NORWAY — On Saturday, Oct. 2, beginning at 1 p.m., the Alan Day Community Garden will be part of a program called “Growing Community Gardens,” a learning exchange for Western Maine Community Gardens, also sponsored by Communities Putting Prevention to Work (a program of PROP) and Healthy Oxford Hills. The day will culminate in a Harvest Party from 4 to 7 p.m. that will celebrate a successful summer season at the garden.

Community gardeners from western Maine will gather at the Norway Grange Hall at 1 p.m. for a showing of a gardening film. From 2 to 4 p.m., the group will cross-pollinate information and plant new ideas as they compare and contrast experiences and plans for a wide variety of community gardens.

After the meeting, festivities will move across Whitman Street to the Alan Day Community Garden. The three-acre parcel of land and its barn were owned by artist and community leader Alan Day (1954-2008) and is currently owned by his daughters, Emma and Ruby DayBranch.

Plans for the late afternoon include a potluck meal that uses food from the garden and home gardens. Plans are to build a campfire and share stories, music and drumming. The rain date will be Sunday, Oct. 3, at 4 p.m. Organizers also hope to share some tips for season extenders such as cold frames and hoop frames.

The garden also accepts donations to cover its expenses. Ann Day of Waitsfield, Vt., Day’s mother, and Gary and Meg Hirshberg of Concord, N.H., close friends of Alan’s, have offered the garden a $7,500 match challenge. Donations can be made by check to Alan Day Community Garden and sent c/o Ken Morse, Healthy Oxford Hills, 181 Main St., Norway, ME 04268. The garden will also accept donations of new or gently used rakes, shovels, hoes, manure forks, wheelbarrows, pruning sheets, scythes, saws, baskets, garden hoses and gardening books of all kinds.

Rocky Crockett, the 2010 garden coordinator, has welcomed dozens of visitors to the garden throughout the summer, and the project has attracted an array of volunteers. The garden has donated free fresh organic produce to the weekly community luncheon at the UU Church, the Oxford Hills Food Pantry and the Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Food Service. Also, anyone who volunteers at the garden gets to take home freshly grown food.

Everyone is welcome to participate in any of the events. For more information, call Ken at 739-6222, Rocky at 717-497-0625 or Lisa at 743-9808.