The High Watch Farm
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” – Audrey Hepburn
When we think of High Watch and the Hill of Hope, we often think of the main campus, the Chapel, and the Barn. For those who haven’t been to the Hill in a while, there is a whole new world across the street. And it’s growing…
Under the oversight of Kurt Klimak, our horticulturist, the farm at High Watch is expanding at an exciting pace. Together with Kurt, our Hope House guests are maintaining the farm. They have built the gardens and planted, maintained, watered and weeded all of the vegetables. They harvest on a daily basis and all of our vegetables are being used in the kitchen.
“As the garden grows, so shall the gardener.”
This season, Kurt and the Hope House team tripled the size of our existing garden. Vegetables include 50 Broccoli plants, 250 heads of lettuce in three different varieties, 100 brussel sprouts, 50 spinach plants, 150 kale plants, 50 sugar snap peas, 50 pole beans, 100 assorted peppers, 50 squash plants, 50 zucchini plants, 200 tomato plants in four different varieties, 100 cucumber plants, as well as radishes, carrots, and beets.
They are also producing fruit, including 100 strawberry plants, watermelon, and cantaloupe. In the fall, they will be harvesting pumpkins, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, and butternut squash.
Our herb garden includes oregano, basil, thyme, sage, rosemary, lemon grass, dill, and two varieties of cilantro.
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” – Ladybird Johnson
The farm has numerous varieties of flowers growing and have been using them in beds around the main facility.
Our female Hope House guests arrange all of the weekly cut flowers for the office. They help maintain flower beds on campus, as well. This has been an extremely positive experience for them and Kurt keeps it upbeat and a fun while teaching skills so that they are totally involved and vested in the farm’s success. As Kurt said, “fresh air, a little hard work, and seeing plants grow successfully under your care is a great form of therapy on its own.
The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese proverb
Our newly-planted orchard has 100 trees including, 75 assorted apples including Honey crisp, red and yellow Delicious, Granny Smith , and Macintosh, as well as peaches, plums and two varieties of pears.
Kurt is thrilled at the opportunity to make the farm such a special place. “I am truly blessed to have been offered this position at High Watch. It is the most rewarding position I have ever had. From the guests who have been so instrumental in making this happen, to the staff that are so warm and welcoming it really feels like a family.
The Future of the Farm
In the years ahead, Kurt plans to grow the farm program exponentially. We are currently preparing for the construct ion of one greenhouse this fall, which will allow our Hope House guests to work and grow all winter. In January, Kurt will be working closely with Alice Bemand, our Director of Development, to obtain funding for a second greenhouse next season. Kurt would ultimately like to see four greenhouses for vegetables and herbs as well as a large glass that Kurt would reserve for growing flowers and houseplants.
Once the Covid-19 challenge is behind us, Kurt hopes to host farm to table dinners in the greenhouse to help promote High Watch and the Hope House farm.
We are planning for the distant future, as well. Kurt recently obtained 500 sugar maple saplings for a maple syrup production to begin in about 2040.
As we move toward the opening of our café in downtown Kent, Kurt would like to see some of our goods sold there. He believes we can sell vegetables, flowers, and seasonal items such as handmade wreaths. Honey, and other products of the farm would be a wonderful addition to the café’s offering. Kurt envisions using proceeds from the sale of farm products to fund Wilson Beds at High Watch for guests experiencing financial troubles.
