JAY — Martina Eastman and Krista White walked across the grass in Eastman’s yard Monday toward a bed of daffodils, shears and a basket in hand.

Eastman of Jay and White of Livermore planned to cut at least 2,000 daffodils to sell for $5 per bunch of 10, with all of the profit going to the Tri-Town Ministerial Food Cupboard in Livermore Falls.

This is the third year the Flowers for Food campaign is being held.

The women previously participated in the American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days. When the society phased out the program, Eastman said she had her own daffodils in the yard and decided they could cut and sell them and give the proceeds to the food cupboard. The cupboard, which serves Jay, Livermore and Livermore Falls, uses their money wisely, she said.

The first year, they made $700, the second year, $900, and the hope is this year to make more, she said.

Daffodils continuously multiply so there is plenty to cut, Eastman said. Some of her daffodils were planted over 20 years ago, she said.

Most of the flowers will be sold at Food City in Livermore Falls, but they plan to sell from other other places also.

Daffodils are late this year because of the extended winter weather.

“I love this time of year when we can pick daffodils,” she said.

“The time is perfect for us with Mother’s Day on Sunday,” White said. “People will be in the mood.”

This year, they are tying the bunches with ribbons, she said.

The best time to pick daffodils is in the bud stage. They last longer, Eastman said, as she put a handful in the basket.

Once they finished cutting flowers at Eastman’s, they planned to go cut daffodils at Clyde Walton’s property in Fayette.

The women are doing the annual project in the memory of the late Marcel Castonguay of Jay who died May 4, 2013. Castonguay was well-known in the area and struggled with kidney failure and cancer over the years and removed himself from dialysis last year.

White asked Castonguay before he died if it was all right to do the daffodil project for the cupboard in memory of him, White said.

He liked the idea.

“He cared about our community so much,” she said. “Every spring I hope people think of daffodils and Marcel.”

dperry@sunjournal.com