Name: Cultivation Works
Location: Creative Work Systems
several locations throughout Maine
including Biddeford/Saco, Auburn,
and Portland
Agriculture Coordinator:
Jacqueline Curtis
Phone: 207-879-1140
Website:
www.creativeworksystems.com/cultivation-works/
Email: jcurtis@creativeworksystems.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cultivationworks
Products and Services:
-opportunities to grow fresh vegetables
-gardening instruction
-harvest suppers
-culinary skills
-12 month certification program
-classroom activities
What Makes Cultivation Works So Unique?
The power of agriculture is clearly evident when one is able to see all that has been accomplished at the
various homes and programs that are run by Creative Work Systems. Since 1967, Creative Work Systems
has been helping to support and inspire people with
cognitive, physical, and psychiatric disabilities in
southern Maine.
The agricultural opportunities that the Cultivation Works program has provided the farmers of Creative Work Systems have been truly impressive. Jacqueline Curtis, the Agricultural Coordinator of Cultivation Works, has been responsible for seeing this program really flourish.
The focus of the Cultivation Works program is to offer access to good food, good work, and great opportunities through farming. There are two levels
in the Cultivation Works program. In the first level,
participants work on gardening for health in a twelve-month certification program. The participants learn
about food production and basic culinary skills. There
are classroom activities such as growing seedlings and
visiting local farms. Art projects are enjoyed. During the 2012 program, the farmers helped to create a cookbook and they learned about all aspects of gardening such as worm composting.
Participants interested in continuing agricultural activities can advance to the next level where they participate in farming at the greenhouse and the gardens where they grow and harvest crops
and learn how to market and sell their produce. They
become involved in delivering the fresh produce to all
29 of the residential homes at Creative Work Systems.
After their training, some of these farmers can potentially find employment at a farm.
Cultivation Works creates a safe environment where
gardeners learn to respect, cooperate, and care for each other and their surroundings. The goal of Cultivation Works is to enhance the connection to sustainable
agriculture by learning farming and cultivation techniques that lead to healthy eating, increased life
skills, and training and employment opportunities.
Many individuals and area businesses have rallied
behind the agricultural undertakings at Cultivation Works. The Scarborough and Auburn Lowe’s and
the Biddeford, Portland, and Auburn Home Depot
stores have donated building materials. Employees from Pierce Atwood assisted with the construction of the raised beds and the patio in Saco. Students from
the Biddeford Regional Center of Technology built
the garden shed to house the tools for the greenhouse and gardens on Lund Road in Saco. Andy’s Agway in Dayton donated a delivery of compost there.
Cultivation Works encourages community sharing.
Every other month a Harvest Dinner is held at a different location where the food served is all made from scratch. Produce from the gardens and having an opportunity to get together are thoroughly enjoyed.
Visitors to this website are encouraged to view the three additional webpages of lovely photographs that were generously shared by Jacqueline Curtis. (Links to these webpages can be found on the top of this webpage). Jacqueline beautifully captured the joy and pride that were exhibited by so many of the farmers in the Cultivation Works program.
