Gideon’s Garden began in 2008 when some young people from Grace Church (formerly St. James Church) imagined how they would like to help people in our community who are hungry. In the spring of 2009, the first seeds of Gideon’s Garden were planted. Taft Farms donated a small plot of land and shared their expertise with the young people about how to grow vegetables. In addition to a crew of young people, volunteers from Grace Church, Taft Farms, and the community, have taken care of Gideon’s Garden for over ten years.

The partnership between Grace Church and Taft Farms remains strong, and each year since its inception, the garden has grown until it has become a staple in the community, offering all produce to food pantries and meal programs in the Southern Berkshires.

Every summer numerous groups from the community come to Gideon’s Garden to experience the wonder of growing plants and tasty food.

What started as just a quarter-acre garden has transformed into a robust 2-acre farm. Through the ingenuity and hard work of the youth, Gideon’s Garden has gained a butterfly house, a delivery van, and a flock of chickens. In 2020, Gideon’s Garden donated 9,000 lbs of produce to six pantries in Great Barrington and Lee, and over one hundred volunteers lent a helping hand. We look forward to this summer and future years as we watch the plants, the youth, and our garden grow!