When did you first become involved in food gardening and who were some of your teachers?

When I was very young, my family had a small vegetable garden. I really didn’t like weeding it, but my dad made me. I loved picking warm tomatoes and bringing them into make tomato sandwiches. When we moved to Maine in 1981, I put in a vegetable garden and have been growing food every year since then.

What led or inspired you to become active in the Kennebunk Community Garden?

I grew up near Boston. I was intrigued by the downtown Community Garden and visited it in the 70’s. As a gardener and a Master Gardener, I heard from a friend that RJ Mere had approached the Kennebunk Selectmen to begin a Community Garden. I jumped onboard the committee in 2008. I became Chair in 2013.

What do you do when you’re not in the garden or during the off-season?

I have a 35 year old daughter with a myriad of special needs that still lives at home with us. A great deal of my time is taking care of her. In addition, I love spending time with our two standard poodles, quilting, skiing and volunteering.

As one of the garden’s coordinators, what has been one of the high points for you when you saw that the garden was really making a difference?

I love Kennebunk Community Garden Committee members! They are the most passionate group of people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. My high point is watching them share with newcomers what we do. I love just sitting back and observing the passion that flows out of them as they describe the last harvest, or the latest delivery to the food pantry, or taking a new person for a tour in one of our two gardens.

What are some of your hopes for the Kennebunk Community Garden future and what do you need to realize them?

We provide fresh organic produce 6 months a year to the Community Outreach Services food pantry. I would love to be able to extend that to 9 months. Additionally, our Committee really appreciates the Town of Kennebunk’s support of our mission. However, there are ongoing expenses. Our 10 year old raised beds need replacing and we really need a fence at our Park Street Garden.