NORWAY — The Alan Day Community Garden effort will hold its fourth open community meeting from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at the Unitarian Universalist Church, Main Street. The meeting is free and open to all who are interested in the effort to build a community garden on a three-acre parcel of land on Whitman Street in Norway.

The land was owned by Alan Day (1954-2008) who dedicated his life to causes of peace, community, art, nonviolence and harmony with the natural world.

Last spring and summer, volunteers worked on the land, scything, mowing, cleaning, planting and creating paths. They built three raised beds and cleared the barn. Participants “listened to the land” as they imagined what it could become over the next decade. The effort has been guided by the principles of permaculture, a method of design based on ecology and community.

At the first community meeting in September, small groups saw photos of community gardens all over the world and brainstormed qualities and images of the future garden. At the second meeting, participants worked on the mission statement, reviewed principles of permaculture and discussed preliminary designs.

At the third meeting in January, five work groups made plans for the summer in the areas of water catchment, soil and composting, signage, design and outreach. At the upcoming meeting, organizers hope to further develop specific plans to make the garden grow this summer.

Also in January, the group agreed on its mission as follows: “to cooperatively create an educational demonstration garden using organic, sustainable methods to support an enduring community food system.”

Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting. For more information, call Ken Morse, Healthy Oxford Hills, at 739-6222 or e-mail Seal Rossignol at [email protected].