The Carrabassett Valley Public Library goes beyond just books in its service to the region, also housing a community garden where people have come together through volunteerism to exchange knowledge, make connections, learn new skills, and give back.
The garden project has an active ten-year history, originally spearheaded and fostered over the years by community member Pinky Slagel. This year, leadership was turned over to two new co-chairs, Chris Newell and David Reyneke. In a recent interview, David talked with Daily Bulldog Executive Director Andre Cormier about how rewarding it has been to contribute to the garden’s evolution within the community and to participate in the Master Gardener Volunteer Program with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
“This year we’ve been making an effort to get more people involved, and it’s been really rewarding. We’ve always had it open to volunteers who come through the library, but now we’ve built a website, and it’s a little more accessible to sign up… We’re keeping track of how much food we’re harvesting and donating, and we’re also working directly with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension to raise a little more awareness for the mutual aid we’re providing to the community.”
Carrabassett Valley Community Garden at the Carrabassett Valley Library. Photo courtesy of David Reyneke.
Donations are funneled to a food pantry in the Stratton/Eustis area, where about a dozen families are signed up to receive regular meals. The community garden is supplementing that program with fresh produce harvested every week. According to the project’s website, as of September 3rd over fifty-five pounds of produce had been donated and tracked this year alone.
Community gardens are becoming a local trend, with many similar projects in operation across Franklin County. This garden is different due to the partnership with and location at the local library, which helps tie it in with active community members. As David explained, the goals of the library fit in with the goals for the community garden.
“Andie [Andrea Debiasi] is the library director, and she is involved in the garden through raising awareness. There are tons of people in our community who are in the 65 plus demographic, and who have spare time and are looking for opportunities to get involved with programming and activities. It’s the perfect meeting place, and I think people in Carrabassett believe in the library and all the things it provides. The garden has capitalized on that and provided another way for people to get involved, and to help people out with fresh produce as well.”
When asked if accessibility for all was an intentional part of the garden design, David affirmed, “Very much so. As we’re opening it up to more folks, I’m noticing small things that can be improved. We do have raised beds, which are very helpful, but I’ve noticed that the gravel sometimes makes it hard for some people to walk around. So we’re making adjustments with things like flat pavers and trying to make it as accessible as possible. [We’re] also working on adding signage, and there are areas that are great for children as well, which aligns with some of the children’s programming we’ve had here.”
Project coordinators and helpers hold regular orientation sessions every Monday, where new volunteers come in and get a tour of the garden. Throughout the summer, there have also been group email communications, connecting volunteers to form a more cohesive group within a virtual space. “It’s a great way to find solutions and allow everyone to contribute to solving problems.”
Co-Chair Chris Newell commented via email, “My time with the Carrabassett Valley Community Garden began in 2024, when I assisted Pink Slagle and David Reyneke in assembling and filling the newly purchased raised beds. From there, I became involved in planting, watering, and harvesting the vegetables produced each week.
“I consider my strength to lie in the details of garden planning—crop rotation, winter planting, soil enhancement, and similar aspects. I’m particularly drawn to the aesthetics of the garden. To me, the garden, especially in such a visible, public location, is a work of art. It should not only be productive but also complement the library environment and be something beautiful for passersby to enjoy.”
When asked about future goals for the garden, David commented, “This is the first year that we’re trying to keep track of the amounts that we’re harvesting in real time, and we’re posting that information on the website, too. This year we’re just trying to do the best we can in terms of setting a good baseline, and then over the years the goal would be to maximize and build on that as much as we can. The biggest goal is to bring people together to learn and experiment and have some fun, and use it as a space to try new things. This year is the first year we’ve been a little more scientific. Chris did a soil test, we modified the soil according to the results, and we’ve just been diligent about spotting things and raising awareness about things for volunteers to look out for. Trying to maximize resources, keep track of things, and try to improve over time as a group.”
A collaborative group approach seems to have worked for the garden as part of a pest control strategy. David explained, “We haven’t really had too many beetles; I think we’ve just done a really good job of eliminating individual bugs as we see them. We try not to use pesticides. One of the things we’ve done a lot is just to be incredibly diligent and have eyes on it all the time. Squash vine-borers destroyed our squash last year, and they’re hard to spot because they hide in the vines, but again, with diligence this year, we’ve been able to keep things well-pruned, increasing air flow, avoiding leaves touching the ground, and things like that as prevention. Neem oil, sticky traps, diatomaceous earth, those are all great things to try. Squishing them is a good strategy! Row covers can work, mulching strategies, some things you can do to make it less hospitable to the larvae. I feel like every year we have these things that we’re trying to figure out, and sometimes no one has a concrete answer.”
‘As above, so below’ proves itself to be a true adage in this community garden, as David, Chris, and their team of volunteers follow recommendations made by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s soil testing service. Soil testing is often performed with the goal to improve nutrient availability, which impacts plant health as well as susceptibility to pests and disease. “Soil testing and being aware of the nutrient levels in the soil has been like a huge improvement for pretty much everything. I think last year we struggled with tomatoes and squash, and this year that’s turned around and doing incredibly well. We do well with celery and lettuce, and pole beans and peas in abundance. Luckily the food pantry can make use of extra.”
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