AUGUSTA – The Harvest Fund at Maine Initiatives, which makes grants to projects linking sustainable agriculture with an end to hunger, has announced that it has made six grants totaling $9,000. They will go to:

Nezinscot Farm Young Farmers and New Farmers Program of Turner, for a young farmers’ mentoring program.

Avena Institute, West Rockport, for health education outreach.

Maine Farmland Trust, Bucksport, to keep a donated 1,000-acre lower Kennebec valley farm property in production through a program to “incubate” new farmers.

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, Unity, to assist dairy farmers in entering specialty markets.

Mount Desert Island High School, to establish a school gardening program.

Yarmouth Community Garden, to connect the garden to the local water system.

Maine Initiatives, a fund for change, cultivates social, economic and environmental justice through grants and other support to grassroots organizations. For more information on the Harvest or Maine Initiatives, call 622-6294 or visit www.maineinitiatives.org.