It was a long Maine winter, and now, due to circumstances in the world, life has changed for all of us. Schools have closed, work has shifted to home or ended for many and we are suddenly faced with 'social distancing' in a way we have never known before. You might feel you're stuck at home with not much to do and not many resources either. It seems like it could be a perfect time to take up gardening for families, and especially a Victory Garden because Mainers are tough, Americans are smart, and I am confident that in the end, we will be victorious here and we will grow stronger, together in our Downeast communities.

Elin MacKinnon, your 50 Downeast Family Victory Gardens coach, is a clinical consultant with the Community Caring Collaborative and has been gardening with families and children since 1992 in social service agencies, residential programs and homes. For many years, she taught graduate and undergraduate classes at the University of Maine, including Horticulture as Therapy.

Here's the plan (subject to change)

April I will post videos to this web site that we can follow together during the growing season that is designed for beginner gardeners. In addition to the 5 minute video, there will be additional resources for you to 'dig deeper'.

Part 1 What do gardens need?

Part 2 Planning what to grow.

Part 3 Amazing plants

May

Part 4 Good bugs and bad bugs.

Part 5 Plants have appetites.

Week 6 Plant doctors

June

Week 9 How's it growing? Let's zoom in

Week 10 Plants can ask for help

July

Week 11 Let's visit some special gardens

Week 12 What are you discovering?

August

Week 13 Harvest time

Week 14 The garden is not done yet.... plants that like to grow in the fall.

September

Week 15 Victory garden celebration