A few years ago, Sumner City Councilman Randy Hynek pondered the future of the economy and didn’t like what he saw.

In times of belt-tightening, people can curb their consumption of small luxury items, drive less or not at all and keep lights off to maintain a low electric bill, but everybody needs to eat.

Ensuring people had sustainable food became a goal of his and a community garden in Sumner seemed like a way to achieve this.

Last year the community garden produced 30,000 pounds of food and an additional 7,000 pounds were donated by community members.

The garden is almost ready to begin a third season and to receive crops and prospective gardeners may begin reserving their plots.

It has grown into a 7.6-acre expansion, which not only feeds the gardeners who work on their crops, but feeds the Sumner Food Bank with donations.

Bins at the ground’s three sites are filled and donations twice each week, Hynek said.

“We’ve got a garden plot for anybody that wants one,” he said.

There are 680 plots available, to be precise. They are 6 feet by 12 feet and are sold in groups of four or eight. The garden is maintained by a staff of volunteers.

“We’re 100 percent volunteer,” Hynek said.

Hynek said the number of volunteers varies, but may reach 70. People have volunteered to help put in water lines and areas of flowers for beautification.

“This year we installed 1,500 feet of underground water pipe and more than 50 faucets,” he said.

Some volunteers with specific tasks are Bruce Hotv, the garden coordionator for Sheppard’s field 1.3 acres; Ed Smith, who is the coordinator for the farm and Tony and April Lopez, who are the coordinators for the chicken coop.

On the grounds is a chicken coop where chickens are busy laying eggs. In a room beside it there are stacks of egg cartons which are filled as volunteers collect the eggs and get them ready.

Hynek said he takes on a variety of tasks, basically whatever needs to be done.

“I look at my role as support service,” Hynek said.

One of these services is keeping liability down by driving the heavy equipment used on the land. He also collects it. He described himself as keeping a keen eye out for anything large or small which could be used for the gardens. Much of the equipment used is obtained on the cheap or is donated. Ben DeGeode at Windmill Gardens donates a tractor for use each year.

On a recent Tuesday afternoon, Don Procter was tilling the field with a tractor, preparing the soil for the incoming crops.

“It takes a long time to turn sod into dirt,” Hynek said.

An avid gardener since childhood, Sumner resident Carolyn Fudge loves the experience of the community garden and grew an assortment of vegetables at the property.

“I grew everything from asparagus to zucchini and everything in between,” she said.

She gets excited when seed catalogues begin arriving in January and by late spring is ready to reach her hands into the soil. She said the soil is of a high quality at the community garden and the reward from growing one’s own food is in the flavor.

“It’s simply just better. I don’t know how to put it, it’s just better,” she said.

Sometimes she can’t wait to get something home before eating it and will consume a fresh vegetable or fruit on site.

“Just knock the dirt off and wash it off,” she said.

She loves visiting with other gardeners and sharing the food with people.

“It’s really fun having all that food and I love sharing with the food bank and with the family. My family has really enjoyed having pumpkin cookies,” she said.

Fudge will be busy with her crops again this year.

“I don’t see how I’m ever going to get tired of gardening.”

For more information on the community garden or to reserve a plot, call 253-299-5798 or visit www.ci.sumner.wa.us. Callers may leave a voicemail message and one of the volunteers will contact them to give them.