Growing Together: Emmitsburg’s Community Garden Cultivates More Than Vegetables

The Emmitsburg Community Garden began as the vision of Jack Deatherage Jr., and in just three short years, it has blossomed beyond anything he imagined. What started as a small, tilled plot has expanded significantly, now featuring over 20 raised beds and expansive size—all thanks to the dedication of Jack, his wife Wanda, his sister Therese, a few committed community members, and the support of the Town of Emmitsburg.

The Deatherage family personally contributed funds to help launch and grow the garden. Deatherage also credits the Town of Emmitsburg for securing a $15,000 grant through Sustainable Maryland, which helped accelerate the garden’s growth. With that funding, the garden was able to add 20 metal raised beds, new gardening tools, worm composters, a storage shed, and a yard hydrant to make watering easier—transforming the space into a thriving hub for local growers and gardeners.

As the spring planting season began, local residents reserved garden beds—completely free of charge—to grow everything from vegetables and herbs to flowers. The garden is open to the public, who are welcome to pick fresh produce from any unmarked beds. Reserved beds, labeled with names, are cared for by individual gardeners.

“The future of the garden is the kids,” said Deatherage. While he and his crew build the foundation, it is ultimately the next generation that will need to keep it going.

Helping to plant those seeds—both literally and figuratively—are the staff at the Emmitsburg Library. Librarians Cheryl Dillman, Megan Deltart, and Teresa Stevens have embraced the opportunity to use the community garden as an educational resource, making Emmitsburg one of the few public libraries in the region with access to such a space.

Their “Jr. Gardeners” program invites elementary-aged students to read garden-themed books, complete hands-on activities, and explore the garden every Wednesday. For teens, the garden program is already in full swing and focuses on seeds to harvest. Participants began by starting seeds indoors and will soon transplant them into the garden. Teens will also care for the plants throughout the summer, gaining firsthand experience in growing food from the ground up.

The learning doesn’t stop with the kids. The library is also offering adult gardening classes, featuring guest speakers from the Frederick County Master Gardeners, the University of Maryland Extension, and other experts. A special workshop on food preservation will teach participants how to can or freeze their harvests from the garden.

In addition to educational programs, the garden will host a variety of events throughout the summer, including poetry readings and local author spotlights.

“It’s good for children, teens, and adults to see where their food really comes from,” said Stevens. “So many people think it just comes from the grocery store.”

To learn more about upcoming gardening programs at the Emmitsburg Branch Library, visit frederick.librarycalendar.com/events/month.

To get involved with the Emmitsburg Community Garden, email Jack Deatherage Jr. at jackdeathjr@juno.com.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate the Emmitsburg Community Garden on May 21.