Rose Arbor Restoration 2022 Completed!

It took a team of 10, Captained by Jean’s vision, Steve’s energy, my organizing, and a collaborative effort by all. We worked every weekend (and some weekdays) from September 18 through October 13, but we got the North East and North West sectors of the Rose Arbor restored!

We worked collaboratively (as Jean has taught me), with every decision along the way agreed on by all. We approached this work with commitment, sweat, focus and humor. We are very proud of our work!

A HUGE thank you to the Rose Arbor Team! We’ve grown closer, gaining skills and knowledge along the way.

Rose Arbor Team Members:

  • Jean Jaworek
  • Steve Kim
  • Donna Checkan
  • Marco Santana
  • Krystina Luekr-U-Suke
  • Kiran Aida
  • William Hawley
  • Andrew Flannagan
  • Etta Jackson
  • Hannah Williams

Sharing the joy at a job completed BEFORE the cold temps set in, and we’re looking forward to tackling the South sectors in 2023. 

~Donna Checkan

Summer 2022 – GreenThumb Programming

Each season greenthumb sends out a news letter, 
here's the copy for summer 2022. You can also find the PDF version here

We hope your garden group had a great summer solstice! GreenThumb’s program guide is back just in time for summer programming! Click here for a digital copy and to request future paper copies in the mail. 

  

A note on our emails: Only the designated primary/secondary garden contacts receive these emails. Please be sure to always share these updates with your garden group and add our email address to your “safe senders” list or your contact list to avoid them ending up in your spam/junk folders! 

A quick note for gardens on NYC Parks property: please don’t forget to request approval for your garden’s upcoming events through our event request approval form here, it is required! 

New: This email is now also translated into Spanish below for any Spanish speaking gardeners in your group!  Por favor, desplácese hacia abajo si desea leer esto en español. 

  

Conflict Transformation Circles for Community Gardens   

Next Session: Wednesday, July 20, 2022, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.  

Organized by GreenThumb   

This month’s theme is: How can we hold space for and resolve conflict within our groups? 

Conflict is natural and can happen even in the most well-organized garden group or with the best of friends. How can we hold space for and resolve conflict within our groups? In these monthly sessions, mediators Skye Roper-Moses and Michelle Jackson will facilitate discussion circles for community gardeners to bring their challenges to the group and collectively generate solutions. The facilitators will model skills for holding space that gardeners can bring back to their own groups to begin to develop a practice for addressing and transforming conflict in the garden. The sessions will consist of an introduction, modeling of conflict transformation, and listening to issues arising in gardens while practicing the conflict transformation techniques.   

This will be a confidential space that is not recorded. Register here to join.   

Queens Waterfront Garden Bike Tour  

Saturday, July 16, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  

Rain Date: Sunday, July 17, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.  

Join us on City of Water Day for a breezy ride along the Queens waterfront! On this easy 3.5-mile ride, we’ll be biking to GreenThumb Community gardens in LIC and Astoria. Along the way, we’ll visit gardens that have transformed traditionally industrial waterfront areas into vibrant green spaces where nature, culture, and community thrive. Riders will experience varied garden spaces: from urban farms with a focus on social justice to relaxing botanical gardens dotted with works of art. Please RSVP on Eventbrite. 

GreenThumb Workshops are Back! Both In-Person & Virtual 

To learn more about and RSVP for upcoming GreenThumb workshops, please visit our website at the link above! Upcoming workshops, with direct links, include: 

Apply for the Fall 2022 Compost and Farm Apprenticeship with Earth Matter 

Dates: 10 full-day Saturday sessions from September 10 – November 19. There will be no class on Saturday, Sept. 24, the date of the GreenThumb Harvest Fair. 
Location: Soil Start Farm, located on Governors Island. 

Apply by August 1 to join the Fall 2022 cohort of the Compost and Farm Apprenticeship with Earth Matter NY! This training offers GreenThumb gardeners the opportunity to work with Earth Matter and learn hands-on practical skills to grow plants on a small-scale urban farm, with a focus on composting. You will learn how to make “Gold Standard” compost in a variety of urban environments (e.g., community gardens, urban agriculture enterprises, multi-unit apartment buildings). Space is limited.  Finalists may be called for an interview with Earth Matter. As with other GreenThumb trainings, this training is free of charge. 

Save the Date for the NYC Parks GreenThumb Harvest Fair  
Mark your calendars for the 43rd Annual GreenThumb Harvest Fair on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at Friends of Brook Park Community Garden in the Bronx! Join us to celebrate GreenThumb gardeners as the community gardening season comes to a close with workshops, greening partners, and more! Stay tuned to our website and social media channels for more information.   

As you work on your community garden this season, please keep the GreenThumb Harvest Fair Competition in mind. Whether you grow vegetables, flowers, or are growing ingredients to include in your favorite dish, there is a category and entry for you. Guidelines to submit your images virtually will be shared on our website soon, so keep those veggies growing! The competition is open to anyone that gardens in a registered GreenThumb community garden. Winners will be announced on Saturday, September 24th during the 43rd Annual GreenThumb Harvest Fair at Friends of Brook Park Community Garden.  

Open Garden Day Feedback Wanted 

Thank you for helping GreenThumb celebrate our 5th annual Open Garden Day. We are so grateful for the everlasting hard work and dedication of the community gardeners and want to give a huge thanks to everyone who participated, in any and all forms. If you haven’t done so already, please fill out the satisfaction survey to help improve Open Garden Day NYC for upcoming years. And check out our Open Garden Day highlights on Instagram

An Update Regarding GreenThumb Soil/Compost/Woodchip/Lumber Requests 

Due to current constraints, including vehicle maintenance, alternate side parking regulations, and staff shortages, NYC Parks GreenThumb is working its way through existing requests of bulk materials and looking to complete these deliveries as soon as possible. While we have continued improving the delivery times of these materials in the last few years, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. If you no longer need your requested materials or would like to change or reduce your request, please contact your Outreach Coordinator.       

Delivery of Community Garden Improvement Program Special Items 

NYC Parks GreenThumb gardens submitted requests for special items through the Community Garden Improvement Program Item Order Form this past winter. Requested items included wheelbarrows, folding tables, tomato cages, composting tools, and other exciting materials. We regret to inform garden groups that benches are not available due to supply chain issues.  

Direct deliveries of all other requested items will begin in August-September. Please be reminded that some items (from Section 4: Items in Limited Quantities) are only available in extremely limited amounts. Garden groups may receive only 0-1 of items they requested in that section. Garden Contacts will receive an email from GreenThumb’s Operations team when their delivery is scheduled. Please be advised that we cannot accommodate any changes to requests. In order to ensure we can complete the delivery, please be sure to inform your Outreach Coordinator if your garden’s locks or combinations have changed. Funding for this program was made possible through the advocacy efforts of the Play Fair for Parks campaign. 

Did you know the spotted lanternfly is an invasive species?   

These invasive insects are a threat to agricultural crops, including grapes, apples, blueberries, and stone fruits. Learn more about the spotted lanternfly on the NYC Parks website. They were first discovered in the city in July 2020 and now we need your help to slow the spread! Please note harming NYC City’s wildlife is prohibited, but if you see a spotted lanternfly, please squish and dispose of this pest in order to help slow the spread. Report any findings to NYC Parks by emailing Forest.Health@parks.nyc.gov. Please include photos, location of infestation, and details of property damage. Please also report the finding to NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets.   

GreenThumb Resources At a Glance   

  • For gardens on NYC Parks property seeking required event approval, click here!  Please submit events at least two weeks in advance when possible to ensure timely approval. You can start submitting your event requests for the 2022 garden season. 
  • For gardens that would like to request standard materials available from GreenThumb including soil, compost, and lumber, click here or reach out to your Outreach Coordinator.  
  • GreenThumb’s YouTube channel is a wealth of information available 24/7! 
  • GreenThumb’s Gardeners Handbook is your first stop for policy answers and recommendations for a variety of gardener issues. It is available in a variety of languages at the link. 

  

Updates and Resources from Partners  

What’s Bugging You? Cornell New York State Integrated Pest Management’s Monthly Webinar 

Each month, experts will share practical information and answer questions on using integrated pest management (IPM) to avoid pest problems and promote a healthy environment where you live, work, learn and play. We’ll end with an IPM Minute, and cover a specific action you can take in the next few days to help you avoid pest problems.  Click here for more information and to RSVP. 

2022 Urban Design Forum Forefront Fellowship: New Loops 

Forefront is an annual professional fellowship by the Urban Design Forum dedicated to cultivating emerging leaders in urban design, development, policy, and advocacy. The seventh fellowship, New Loops, is focused on taking on waste to design for cleaner and healthier communities. In the fellowship, you will research how multifamily residential buildings currently manage waste streams and then will work in interdisciplinary teams to explore how to build a more circular waste system. To learn more and apply for this fellowship, please click hereApplications are due Thursday, July 21. 

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Seed Series Webinars 

The NRDC Seed Series, launching on July 6, introduces participants to key topics and issues in the world of discard studies; a growing, transdisciplinary field that centers how waste impacts our world. From the role of waste in pop culture to the lifesaving labor of sanitation workers to the relationship between the after-deathcare industry and waste inequity, and so much more. This 10-part webinar series serves as a point of departure for participants to learn more about how they can take steps in their own lives towards climate justice, anti-racism and rethinking waste. Click this link to learn more about the series and RSVP for the various webinars. 

ioby & NYSDEC Environmental Benefit Project Matching Program 

ioby is matching donations, up to $5,000, for neighborhood sustainability and environmental justice projects with their partner, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. To apply for this match program, visit the ioby website here.  

Safe in the City Grant  

This grant offers funding opportunities designed to support community-based actions and activities that will make neighborhoods safer. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more.  

July 16th, 2022 – workday

Hi all,

REMINDER: Our next workday is Saturday at 10am. 

Here is our agenda:

Here are tasks we have scheduled for the workday:

  • clean out the cistern on the east side
  • work on refurbishing the wooden structure that holds up the water pails on the west side 
  • clean out the temporary cat houses
  • clean the sidewalk and pick up litter
  • fill the water barrels
  • get rid of rat habitats

Thank you!
🌹🌶🌻🐝🌱🍅🌼🌸☀🍆🐞🐀

July 9-10th, 2022 – Summer Flea Market, Compost and Others!

PUBLIC EVENT

There are 2 separate things happening on the weekend of July 9+10:

1. The FLEA MARKET hosted by our committee in the East Garden from 10:00a-4:00p Saturday AND Sunday

2. Vendors on the sidewalk outside of the East Garden, organized by Simone Nicholson + Katy Pederson

all members and non-members are welcome, no RSVP required!

Flea market is a garden tradition, we typically run one in the summer and one in the fall. 

Folks generally drop off items for sale the week BEFORE the Flea in the Gazebo – no sooner! So have folks clean their closets and donate cool stuff for us to sell. NO DVD’s, VHS TAPES OR BOOKS!!! (We sold about 300 DVD’s and had – not kidding! – 700+ DVD’s left over. They were recycled/repurposed by GreenDIsc.com)

This year, we are also ready to welcome external vendors, please send any questions and inquiries about participation to w.104.garden@gmail.com.

See you there!

Pictures from the Event

June 21, 2022 – Make Music New York

PUBLIC EVENT!

Members and non-members are welcome to attend, no RSVP needed!

To celebrate the Summer Solstice, NYC will be full of music! Performers donate their time and energy gratis to add to the festivities. We will host music from 5:00-8:00p in the East Garden.

To celebrate the Summer Solstice, NYC will be full of music! Performers donate their time and talents to welcome in the summer season.

Booked Performers:

  • Gina Haver-Mazzara (MMNY) Soprano 5-6p
  • Ben Hits Drums 6-7p
  • Subway Coincidence (MMNY) 7-8p

Workday Raindate and Other News

Workdate on the 12th was cancelled, we plan on gathering on the 18th instead:

Due to pending rain, today’s meeting/workday has been cancelled.  Our pre scheduled rain date is  next Saturday, June 18.  A reminder notice will go out later in the week.

If you still care to be in the garden today and want to do some work, weeding around the OUTSIDE of all raised beds is always needed.  Remember to NEVER pull weeds from the inside of someone’s bed or communal bed.  You never know what unique or desired plant is growing there.  We have lost several special plants this way recently and the disappointment is deeply felt.

Thank you and have a beautiful day!

The West 104 Garden Steering Committee

Agenda for the Meeting

1.  Dirt Delivery-Volunteers needed for June 17 between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m.

2.  Flea Market-New format this year

3.  Updates to Monitoring Sign-up and Website

  • Sign up for On Call shifts

4.  Make Music NY

  • volunteers needed?
  • Should the garden sell refreshments to raise some money?

5.  Compost Distribution Event

  • Suggested Dates
  • Explanation of Event

6,  Umbrella-new location?

7.  Announcements:

  • Weeding in communal beds or other people’s  beds
  • Member announcements

8.  Tasks:

  • Weed around the beds
  • Rubble removal
  • Painting shed roof (postponed because we need two days of no rain after painting)
  • TBA

Misc/Announcements

One of the Garden members Jean also pointed out that NY Philharmonic in the Park has returned this year! (thanks, Jean!) So we will be posting external events to the calendar.

See you on Saturday!

Open Garden Day – 2022

Open garden day was quite a success! We had a wonderful relaxing day with current members and introduced a few new ones to our garden community 🙂

Our events committee chair Donna says:

Thank you!

To Suzanne & Victoria who got the supplies, Nicole for making the flyer, Victoria who hung the banners & prepped both days, Nushin for the Scavenger Hunt clues, Suzanne/Victoria/Nicole&Zack/Layah/Roberta who staffed each day, VictoriaAndrew/Abby who helped take the banners down and Andrea who put all the supplies back in the shed!

While there no crowds clamoring to get in everyone who came had a great experience & walked away with a very chill vibe! We got two new members to join today & one of them who signed up to take out the trash came BACK to put it out! 

Thank you for your contributions 

We’ll meet on Sunday during the Workday to talk about the Make Music New York event on Tuesday, June 21. Nicole has already offered to make the flyer! See you all on Sunday 

🌻
🐝

Open Garden Day – June 4th and 5th

Open Garden Day NYC is a GreenThumb Event.

Get your hands dirty at the West 104th Street Community Garden! Join us on June 4 & 5 for seed planting, painting flower pots, maze walk, and scavenger hunt. No RSVPs needed and all are welcome! 

Join the West 104th Street Community Garden on June 4 and 5 for fun with the whole family! Maze walks, seed planting, flower pot painting, and a scavenger hunt – all while getting to know your neighbors. 

Happening this week! Join your neighbors on June 4 and 5 at the West 104th Street Community Garden for activities for the whole family. No RSVP needed!