Healthy Acadia’s Downeast Restorative Harvest (DERH) is an innovative community garden program on Broadway in Machias working in partnership with the Washington County Jail, the Maine Department of Corrections, and other partners. Activities include and are not limited to: ground and soil preparation, planting, cultivation, weeding, pruning, trimming and harvesting of crops. We have drip irrigation and a double layer of electric fence to prevent predation. Some heavy lifting into and out of wheelbarrows may be needed but we can and do accommodate needs. This will be our second season in production with 1,700 row feet of beds that will be growing peas, tomatoes, winter squash, onions, carrots, beans and many other crops. Our first growing season was a huge success with over 3,500 pounds of produce going to the Washington County Jail and the Machias Area Food Pantry. We may be installing the 30×96 foot hoophouse during the 2025 growing season so there is a possibility of indoor production of hot weather loving crops and then greens for the fall. We are happy to adapt tasks to suit the MGV’s interests and needs. We engage members of the recovery community, agriculture educators, and other community members in growing food for the county jail’s kitchen as well as for donation to local food assistance programs. The garden is managed by our Food Programs Manager, Regina Grabrovac who has decades of gardening, farming and homesteading experience. Volunteer times will be Tuesdays and Thursdays 8-10am and some Saturday mornings.<\/p>\n