Farmington volunteers are working on a new community garden.

FARMINGTON – Soon, local food pantries should be stocked with community grown vegetables from a new garden on land next to Franklin Memorial Hospital.

Thanks to the Healthy Community Coalition, in collaboration with the hospital, Western Maine Community Action and the Franklin County Cooperative Extension, the dream of a local vegetable garden is coming true.

The plot of land, between the Stanley Building and the hospital’s driveway, has been donated by the hospital – along with water for the garden and some staff members to attend to the garden tilling.

With the ground freshly plowed and and staked out, Eileen Liddy of the coalition hopes that seeding will take place later this week. Youth groups from the Old South Congregational Church in Farmington tending to the garden next week, followed by volunteers from Village Realty the week after. Weeding, planting, watering, re-staking and eventually, harvesting are just some of the jobs for the volunteers.

The brainchild of Farmington resident Barbara Marshall, the garden has received tremendous support from many in the community. Dave Fuller and master gardeners from Cooperative Extension have been planning the layout, while volunteer coordinator Dawn Girardin of Western Maine Community Action helped determine which vegetables are in demand.

Girardin has coordinated with several local food pantries, the Grow A Row program, and the Senior Farm Share program. Tomatoes, peppers, greens, carrots and squash are just some of the vegetables that will be grown.

The greens will be planted first and by mid-June, results should be popping up. Donations are being sought for tomato stakes, beanpoles and gardening tools as well as money donations to use to purchase topsoil and organic fertilizer. Teams of volunteers also are still needed to keep the garden growing.

“We have a lot of support, but not nearly enough for the whole season,” said Liddy. Anyone interested in simply helping out for a day is welcome to show up at the garden every Tuesday from 5 and 7 p.m.

People interested in signing up for a week to tend to the garden or who have items or funds to donate can contact Liddy at 645-3136, ext. 5113.

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