About the Monastery's Orchard
The monastery is blessed with a fertile orchard and gardens that offer practical sustenance and good cultivated grounds. Throughout our property there are rows of persimmon groves, well tended vegetable plots and a barn with sheep, goats, and chickens. Each is lovingly maintained by the hands of our monastic brotherhood and see their work as an act of stewardship before God.
This orchard is more than a source of food. It is an extension of our chapel and monastery. Here, in all the quietness of the Earth, we can encounter God and His work in Creation with the work of our hands and prayers. It is a place where the rhythms of nature echo the rhythms of prayer. Toil is not work, but thanksgiving. The orchard is a living reminder of the Garden of Eden before the Fall and a promise of the full restoration of creation in Christ, our Savior.
The monastery has a stream running through the property shaded by a canopy of oak trees. This offers opportunity for tranquil walks in a lush forest that lends to the melting away and setting aside of all earthly cares.
Visitors often find peace and reflection among the trees and we welcome all who come to walk these paths. Come and share in the beauty, simplicity, and blessing of the lands God has given us.
“God gave us the earth that we might cultivate it and care for it—not only for our use, but so that in our labor, we might learn diligence, humility, and gratitude.” - St. John Chrysostom
Persimmon Groves
Our persimmon trees add a gentle beauty to the landscape, their fruit ripening slowly in the autumn light. Sweet and rich in flavor, persimmons are a quiet reminder that spiritual growth often takes time and patience. As the trees stand still through the seasons, they teach us to wait on God, in His timing that every good thing will come to fullness.
Barn
Just beyond the orchard stands our humble barn, home to sheep, goats, and chickens. Their presence reminds us of the simplicity and interdependence of creation. The animals provide eggs, milk, and companionship, and caring for them becomes a quiet offering of love and stewardship. In tending to them each day, we are reminded that even the smallest acts of care are sacred when done in the presence of God.
