It’s the third year for the Brunswick High School gardens, and this year the small plot adjacent to the school has been paying off with dividends.

For Brunswick High educator Jon Riggleman, it’s been a cycle of growth over the last few years, beginning with acidic blueberry barrens and converting it into rich soil for growing organic produce.

For a second year in a row, the school cafeteria has been able to take advantage of the hard work of BHS students, bringing fresh produce from garden to table in a matter of about 250 feet. Students are literally eating their vegetables within hours of them being harvested.

This year, the garden project will be able to sell much of its produce to the cafeteria, which serves up to 3,000 pounds of vegetables a year.

It’s not just the school that has benefited from the garden project. Becky Shepherd of Wild Oats on Maine Street purchased about $1,000 worth of produce from them and Riggleman said New Beet Market at Brunswick Landing buys up whatever they can.

Riggleman said they also donated 150 pounds of food to the food pantry in an effort to give back and recognize food insecurity in the community.

The money raised will go back into the program, which is underwritten by Seeds of Independence in hopes of becoming fully self-sufficient by what it produces each year.

Students from all across the school also benefit from the garden — not only in being able to get out in the fresh air, but science classes take and analyze soil samples and special education students also get to go out and participate in growing their own food.

Looking back to the days of Victory Gardens during World War II, Riggleman said people knew back then how to cultivate their own small crops. He’s hoping a trend will continue where those essential skills are brought back.

Class of 1999 graduate Ben Jacques finished the culinary institute and returned to prepare food for BHS.

“Basically, whatever Jon has, we put it on our salad bars — our deli bars,” Jacques said. “We appreciate all the hard work they do in the garden because all these fresh vegetables are so much better than the vendors.”

Florence Del Rossi has worked in the BHS cafeteria for 34 years and watched two of her own children graduate as Dragons.

Just some of what Del Rossi has already used from the garden includes squash, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, onions. Del Rossi said of her long tenure at BHS, “I love what I do and I have a lot of fun.”

Riggleman is now looking to the future and hoping for some help in planning it. Plans are in the works to find funding for a gardening specialist to help students get the most of their plot.

That, Riggleman said, includes losing the notion that the Maine planting season goes from Memorial Day until first frost. Riggleman said with green houses, hoop houses and covered rows, crops can be prepared in February and last well into the fall, creating a three season span for growing.