The West Kennebunk Community Garden is located at 50 Holland Road in West Kennebunk. 

Community Garden Guidelines

The working premise for our renter rules is simple — be a good neighbor and an active member of our garden community. Tending your plots well, keeping them weeded and harvested — and fulfilling your volunteer commitment — will make an invaluable contribution to our community garden and the Maine Harvest for Hunger program. Please review these guidelines carefully; your signature on the accompanying "Town of Kennebunk Community Garden Waiver and Release for Participants" implies acceptance of these guidelines.

Garden Regulations

Plots are the property of the Kennebunk Community Garden Committee, under the auspices of the Town of Kennebunk. Renting a garden plot at a Kennebunk Community Garden is a privilege. The Kennebunk Community Garden Committee, which is staffed SOLELY by volunteers, reserves the right to revoke the privilege of any gardener at any time for any reason it deems appropriate.

This is an organic-only garden; pesticides and herbicides are not allowed. Please see the Organic Garden Product list of Acceptable and Unacceptable products that may be used in our gardens. This list is available as part of the online Application Kit.  Growing cannabis in the community garden (public land) is strictly prohibited.

Smoking is prohibited anywhere in the garden vicinity, including parking area. No pets allowed in garden growing area; pet waste must be immediately cleaned up in other areas. Children allowed in or around garden only with parental control. Use radios or other music only with earphones. Please refrain from speaking on your cell phone while in the garden.

Plot Rental

 
Seasonal gardeners may rent one (approximate) 10’ x 10’ plot based on availability. The cost is $35 per 10’ x 10’ plot. Checks are payable to the Town of Kennebunk. Seasonal gardeners are required to give six (6) hours of volunteer time per 10’ x 10’ plot/season. Volunteer time is expected to be fulfilled by the specific individual renters.

Permanent gardeners may rent one (approximate) 10' x 20' plot based on availability.* The cost is $70 per 10’ x 20’ plot. Permanent gardeners are required to give 12 hours of volunteer time per 10’ x 20’ plot/season. Volunteer time is expected to be fulfilled by the specific individual renters.

Each seasonal or permanent plot can be rented by two non-family individuals or a family. No sub-leasing of plots is allowed. Gardeners may not hand off the gardening of their plot to another gardener.

Seasonal gardeners only: All seasonal plots must be cleared of structures and crops by the garden closing date (determined by the Committee), so that the garden can be tilled and prepared for next season. Trees and shrubs are not allowed. Perennials are allowed; however, they must be pulled out in the fall for rototilling. No raised beds or pressure treated lumber allowed in seasonal plots.

All gardeners: Keep vines out of neighboring plots. Please consider the effect of shading on neighboring plots when planting tall crops such as corn or sunflowers, and locate plants appropriately (plant in center of plot, for example). Use designated compost barrels for healthy weeds. Use trash can for trash. No growing produce for commercial purposes.

Volunteer Hours and Expectations

 
The Garden is open from late May (typically Memorial Day Weekend) through mid-October, and as such, there is an ongoing need for volunteer help throughout the season. Gardeners are expected to fulfill their volunteer commitment over the course of the season. Gardeners are also expected to take the responsibility to inquire about work tasks and/or to volunteer to participate in the Adopt-a-Bed program and weekly MHH harvests. The gardeners are responsible for emailing the Garden Coordinator their completed volunteer hours. The Garden Coordinator will maintain a record of volunteer hours per gardener. Volunteer time for either type of plot is expected to be fulfilled in increments of 30 minutes. Hours submitted need to include the date, the amount of time volunteered and general tasks performed. Total volunteer hours are included in various grant applications.

The Committee expects each rented plot to be partially planted by the first Sunday in June (two weeks following Memorial Day Weekend). If there are any plots that have not been partially planted by the first Sunday in June, those plots will be re-assigned to people on the waiting list. This date will give the Committee the flexibility to re-rent the plot and allow enough time for the new gardener to plant.

The Committee expects gardeners to maintain their gardens to the best of their abilities, including periodic weeding and timely harvesting. Throughout the season, for those gardens not being properly maintained, the Committee will give two written warnings (via email) to the gardener(s) and will take every measure to contact the gardener prior to the garden being deemed abandoned and harvested. The Committee reserves the right to deem the garden abandoned and take it over, harvesting the produce for Maine Harvest for Hunger (MHH). No refunds will be made, no exceptions. The individual(s) whose privilege was revoked may not, at any time, re-rent space at any Kennebunk Community Garden.

The Committee requests that any gardener who will be out of town or unable to harvest their produce for an extended period of time notify the Garden Coordinator that produce is available for MHH harvesting.

Gardeners will be contacted via email regarding general garden news, including work parties, pot-luck socials, harvest dates, and garden opening and closing dates. This is the sole form of communication from the Committee and as such, the Committee expects gardeners to have an active email address and to read communications on a periodic basis.

* Due to the configuration of the garden, there are a few permanent plots that measure less than 10' x 20'. This does not affect rental fees or number of required volunteer hours.