By Nate Jones

Staff Writer 

Last summer, three people asked Judy Bullard and Pam Anderson if they could grow a few extra greens in their garden at their home in Scarborough. They did, and had no idea what they were in for. 

“We kind of started this thing on faith,” Anderson said. “We didn’t realize how important it would be.”

Last year, they agreed to provide food for 10 people as “Deep Roots Farm,” a community supported agriculture farm and a member of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. To grow the food necessary, more than three-quarters of their two-acre lot was converted from grassy lawn to nutrient-rich turf laden with seeds.

“Now we drive by these houses with these huge lawns that they have to mow and we just want to walk up to whoever owns all that land and say, ‘Tired of mowing? Plant it,’” Anderson said. “There are even people who lease portions of their land for other people to farm.”

This year, Bullard and Anderson have committed to providing 30 greater Portland residents with fresh peas, squash, beets, broccoli, garlic, onions, strawberries, dried black beans, lettuce, tomatoes and a wide variety of salad greens – their specialty. Anderson said their farm is organic, but hasn’t yet gone through the process of becoming a certified organic farm. 

“They come out and do an inspection, you have to pay a fee and go through the application,” she said. “It’s quite a process.”

Bullard said word of their new venture spread quickly and before long they had clients for all of their shares and were still receiving calls. Last year, she said they only took 10 shares to make sure they had the ability to produce enough food. Bullard said some of the crop is lost to weather conditions every year, and clients take a slight risk by buying their shares before the growing season. Although loss is inevitable, Bullard said she makes sure to plant more than they will need, which is enough produce for 30 people this year. 

“We have 800 onions, 200 tomato plants and 600 garlic plants,” Bullard, who tends the crops during the week, said. “It’s pretty much a full time job making sure everything gets what it needs.” 

The pair said they decided to expand their gardening capabilities last summer once they realized how much demand there was for locally-grown food; they have filled their quota for food shares months in advance of the growing season and said they plan to continue to be loyal to their shareholders. 

“For a while people were satisfied with their food coming from the supermarket, now they’re asking where it is from,” Bullard said. “Others are worried about the food supply. Everyone’s into it for a different reason.”

The pair attributed the need to the rise of the “green generation” and the tough economy. As a Community Supported Agriculture Program participant, Deep Roots farm accepts payment for farm shares before the growing season and provides clients with 18 weeks worth of produce. Bullard said the shares cost $325 and can provide for up to three people.

“It could be a husband and a wife with a child or just a couple,” she said. “Then again, it could be a single person who eats a lot of greens.” 

After living in Scarborough for nearly 20 years, Bullard and Anderson said Deep Roots Farm is also how they are able to give back to the community. 

They said the farm has yet to turn a profit from food sales, but being able to foster a sense of community with their neighbors and other farmers makes the financial obligations of converting once-residential property into a working farm worth it. 

“We don’t have a tractor, we don’t have the high-tech equipment, because we chose not to go that route. What really appealed to us was the concept of a community supported farm,” Bullard said. “And when people come in and take what they need, it feels like an equal return.”

Bullard, who grew up on a working farm in Vermont, said the farm pays her back in other ways.

“I love doing things in nature,” she said. “When you wake up and love going out to your job, that’s it for me. Even if it’s cold, rainy or hot, you have to like all of the elements.”

To learn more about Deep Roots Farm or to check the availability of food shares, call 653-8089 or visit www.deeprootsfarm.net.

   Staff Writer Nate Jones may be reached at 282-4337 ext. 233.