CUMBERLAND — With more frequent harvesting coming up, the stewards of the Cumberland Community Garden are looking for more people to lend a hand.

The Town Council in March 2011 unanimously supported establishment of a community garden at the Twin Brook Recreation Area. Karyn Marden of Cumberland Foreside, who heads the garden’s steering committee, said the group started last year with a 100-foot by 80-foot garden.

Due to the heavy amount of clay in the soil, the group was only able to plant in a third of that space, Marden said. It donated more than 1,200 pounds of produce, including tomatoes, cucumbers, summer squash and potatoes, to food pantries in Cumberland, Freeport and Portland.

This year the focus is primarily on Cumberland. The group is now able to plant in the entire garden, and produce from half of that space is being donated to those in need.

“We’ll have a lot more than last year,” Marden said.

The remainder of the garden is primarily rental plots – there are now 10 – with space also dedicated to a children’s program.

“There are so many kids that are going into sustainable agriculture; it’s such a hot field right now,” Marden said. “Our goal is to get the schools more involved (with the garden).”

Bobbi MacCallum of Cumberland, a master gardener and volunteer, is at the garden each Thursday from 8:30-10 a.m. to oversee volunteer activities. Produce is taken to the Cumberland pantry afterward. If people want to participate at a different time, they can contact Marden at 781-8249.

Help is needed with everything form weeding, to working on a garden website.

The garden is at the Tuttle Road side of Twin Brook, and no experience is necessary to help.

“That’s how everybody starts,” Marden said. “… We really appreciate any help, any age.”

Log onto facebook.com/cumberlandcommunitygarden and cumberlandcommunitygarden.blogspot.com for more information.

Alex Lear can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 113 or alear@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @learics.