The River Run Church of the Nazarene, assisted by a University of Maine Cooperative Extension staff member, planned, planted, managed, and harvested a community garden in Detroit, Maine for the second year.  Additional funding from the Kohl’s Cares About ME Program this year helped the River Run Church of the Nazarene expand its capacity, through the community garden project, to address food insecurity issues in the Sebasticook Valley area.

A commitment of time and energy from a core group of six volunteers, from four area towns, made this project possible.  Additionally, this core group was assisted by seven other community volunteers during the 2017 growing season.

This year, about 1250 pounds of garden produce was harvested and distributed to area residents from the twenty 3X5 raised beds in the community garden.  Twenty five households, from eight different area towns, received garden produce throughout the growing season.  Five multi-generational families, nine adult households, three families with children, five elderly person households, and three single individual households were served in 2017.  These households reflected a total of at least 60 people.  A few of the households received produce once or twice during the growing season, but most households received produce on a regular basis throughout the season.

In the fall, we prepared the beds for the winter months.  We are currently making plans for the 2018 growing season.