Hope Outreach Faith Farm is turning dirt on another season this year.

“We grow vegetables, small fruits, herbs and cut flowers. We grow chemical-free. We’ve sold the fresh produce to help fund the program. We hold a small market in the garden. People can see where it comes from,” said Kate Morrison, Hope Out-reach Faith Farm coordinator.

The farm, at 820 W. Cher-okee, could open by the end of this month to provide fresh produce to the community.

“We are only having one market this year. It will be a Tuesday market 4 to 6:30 p.m. to try to catch people on the way home from work to pick up fresh things. Depending on weather, it may start as early as the end of April with lettuces. We have onions, beet, lettuces, cabbage, radishes and more. We grow all our own transplants. Our tomatoes and peppers will be going in when we aren’t worried about winter any more,” said Morrison.

Faith Farm officials also hope to have beef, dairy and soap products and eggs.

“When we start up our market, Wagon Creek Cream-ery and Last Laugh Farms will be there. Wagon Creek Creamery has grass-fed beef and dairy products. Last Laugh Farms has goat milk soap. We are looking for an egg vender,” said Morrison.

Faith Farm began in fall 2006 in association with Hope Outreach Homeless Ministry.

“It was originally put in to go with our homeless ministry. It was a therapy program. All the building materials were covered by donations by private citizens, gardening groups and Lowe’s. We were the Lowe’s Hero Program. We built with volunteer labor. We had people from the pre-release program and U-turn for Christ, a drug and alcohol program,” said Morrison.

Faith Farm is getting to ready to expand its garden.

“From the beginning we thought the garden was bigger than just in-house. A year ago I looked into the horticulture therapy and the benefits it offers. At the first of the year we decided to expand to include what we are calling an Enabling Garden that will be for people with mobility impairment and older adults,” said Morrison.

As part of the program, Faith Farm is building new additions, such as wider paths and raised beds, that are more handicapped accessible.

“We are repaving all the paths again so they are easier for wheelchair access. We are building a new, shaded pavilion. It will house the mark, but it will also have work areas at wheelchair height. The existing raised beds are 13-inches high and we are installing 24-inch-high beds,” said Morrison.

Enabling Garden officials will work with local agencies to identify mobility impaired or older adults who want to be involved with gardening.

“Everybody I talked to was very excited about the prospect of it. We are going to work with agencies to bring in their clients. They will be able to see the plants grow and nurture them and, depending on their abilities, help with harvest,” said Morrison.

Hope Outreach Faith Farm hopes to dedicate the Enabling Garden improvements in May.