For six years, Twin Villages Food Bank Farm (TVFF) has been growing fresh produce to donate to food pantries and youth programs across Lincoln County. From the beginning, Great Salt Bay Community School (GSB) and FARMS at the Y have worked closely with TVFF. Students from GSB participate in planting and harvesting every year. FARMS at the Y joins students at the farm and puts them to work cooking tasty recipes with fresh-picked produce.

This year, these partnerships are growing with the construction of a new greenhouse at GSB and the expansion of the student garden at Coastal Rivers Round Top Farm. 

The greenhouse at GSB will allow students to be even more involved in the growing process. Starting next spring, students will grow the seedlings for planting in TVFF’s fields at Coastal Rivers Salt Bay Farm. In the fall, TVFF will be able to use the greenhouse to cure vegetables like onions and winter squash so that they last longer into the winter months.  

The expanded student garden at Round Top Farm will be jointly cared for by TVFF staff, GSB students and FARMS at the Y. Students will grow and harvest lettuce, basil, peppers, green beans and peas with support from teachers and program staff. This produce will be used for programming at FARMS at the Y and distributed to food pantries in Lincoln County. 

Thanks to Coastal Rivers’ accessible trail from Whaleback Shell Midden to Round Top Farm, the student garden is a just a short walk from GSB.

FARMS at the Y’s mission is to provide education about good nutrition and the role of local farms in promoting healthy, sustainable communities, and to excite and educate people of all ages about the value and joy of growing, preparing and eating healthy local foods. For more information, visit clcymca.org/farms-at-the-y.

Twin Villages Foodbank Farm’s mission is to grow and distribute healthy food for those who need it most in Lincoln County. The farm serves food pantries in Boothbay, Damariscotta/Newcastle, Jefferson, New Harbor, Waldoboro, Whitefield, and Wiscasset, and youth food programs including FARMS at the Y, the YMCA daycare, Newcastle Head Start, and several weekend school backpack programs.

To learn more about the farm or to make a secure online donation, visit twinvillagesfarm.org