Thirteen freshmen from Boothbay Region High School trudged onto the Rittall farm in Boothbay bright and early on Wednesday, Oct. 14. They were there to fulfill their community service requirement for the year by “putting to bed” the community garden that had flourished during the summer.

Putting the garden to bed means pulling up all the plants, weeds, and assorted brush, then plowing the field. After the field is plowed, winter rye will be planted, which is considered a “cover crop.” The rye will hold the soil in place during the cold winter months and protect it from the wind and melting snow so it will be ready for a new garden next year.

The students were guided by garden co-chairperson Kris Rubio, who helped tend the garden all summer.

“The garden was started by Sarah Foulger and Holly Stover,” Rubio said. “It's part of the Boothbay Region Community Resources Council, and all the food went to garden helpers, the food pantry, and Food for Thought.”

The farmland is owned by Joan Rittall, who said it was her son Scott's idea to donate the land to be used.

“He's big into using the land for the community,” Rittall said.

Students had a lot of fun pulling up the plants, knocking the dirt off and piling them up. Many students were interested in the vegetables that were still on the vine, and were encouraged by Rubio and their teacher Tanya Hammond to take some with them (Hammond brought bags for this purpose).

Student Loren Genrich collected piles of tiny eggplant, while Savannah Sediry picked tomatoes and lettuce leaves. Several students collected parsley bunches and snacked on tomatoes — and squirted each other with them — in between hauling. Students were often seen running over to Rubio to ask about the different kinds of vegetables they found, and she was all too happy to teach them.

The garden was started in spring 2013 and is powered by donations of seeds and fertilizers from local businesses, and donations of time from community volunteers. According to Rittall and Rubio, there were a few people who volunteered their time constantly over the summer, and all of them (except for Rubio) were over the age of 70.

“Bruce and Enid Johnson were here all the time,” Rittall said. Enid Johnson is the other co-chairperson of the garden.

The other ninth graders were also providing community service around the region. Some were doing maintenance on the trails, some were at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens helping out there, while more still were at teacher Bryan Dionne's farm. A couple students were also helping more close to home at the elementary school, filling in for a pre-K teacher who was out sick.

The students helping at the Rittall farm included Mitch Andrews, Gerald Gagne, Hannah Witwicki, Riley Sullivan, Savannah Sediry, Alex Hibbard, Gabby Boord, Hannah Cola, Loren Genrich, Brett Hollowell, Tim Chappelle, George Swope and Alexis Davison.

This year the community garden, which has 25 rows, each 75 feet long, produced over 800 pounds of food. According to Rubio, one day this summer she picked 64 pounds of tomatoes. Those wishing to volunteer to help out next year can reach Rubio at 207-633-7377 or by email at krubio@myfairpoint.net.