Scarborough Community Garden
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First Harvest - Chives!

5/29/2017

 
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St Nick's Gardeners Plant the Lettuce

5/14/2017

 
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. 
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Need Plants?

5/12/2017

 
Check out these two annual plant sales! They are sponsored by friends of our garden! We get lots of help and good advice from the Scarborough Garden Club and we are a recipient of "Seed Grants" from the Master Gardeners. We hope you'll support them, because they've been supporting us since we planted our first crops.
May 20 at the Barron Center - Cumberland County Master Gardeners
June 3 at the Hunnewell House - Scarborough Garden Club

Keller Williams RED Day in the Garden

5/11/2017

 
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!

From this....

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To this... in about 2 hours!  Wow!

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Green for the Garden

4/30/2017

 
Project GRACE has been applying for grants for the garden, and we're very pleased to be awarded a "Seed Grant" from the Cumberland County Master Gardeners. It's one of several that help us put the green into our garden efforts.Thank you!

Come See Us at ACE's Garden Party

4/15/2017

 
We hope you'll stop by ACE Hardware at Oak Hill on Wednesday, April 26th (4pm-7pm) for the 5th annual garden party! We're sharing a table with the Scarborough Garden Club and the Cumberland County Master Gardeners. Stop by for soil test kits and some planting advice, too!  Click here for more info, coupons.
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Garden Work Day

4/8/2017

 
The snow's barely melted, but we're planning our 2017 growing season!  First task on the list is to roto-till the leaves and compost added last fall as we put the garden to bed. Then we'll be ready for our first work day to spread compost, lay paths, and plot our planting plan.

Save the Date: Thursday, May 11th 2pm

Our friends at Keller-Williams will be volunteering for the garden as part of their annual "RED Days". 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, and we were happy to respond with an invitation to have them help us get the garden ready for season!

No Foolin, We're Harvesting for Hunger

4/1/2017

 
Maine Harvest for Hunger is a program of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension that encourages gardeners to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to hungry people in Maine. The Scarborough Community Garden weighs our harvests each week and reports the totals to Maine Harvest to Hunger. Did you know, nearly 1 in every 4 Maine children, are food insecure.   To learn more about Harvest for Hunger, click here!

Harvest Total (2016 Season)

10/28/2016

 

482 1/2 pounds

October 2016 - 22 pounds
September 2016 - 121 pounds
August 2016 - 113 pounds
July 2016 -- 101 pounds
May & June 2016 -- 125 1/2 pounds
Where is all that food going?

To our neighbors at the Scarborough Food Pantry!
Recently Overheard at the Pantry:
"I haven't had these in such a long time, they are so expensive." (talking about just-picked fresh green beans)

"Wow, that all looks really nice. It's great for someone like me - I'm a vegetarian." 

"Thank you, gardeners, you keep on growing. It's wonderful what you are doing. I'm diabetic, and I'm trying to eat right."

"The kids really love these." (talking about cucumbers)

"Having a recipe is really helpful. I haven't tried that before." (talking about kale)

"This must be really fresh; it still has some dirt on it!" (talking about beets just pulled from the garden)

End of Season Harvest Totals

10/25/2016

 
OCTOBER TOTAL: 22 pounds
WEEK TWENTY-TWO: October 20
2.2 lbs leeks
8 lbs celery
2.1 lbs kale
1.10 lbs lettuce
plus eggplant and peppers

14 pounds

WEEK TWENTY-ONE: October 11 & 13
no harvest
WEEK TWENTY: October 4 & 6
3 lbs kale and chard
1 lb lettuce
3 lbs tomatoes
1 lb peppers
herbs

8 pounds

Young Gardeners Plant Herb Pots for Pantry

10/1/2016

 
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!
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August & September Harvest Totals

8/2/2016

 
SEPTEMBER TOTAL: 121 pounds
AUGUST TOTAL: 113 1/4 pounds
WEEK EIGHTEEN: September 20 & 22
41 lbs tomatoes
8 lbs carrots
9 lbs kale, sw chard, mustard greens
5 lbs zucchini, squash, cukes, eggplant
3 lbs green and yellow beans
3 lbs sweet and hot peppers
1 lb herbs

70 pounds

WEEK SEVENTEEN: September 15
16 lbs tomatoes
4 lbs beans
9 lbs cukes, squash, eggplant
3 lbs carrots
2 lbs peppers
3 lbs kale and chard
1 lb herbs

38 pounds

WEEK SIXTEEN: September 6 & 8, 2016
11 lbs kale and chard and herbs
2 lbs mixed vegetables

13 pounds

WEEK  FIFTEEN: August 30 & September 1, 2016
20 1/2  lbs mixed vegetables and herbs
8 lbs tomatoes

28 pounds

WEEK FOURTEEN: August 25, 2016
17 lbs mixed vegetables
2 1/2 lbs kale and sw chard
1 1/4 lbs herbs

20 3/4 pounds

WEEK THIRTEEN: August 16 & 18, 2016
2 1/2 lbs kale
1 1/2 lbs sw chard
1 lb lettuce
7 lbs mixed vegetables
1/2 lb herbs

12 1/2 pounds

WEEK TWELVE: August 9 & 11, 2016
3 1/2 lbs beans
9 lbs kale
9 lbs sw chard
6 1/2 lbs eggplant, squash, cukes, peppers
1/2 lb basil

28 1/2 pounds

WEEK ELEVEN: August 2, 2016
8 lbs yellow and green beans
4.5 lbs garlic
4.5 lbs mixed vegetables (cukes, peppers, beets)
2.5 lbs kale
2 lbs chard
2 lbs basil

23 1/2 pounds

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July Harvest Totals

7/28/2016

 
JULY TOTAL: 101 POUNDS
WEEK TEN  July 26 & 28, 2016
5 1/2 lbs green and yellow beans
5 1/2 lbs cucumbers
10 lbs zucchini
8 lbs chard
7 lbs beets
4 lbs lettuce
7 lbs kale
2 lb peppers (sweet and hot)
1 lb mixed herbs (basil, thyme, cilantro)

50 pounds

WEEK NINE: July 19 & 21, 2016
5 lbs kale
2 lbs beans
2 1/2 lbs chard
6 lbs mixed veggies (zucchini, squash, cukes, peppers)
5 1/2 lbs beets
2 lbs lettuce
1 1/2 lbs mixed herbs (a lot of basil) and garlic scapes

24 pounds

WEEK EIGHT: July 14, 2016
2 lbs Swiss chard
2 lbs kale
3 1/2 lbs mixed vegetables (beans, peas, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers)
4 1/2 lbs beets (!)

13 pounds

WEEK SEVEN: July 7, 2016
7 lbs kale
4 lbs Swiss chard
2 lbs assorted vegetables (zucchini, peas)
Mixed herbs

14 pounds


Counting the pounds at each harvest is fun, but we'd rather pick the squashes and zucchinis when they are small - they just taste better that way.

What's Growing On: Community Garden Update

7/18/2016

 
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This is our second season of growing for the community, and we're pleased to report that thanks to an abundance of great compost, helping hands, and an earlier start, we were able to harvest before Memorial Day, a full month earlier than last season.

We've had a few ups and downs along the way: we had just spread about six yards of locally made 'surf'n'turf" compost, laid down some paths, and planted our early cold crops of spinach, kale, and peas...then oh, no! Snow!  A few weeks later, we were celebrating the awesomeness of our spinach and lettuce harvests. What do they say about pride? Just as we were anticipating a second crop of lettuce, a wiley invader snuck in and ate it all up. All of it. Every. Single. Head.

But on the whole things have been good in the garden. There are more herbs, which do a lot to wake up a meal that starts from a box or can. We've added new crops like bok choy, leeks, and garlic - the scapes are fantastically artful as well as tasty. It's now mid-July, and we're at week 9 with a dozen or so harvest days. Cold crops like spinach are giving way to summer treats like basil, peppers, and just-picked-can't-getter-better-than-that green beans. There is joy, too. Lots of joy.

The Garden is Growing for Maine Harvest for Hunger

7/1/2016

 
Maine Harvest for Hunger is a program of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension that encourages gardeners to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to hungry people in Maine. The Scarborough Community Garden weighs our harvests each week and reports the totals to Maine Harvest to Hunger. Did you know: Maine ranks 17th in the nation and 1st in New England in terms of  food insecurity (hunger). 24%, or nearly 1 in every 4 children, are food insecure.
To learn more about Harvest for Hunger, click here!
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We think Master Gardeners are awesome -- they helped us get our garden ready to plant last year, and this year awarded a seed grant to help us keep growing. Thank you!
Click here to learn more about hunger in Maine, in our communities, and why we grow for the Scarborough Food Pantry. There is a great link to PBS videos, including "Portraits of America's Hungry".

Harvest Totals (so far...)

6/30/2016

 
MAY & JUNE TOTAL:  125 1/2 pounds
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WEEK SIX:  JUNE 30 & 28, 2016
9 lbs kale
13 lbs Swiss chard
1 1/2 lbs beans, broccoli, cucumber
1 lb assorted herbs (basil, parsley, thyme, dill) and garlic scapes

24 1/2 pounds

WEEK FIVE: JUNE 21 & 23, 2016
6 lbs Bok Choy and Asian Greens
8 lbs kale
6 lbs Swiss chard
7 lbs romaine lettuce
1/2 lb broccoli
2 1/2 lbs mixed herbs and garlic scapes

30 pounds

WEEK FOUR: June 14, 2016
23 lbs assorted red and green lettuces
15 lbs Swiss chard
3 lbs kale
15 oz parsley, chives, basil

41 pounds

WEEK THREE: June 7, 2016
2 1/2 lbs Swiss chard
8 lbs romaine and red leaf lettuce
5 lbs spinach
assorted herbs

15 1/2 pounds

WEEK TWO: May 31, 2016
4 1/2 lbs spinach
2 lbs Swiss chard
3 lbs lettuce
20 oz parsley and chives

10 pounds

WEEK ONE: May 24 & 26, 2016
Spinach! 

5 pounds

Gardeners Needed

6/30/2016

 
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.
Sign Up Form
CURRENT VOLUNTEER NEEDS
HARVEST VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TUESDAY MORNINGS (8:15 - 9:15 a.m. weekly)
HARVEST FEST VOLUNTEERS NEEDED SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2016
WEEDING VOLUNTEERS NEEDED WEDNESDAYS

Recipes for an Abundance of Kale & Chard

6/7/2016

 
Kale Salad
Kale  Leaves (chopped very small)
Cranberries
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Dressing: 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, salt & pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Italian herb mix, 2 garlic cloves (chopped fine), 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger.

Pour dressing over salad ingredients, serve, and enjoy!
Swiss Chard with Raisins
1 large bunch of Swiss chard, 1/3 cup raisins, and 1/4 cup of your favorite nuts

Dressing: 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and dash of pepper

>>MORE
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Read More

Green for the Garden (Thank you!)

6/6/2016

 
The Higgins Beach Association recently held their 'welcome back' auction and supper for its members, a time to catch up on what's been happening here and away. The annual event included a silent auction for which members of the neighborhood association collected great prizes from local artists and businesses. With good-natured and spirited bidding, members of the HBA raised a very generous donation for Project GRACE. While much of the gift is designated for fuel assistance, once again, a portion of the gift will also be used to help the Community Garden grow. Thank you, neighbors!
The Cumberland County Master Gardeners, Walmart Foundation and Sibley-Saltonstall Foundation awarded Project GRACE grants in support of its community nutrition work, including the Community Garden. Thanks to this key support, we can plant and grow. Thank you!
St. Nicholas Episcopal Church also renewed their support for the garden, pledging to cover the water bill again. Thank you!
We also appreciate the gifts in kind and discounts that allowed us to get supplies, seedlings, and compost for the garden. Thank you:  Jordan's Farm, Green Spark Farm, Highland Avenue Greenhouses, Broadway Gardens, Flaherty Farm, O'Donal's, and Scarborough's ACE Hardware.

Did you see us at Rotary's "Touch a Truck"?

6/4/2016

 
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.
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