LANGLEY — The plants were producing and so were the volunteers Saturday at the community garden behind Langley Junior High School.

A dozen people showed up to harvest fruits and vegetables, and to weed, dig, rake and string fencing at the sustainable garden project that feeds directly into the Good Cheer food bank.

“I think this is amazing,” said Kim Drury, of Langley, as she prepped a parsley bed. “I didn’t know it was back here. The emphasis on fresh food is terrific and it’s good exercise for me.”

The project, on land set aside by the South Whidbey School District, is a demonstration program for students and the community on how sustainable, organic gardening works.

Set up with more than $10,000 in grants, the garden, in its first year, already had harvested more than 230 pounds of produce, said project manager Kimmer Morris.

Added to that total on Saturday were 30 pounds of winter squash; 8 pounds of carrots, beats and turnips; 25 pounds of tomatoes and more than a pound of lettuce. Not to mention a couple of miniature honeydews.

Morris said the garden so far has produced tomatoes, beans, lettuce, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, turnips, beets and squash, and contains an over-winter crop of kale, chard, celery and broccoli.

“All of it goes to the food bank,” Morris said. “We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without the volunteers.”

When school is in session, sixth- and seventh-grade science students and members of the eighth-grade leadership class tend the garden.

Morris said the experience allows young people to get their hands dirty weeding and watering, to see how things grow and to compare food fresh from the ground with that sold in stores. And they also learn about the rhythms of the seasons, she said.

The L-shaped, fenced garden is about 150 feet long. It has several raised beds, a 40-foot greenhouse and a large shed. And there are three worm boxes, their wriggly residents churning out the highest-quality organic soil.

Behind the shed is a 400-gallon rainwater collection system, and a rain garden in front is replenished with roof runoff flowing into it along a gravel path.

This summer, the garden required 200 gallons of water a week, so school pipes provided the balance of water, and volunteers spread it around, Morris said. She hopes at some point to install a solar-powered water pump, and glass “cold frames” for winter growing.

The project’s principle funding comes from a state “learn and serve” grant, but it has received a bounty of donations in the form of materials and time from a number of individuals and local organizations, Morris said.

Hal Seligson, a Langley community activist and garden volunteer, said the city of Langley was the first in the state to add a low-impact development philosophy to its long-range land-use planning. It’s a philosophy other municipalities are quickly adopting.

“It’s great for these types of things,” he said. “You avoid a lot of red tape.”

Meanwhile, Damien Cortez, Good Cheer’s food bank coordinator, was busily stringing small-mesh wire fencing to keep out the rabbits.

“This is a great project,” he said. “We’ve gotten a huge amount of fresh food from this place. I’m glad I could be a part of it.”

“It’s just wonderful,” added Marilee Seligson, another volunteer. “The community realizing this is a good thing to do, and getting behind it.”

For information, or to volunteer, call Morris at 221-6932.