POULSBO — What started as a simple request has now blossomed into helping fight local hunger.

Fleet Manager Brett Annear was earning his master gardener certification three years ago, when instructor Peg Tillery asked if anyone had any space available on their property for a community “food production” garden. Annear presented the idea to the fire commissioners, to use the extra lawn space at the fire station headquarters to build a garden. It was well-received.

He quickly secured donations from A&L Topsoil, Home Depot, Walmart, Territorial Seeds and the Poulsbo Garden Club.

“Officer Manager Sue Gibbs has been vital in garnering funding, much of this support has come about because of her grant writing skills,” Annear said. “The community support continues to grow.”

The garden averages of 200 pounds of fresh vegetables a year — tomatoes, peas, corn, squash, herbs, lettuce, garlic and more. The veggies are donated to Poulsbo Fishline to feed the hungry in our area.

One of the parameters set forth by the commissioners was that people working in the garden needed to be part of the master gardener program.

“We have four master gardeners who take care of the garden together,” Annear wrote in an email. “We all grow the vegetables from donated seeds at home until they can go in the ground, water, mow, weed and build or construct what we need to.

“These are a great group of volunteers; they love helping others and love gardening,” he said of the master gardeners. “Everything we use and grow is organic. Our goal for next year is to build four more raised beds, a fence, and a shed in order to store garden equipment. All that will take funding, so we are continually looking for funding sources.”

Firefighters brought in their own equipment to move dirt, and solicited the help of their families to get the spring garden planted.

“It’s a neighbor helping neighbor thing,” Annear said. “Our community is important, and it is worth the time and effort to help the people who need help. It is wonderful to see our fire department, commissioners, local businesses, and volunteers helping our community. We know many people are still facing tough times.”

Poulsbo Fire spokeswoman Jody Matson said Annear sometimes weeds during his lunch break. With continued support, this project grows each year.

Annear said this next year he hopes to create a composting system and a worm bin, using yard, kitchen and shredded paper waste. The Suquamish Tribe donated pallets to use for the composting system.