By Dave Dyer

Staff Writer

Volunteers broke out their hoes and garden gloves Saturday to help grow a Maine staple food for a good cause.

Potatoes planted by local residents and harvested at Rippling Waters Farm in Standish will go to area food pantries, said farm owner Richard Rudolph. This is the seventh year the farm has hosted its “Potato Planting Day.”

Rudolph said about 30 volunteers helped plant throughout the day, which cuts much of the time it takes the farm staff to plant potatoes. The staff cut small potatoes to plant in a field behind the farm, while volunteers raked rows for the potatoes to be planted then covered them with dirt, mulch and hay. Farm Manager Julee Applegarth said she hopes the mulch and hay will deter the Colorado potato beetles, which ate more than a quarter of last year’s crop. 

While food pantries throughout the area receive donations of produce from various sources, it is quickly distributed.

Bonny Eagle student Patty Wakefield said she volunteered to enjoy the outdoors and hopes to have a job at the farm.

“I like to be outdoors,” Wakefield said. “There’s not a lot of jobs where you can do that, but I like farming.”

Bob Tims of Cornish and his daughter Kathleen volunteered for an educational experience.

“We just wanted to support Rippling Waters and learn about planting veggies,” Bob Tims said.

Rippling Waters, a nonprofit organic farm, donated more than 10,000 pounds of produce last year to food pantries, and has a goal to double the number in 2009. He said food pantries have had trouble having access to fresh produce.

“Food pantries do what they can, but a lot of it is processed food,” Rudolph said.

Rippling Waters donates its produce to Catherine’s Cupboard in Steep Falls, Saint Matthew’s Church in Limerick, the Root Cellar in Portland, as well as food pantries in Hollis, Buxton and Kezar Falls.

Rudolph said potatoes are popular for their nutritional value and multiple uses. He said they can also replenish quickly; 10 pounds of potatoes can grow for every pound of potatoes planted.

Bob Nichols of the Saco Food Pantry said in the past year, about 7,000 people used the food pantry. The pantry has received 16 new families in April alone, he said. While the pantry receives produce donations from Hannaford, it goes fast.

Kathy Duke of the Stone Soup Food Pantry in Biddeford said she typically receives produce from Hannaford Supermarket, however, the amount of produce received varies day to day. She said the pantry is open to receive produce from anyone, as they have recently received donations from both the John F. Kennedy Memorial School and Biddeford Middle School.

Lt. Raymond Knous of the Salvation Army Food Pantry in Sanford said he receives large portions of produce from  Hannaford in Waterboro. The pantry gives away produce and bread for free. 

“[Produce] goes pretty quickly,” he said.

Knous said the Salvation Army Food Pantry also receives produce from farmers and residents during spring and summer while their crops grow.

In addition to its work with local food pantries, Rippling Waters also has helped educate with local students about nutrition.

The farm helped students begin class gardens at Steep Falls Elementary School and George E. Jack Elementary School in Standish, and raised money for a Bonny Eagle Middle School greenhouse. The greenhouse was designed so students could grow vegetables for the school lunch program.

Rudolph said money for construction costs of the more than $48,000 greenhouse has been raised, thanks to a recent benefit dinner and live auction.

Staff writer Dave Dyer can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.

Need food or want to help?

Here’s a partial list of food pantries in York County. For a complete list, visit www.maine.gov/agriculture/co/tefap/York.shtml.

Kennebunk

• Kennebunk Social Services, West Kennebunk United Methodist Church, 160 Alfred Road, second Tuesdays, 1 p.m., 985-3786 ext. 1342.

Limerick

• Faith Christian Center Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen, 143 Washington St. (Route 11), Wednesday soup kitchen, Fridays 6 to 7 p.m. and 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., 793-8444.

• St. Matthew's Food Pantry, 19 Dora Lane, first Mondays 7-9 p.m., 10 a.m.-noon first and third Tuesdays and second Fridays, 793-2244.

Lyman

• Lyman/Dayton Community Food Pantry, South 1 St., Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to Noon, 499-0149.

Old Orchard Beach

• Jeanne Davis Memorial Food Pantry, Washington Avenue, Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 to 11 a.m.

Sanford

• Free Meals Kitchen, Sanford Unitarian Church, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 324-8811.

• Sanford Food Pantry, 29 River St., Mondays, 10 a.m.-noon, 490-2397. 

• The Salvation Army Food Pantry, 191 Main St., Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 324-3134.

Springvale

• Free Meals Kitchen of Springvale, Springvale First Baptist Church, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 324-8811.

– Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources