FARMINGTON — The crop is bountiful this year, according to volunteers at Stone Soup Gardens who plant, weed and pick in the sunny, peaceful setting of the garden.

About 20 or more volunteers have pooled their efforts for the garden located at LEAP’s Oliver House property off the Farmington Falls Road, Volunteer Coordinator Carlene Wilbur said.

Three of those volunteers, Wilbur, Marge Taylor of Farmington and Ann Crafts of Jay, gather early on Monday mornings to work in the garden. They returned to the garden Tuesday to talk about the effort and the benefits reaped.

Produce is offered free to clients of the program. It’s also sold to employees of Life Enrichment Advancing People Inc. at “bargain basement prices” as part of the company’s wellness program, Wilbur said.

“We support anything to do with wellness,” she said of produce grown nearby and sold at prices to entice healthy eating.

The funds raised from sales were used to purchase seven blueberry bushes already planted near the garden. More may be added, she said.

In 2009, the University of Maine at Farmington joined LEAP to develop the Stone Soup Gardens on the 40-acre property to help teach students, LEAP clients and others the nutritional and environmental benefits of eating local food through gardening and food preservation.

“It’s good stewardship of the land we do have,” she said of the property that also offers fitness trails with exercise stations. “These open to the public this fall. We want to give back and share with the community.”

The garden offers space for individuals to raise their own produce. Six took advantage of the offer this year, hopefully more will next year, she said.

Raised beds were not available in time for planting this year but will be next year.

Some LEAP employees volunteer regularly to make improvements on the property. Wilbur retired from her work at LEAP. Taylor is still an employee, and Crafts became involved as a friend of Wilbur’s.

“It’s not work. It’s an act of love,” Crafts said. “It’s so peaceful here.”

The reason behind LEAP’s development of the property includes “encouraging healthy behaviors in staff and individuals supported, laying the groundwork for future jobs or volunteer opportunities, and giving back to our communities, which give so much to LEAP,” LEAP Executive Director Darryl Wood said in an email.

The garden effort is especially helped by employees Larry Lord and Megan Goodine, Wilbur said. Lord is right there to help the volunteers, and Goodine makes pickles to sell along with the produce.

Local farmer Conrad Bailey ensures a well-fertilized garden spot in trade for mowing rights on the property.

The always-sunny spot and plenty of bees also help, Crafts said.

The garden has slowly developed over the last few years. A bunch of people got together last year to help plant, Wilbur said. 

Five promising rows of string beans neared harvest time, but a mother deer and her baby beat them to it. 

“It was like they used a pair of scissors and cut them off,” she said. “I could have cried, but we had a wonderful crop of cucumbers to make up for it.”

Deer and other wildlife freely roam the property and can often be seen along the wooded trails. They are not afraid — they’ve been here too long, Crafts said.

A fence now protects the garden and heirloom apple trees purchased with the help of a grant, Wilbur said.

Wildlife and natural habitats can be seen along the trails, which end in a maze, she said. Does with twins and triplets have been seen.

Along with a resident home, trails and gardens, LEAP uses the property for client barbecues, snow sledding, and other company and client activities.

abryant@sunjournal.com

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