A Little Kindness with Collard Greens

Three years ago John Swaagman began to grow vegetables to share with people who were hungry. John’s father was a farmer and he learned from him how to grow good edibles. He knew what would keep producing all summer and what would be finished as soon as you picked it.  This was right up his alley, a chance to put his gardening skills to use to help someone else.

It started when his pastor at in Oak Lawn, Rev. Phil Leo, asked John to help with Share the Harvest. It is a wonderful program run by area resident Linda Wygant which gathers produce from local gardens and donates it to area food pantries. John Swaagman shared food out of his own garden the first year. Last year he planted an 8 by 20 foot garden alongside his church and got other church members to help. He’s now added another 192 square feet that will planted when spring comes!

John didn’t content himself with just growing what he knew best. He had a hunch that those who received his produce through Operation Blessing in Crestwood might be interested in some other kinds of vegetables. So he went over to Operation Blessing and asked them what they would like to have. As a result, he has added spinach and collard greens and more leaf lettuces to the beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

John didn’t have to do that. Anything he offered would have been welcome. But he knew that some of those serving by Operation Blessing might want something different and so he took the time to go and ask.  That is kindness multiplied by kindness.