Helfand Farm Community Gardens volunteers are getting a head start on the growing season thanks to a new greenhouse now open for business.

Garden volunteers unveiled the new 26-by-48 greenhouse to the community at an open house on March 17. Despite low turnout due to the weather, board member Marlene Holohan noted there is still a lot of work to be done.

It was funded through volunteer donations and a $2,500 United Way mini-grant. It is located on Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust’s 318 Chase Road property. After receiving materials in October, it took two months to assemble.

“It was grueling work,” Holohan said. “It was a cold fall, we have all volunteers, and we’re not engineers.”

So far, only spinach has been planted, but Holohan hopes to have it ready for year-round activities by next fall.

“We hope to have greeneries growing every month of the growing season,” Holohan said.

The goal is to increase crops to offer at sales to fund a large outdoor donation plot. That food is donated to area soup kitchens, food pantries, and charities in the region.

“[The donation garden] just gets bigger and bigger each year, and that’s when the greenhouse idea really came into fruition,” Holohan said.

Last year, 640 pounds of produce were donated to Catholic Social Services in Fall River and the Westport Middle School food pantry. Partnerships with more organizations are expected.

“This year we hope and expect to go well over 1,000 pounds of donations,” Holohan said, noting garden space will be doubled this year.

Plot rentals for novice to experienced gardeners are also available. Tools and free workshops are provided. Programming and rentals are open to anyone regardless of where they are from.

“We really encourage community participation at all levels,” noted Joshua Swaye. The New Bedford resident learned about the community garden while on a hike at a DNRT property, and decided to get involved.

“I had never even put a trowel in the ground before,” Swaye said. “Anyone should feel encouraged to come in even just to look around.”

Helfand Farm Community Gardens opened six years ago, initially only offering garden plots to the community. The donation garden began as a side project, but quickly became one of the organization's biggest projects.

For more information, visit the group’s website, helfandgardens.com.