BELFAST — We have just finished the final harvest of the Waldo County Garden this year. I am pleased to report to the citizens in Waldo County that the total production for 2015 was 31.5 tons. Of this production, six tons went to the Waldo County YMCA. We shipped to approximately 20 different locations during the harvest season; food cupboards, soup kitchens, Manna in Bangor and several others. 

The garden has grown in the last five years beyond our expectations and for 2016 we anticipate a harvest of approximately 80,000 pounds. This task will be accomplished with equipment upgrades that will provide efficiencies that we do not have at present. This project would not enjoy the level of success that it has without the support of the clients of the Maine Coastal Regional Reentry  Center. Their dedication to this project was outstanding this year. They worked with enthusiasm and were very pleased to give something back to the County of Waldo.

I thank them for their hard work and dedication. Corporal Albert and Officer Wagner were the two individuals who assisted me with supervision this year, and I wish to express gratitude for their excellent assistance. We look forward to a very successful year in 2016, and if any citizen wants to stop by on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday to view the garden, you are more than welcome to do so. 

As an addition to the garden, last year we purchased 15 adult fruit trees — apple, pear, plum, cherry and peach. Two pear trees produced well this year but one morning I drove by and all the pears were gone. A little checking revealed that the crows had a very good feed, so we will have to use some netting on those next year. The important thing is that we had the opportunity this year to purchase another 30 apple trees at a very good price. They will start producing very well next year, so in the next year or so the County will have plenty of fruits that can be distributed along with the vegetables. 

If you have any questions about this project, you are welcome to call me at 322-7185 or email me at wmshory@myfairpoint.net.