Biddeford Community Gardens (BCG) has adopted a new organizational structure to help fulfill its mission of providing access to agricultural opportunities and nutritious fresh food to the city of Biddeford.

Volunteers are needed to help out.

BCG’s four sites — Mission Hill, Pierson’s Lane, William’s Court and Rotary Park — will now be collectively cared for and maintained by our Farm Team Members (you) to increase the community’s access to gardening space and maximize the harvest to fight food insecurity.

Mission Hill currently has 51 raised beds with some grandfathered in as rented boxes for individual gardeners. William’s Court has 25 raised garden beds and Rotary Park, Biddeford Community Gardens’
newest site, contains 30 raised beds and a 130′ x 40′ in-ground garden.

The Pierson’s Lane Children’s garden has 14 raised beds. In addition to growing produce for the surrounding neighborhood, Pierson’s Lane serves as a teaching garden for area children to learn the fundamentals of agriculture and nutrition.

The William’s Court Victory Garden pioneered BCG’s foray into dealing with food insecurity and paved the way for the pivot to a collective structure. During the 2021 growing season, some of the raised beds at William’s Court were collectively maintained in partnership with the Biddeford Food Pantry, Youth Full Maine, Bon Appetit Community Meals Program and Maine Meal Assistance. The produce grown helped supplement the needs of those they served.

“I would just like to say that the Williams Court Victory Garden has impacted our food pantry in a very positive and wonderful way,” said Biddeford Food Pantry Director Don Bisson. “Because of Holly Culloton and all of the volunteers who participated in the garden last summer, we have been the benefactors of fresh vegetables from the garden that we have given to our clients. This project is utterly important to our organization. We provide food for those who cannot afford to buy food for themselves and or their families.”

The collective cultivation of Biddeford Community Gardens’ remaining sites throughout the 2022 season will increase the scale of the harvest and better position the organization to fulfill its goal of providing a local, sustainable fresh food source for all to participate in and enjoy.

Eggplant, a variety of lettuces, peppers, cucumbers, squashes, potatoes, onions, kale, spinach and a collection of herbs are just a few of the crops planned for the gardens in the fast approaching 2022 growing season.

During the coming years an expanded choice of vegetables will be cultivated to better meet the needs of those these gardens serve. New sources/resources of seeds continue to crop up every year which brings more diversity, excitement and adventure to the community of gardeners.

In addition to garden cultivators and maintainers (the Farm Team), members are needed to help organize and run educational programs, community events and help in outreach and fundraising efforts.

For those interested in being involved, contact us at 207-730-1799 or desk@biddefordcommunitygardens.org, or visit the website: www.biddefordcommunitygardens.org and fill out an application.