An outstanding group of friends James, Trevor, Cree, and Nick took time out of their one week of summer vacation in Maine to help us with several tasks in the garden. They pulled weeds, leveled the ground around the fence, patched holes, and spread about 6 yards of wood chips that put the finishing touch on the Hillcrest Garden's new site. They approached each project with a cheerfulness and thoughtfulness that is exemplary and inspiring. Not even a summer rainstorm could dampen their spirits - we are so glad they wanted to spend time with us! 

Our good friends in the Hillcrest neighborhood are holding their annual charity craft fair and bake sale - and proceeds help Project GRACE keep our neighbors warm, grow community gardens with fresh veggies for the pantry, and help our neighbors when they have a temporary setback or need a little help to make ends meet. Come out to the Hillcrest Community Center (108 HIllcrest Ave, just off Route One) on Saturday, Nov. 3rd, and you'll be sure to get in the holiday spirit!

Happiness is time spent in the garden, and we're especially happy to welcome volunteers from the Scarborough Garden Club who are helping us harvest every week. Thank you! (Pictured here are Penny & Pat, with 20 pounds of garden bounty!)

And so starts the 2017 planting season! Gardeners from St.Nick's put in the first of our cold crops: green lettuce.  About 100 romaine and green lettuce seedlings were planted, and a dozen or so parsley plants, too. Also lots of marigolds to keep smaller garden pests like mice and voles away and cosmos to attract pollinators. 

Our friends at Keller Williams volunteered for the garden as part of their annual "RED Days". We are glad Keller Williams' Cash Wiseman called Project GRACE to ask how they could help their neighbors on May 11th, a day of giving back nationwide for the realty group. To help us get the garden ready for growing season, they moved a mountain of lovely organic compost from Jordan's Farm, and laid the pathways, too. THANK YOU!

Thank you, Scarborough Cub Scout Pack 47, Bear Dens 1 & 2! We are so glad you could come to Harvest Fest at St. Nick's and help us harvest kale and swiss chard, sample treats and soups, and plant herb pots for the patrons of the Scarborough Food Pantry. Well done, kids. Thank you!

Would you like to lend a hand in the garden? We're looking for help with planting, harvesting, and other garden tasks. No experience necessary, all skill levels welcome. Commitments range from one-time activities like helping to spread compost when the garden starts up in the Spring, putting the garden to bed in the fall, or special events like Touch-A-Truck, the ACE Garden Party, or Harvest Fest. Other options include helping to plant in early Spring and off and on throughout the season for successional harvests, or periodic "Weeding Wednesdays", or weekly during peak Summer and Fall harvest times.

HARVEST VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TUESDAY MORNINGS (8:15 - 9:15 a.m. weekly)

HARVEST FEST VOLUNTEERS NEEDED SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016

WEEDING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED WEDNESDAYS

We had a great time at the Scarborough Rotary's annual "Touch a Truck" at the Scarborough Downs. Lots of kids stopped by our booth to plant seeds (put earth in the cup, poke the seeds into the planting mix, pinch some compost on top, and pour a spoonful of water to moisten). Garden enthusiasts - of all ages! - planted beans and nasturtium to take home.

Thank you, Jane, Linda, Sabra, Becky, Pam, Elizabeth and Steffi -- volunteers planted tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, beets, beans, lettuces, bok choy and Asian greens, herbs and flowers, too!

Thank you, Mark, Chris, Cathy, Jane, Becky, and Chris! We raked all the compost and set the paths, even planted spinach and lettuce! Aren't those rows neat!? Also we love our new coconut mat paths. We also had a visit from Kate Irish Collins of the Current-- you can read the article here (PDF).

We had a great time with all our friends who stopped by ACE Hardware (at Oak Hill) this weekend -- thank you Anne and Dan for inviting us to be at your annual garden party! And it was great to share a table with the Scarborough Garden Club and the Cumberland County Master Gardeners. We gave a way a lot of seeds, soil test kits, and some planting advice, too!

It's time to ready the garden for the coming season of planting and harvesting!

Jane and Becky are all smiles as Dennis from Jordan's Farm drops a dump truck's worth of rich organic compost in front of the garden. Now we have to shift and spread it. Can you help?

Helping hands are needed at the Community Garden on Saturday, April 23rd to shovel and spread compost, set cold crop seedlings into the ground (lettuce, chard, etc.), and make plant markers (fun for kids!). Meet at the garden at St. Nick's at 9:30. Bring gloves, shovels and sturdy rakes. This will be the second growing season for the Community Garden which grows organic veggies and herbs for the food pantry. 

We are looking for a few helping hands for two workdays at two community garden locations, one at St. Max and one at St. Nick's: 

  WHEN:     8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 2nd 
  WHERE:  St. Max, 150 Black Point Road (Directions)
  BRING:     shovel, gloves, water  (if you can, a wheelbarrow is also helpful!) 


  WHEN:      9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 23rd  
  WHERE:   St. Nick's, 350 US Route One (Directions) 
  BRING:      shovel, gloves, water

Both events are rain or shine. Both will be moving lots of compost/earth into the gardens to help ready them for the growing season ahead. Pictured here: the new garden at St. Max!