Mount Prospect business finds church garden fertile testing ground

Two years ago Bill and Matt Petersen borrowed the South Church's garden to see if their new solar powered irrigation system could sustain 20 rows of vegetables.

"It spoke to the little kid in me," said the Rev. Rick Kesler, who leads the small Mount Prospect church on Emerson Street. "I couldn't wait. It sounded like a science experiment."

If that were the case, the Petersens earned an "A."

Last year, the garden produced 1,500 pounds of vegetables which were donated to local food banks. So far this year, the garden has produced 500 pounds of vegetables, which is 300 pounds more compared to the same time last year, Kesler said.

Now the father and son team have applied to patent their eco-irrigation system and eventually hope to sell the idea to Home Depot or Lowe's Home Improvement.

Rain water from the church's roof flows into three 300-gallon tanks. Underground tubes then transport the water to an above-ground watering system. The system waters the 60-foot by 60-foot garden in about 10 minutes, using solar power to pump the liquid through the pipes.

The system cost about $1,000, but the Petersens donated it to the church for its trial run.

"We knew we had a great idea; we just needed a place to perfect it," said Bill Petersen. "Then we looked across the street."

The Petersens run Garden Green EcoSolutions and happen to live across the street from the church. That makes it easy to keep a close eye on the garden, which grows cucumbers, squash, zucchini, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, beets, broccoli, cabbage and carrots from May through October.

Last summer, the Petersens tweaked the system, moving the underground watering system above ground so it's more efficient.

Kesler plants, harvests and maintains the garden with volunteers, including wife Angela Nicolosi, who is often seen kneeling on the ground checking to see how the potatoes are coming along.

Church members have kept the garden going for about 10 years. This year, a local Girl Scout troop pitches in and weeds the area on Wednesday nights, Kesler said.

"The Girl Scouts are a huge help," he said. "The planting is fun and the harvesting is fun, but the weeding? Not so much."

While the garden is flourishing, so is business for Garden Green EcoSolutions.

Last year, the Petersens installed a 1,000 gallon system to water flowers at Friendship Park in Mount Prospect. They also built a smaller tank to water the flowers near the "Mount Prospect - Where Friendliness is a Way of Life" sign at Route 83 and Golf Road.