KINGFIELD – A local non-profit, Eve’s Garden, is taking extra care to spread the joy this holiday season by providing fresh, home-cooked meals to folks across Franklin County who otherwise might not enjoy a good Thanksgiving dinner.
Eve’s Garden, based in Kingfield and operated by Mike and Kate Spardello, is a 501(c)3 organization with a licensed commercial kitchen that aims to tackle food insecurity by providing regular deliveries of fresh, homemade meals to people in Franklin County who have trouble accessing quality foods.
Mike and Kate are putting together a special delivery for Thanksgiving. The menu for this year is turkey, homemade gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, rolls, pumpkin pie, yams, and broccoli and cheese casserole. The meals will be delivered on Wednesday to ensure that folks have something to enjoy during the holidays.
Other meals that have featured in regular deliveries include shepherd’s pie, pasta and homemade sauce, and mashed potatoes with ham and veggies.
“My favorite part of what we do … is delivering the meals and sitting down and talking to people,” Kate said.
The meals are prepared and delivered at no charge to the recipients. Funds for the meal project come primarily from the sale of freeze dried items such as candy, ice cream, pickles, and even dog treats.
“The freezer dryers are very closely aligned with our mission,” Kate said. Beyond producing freeze dried novelties for fundraising, Kate and Mike use the freeze dryers to preserve leftover meals that do not get delivered.
“There is zero food waste, which is one of my favorite aspects of Eve’s Garden,” Kate said. Handled properly, freeze dried meals can shelf stable for up to thirty years. Because of the unique process of freeze drying, the moisture is removed from the food, making it lightweight and easy to transport. Freeze dried meals are fully cooked and ready to be re-heated with water to be enjoyed at a later time. For people living in more remote parts of the county, Eve’s Garden can deliver a month’s worth of meals at a time if necessary.
Eve’s Garden has multiple freeze dryers. Some are dedicated for non-human items such as dog treats, while the majority are used for novelty items and meals. Separate handling and processing ensures quality control and safety.
“The freezer dryers fund the mission, really, and they’re also part of it,” Kate said.
In addition to regular deliveries, Kate and Mike can put together ‘care packages’ of meals for people. One example is someone who had surgery and cannot prepare their own meals. Kate and Mike will travel anywhere in Franklin County to make deliveries. This Thanksgiving, they will go to Oquossoc, Phillips, Strong, Chesterville, Farmington, New Vineyard, and beyond.
In addition to fundraising by selling freeze dried items at fairs, festivals, and craft fairs, Eve’s Garden also receives food and cash donations. They also welcome volunteers.
“We appreciate this community, because much of the food that we are preparing was donated by community members who have asked to remain anonymous,” Kate said. “There’s community involvement at so many levels of this organization.”
Mike and Kate can be reached on Facebook, by email at evesgardenmaine@gmail.com, and by phone call or text to 207-340-8215.
