiful just as flowers–but they can be used medicinally for the skin and the immune system.

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“How can we better appreciate plants than to share thanksgiving, to proclaim always, ‘God is good’? I hope you enjoy the images I have captured from the homestead. One of my favorite things in the world is to get lost out there and work in contemplation and awe of God’s magnificent creation and blessings. Sometimes I am in the right place at the right time and I am able to get an amazing picture of a bug or two. Happy planting!”

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Deaconess Jean runs this small produce farm, which is an adjunct of Saint Patrick’s Anglican Church, in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. Known as the Tabernacle Homestead, the land of the church, which is 4.27 acres, besides its containing a serene nature trail, produces a fabulous yield. Dea. Jean sows all her own crops, starting them from seeds in the late winter. All fencing, trellises, protective plant armor, seedling covers, watering systems, and barriers are created, installed, or made out of cleverly fastened-together items by Dea. Jean.

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If you have questions or comments or would like to contribute in any way to Dea. Jean’s Tabernacle Homestead, please feel free to reach out to her, at [email protected](