News
Garden Groups Reminded to Clear Snow
As we enter the winter months, clearing snow and ice from the sidewalks in front of gardens after a winter weather event is the responsibility of all gardeners. GreenThumb’s designated garden contacts should work with their membership to make plans for snow and ice removal before and after a winter weather event. A failure to clear sidewalks in front of gardens located on City-owned property is a violation of GreenThumb rules and the license agreement (Section C.ii). Keeping pedestrian corridors in front of gardens clear and passable is not only important to keeping members of your community safe, but it’s also the law and maintenance of our gardens reflects on us all as members of the gardening community.
GreenThumb GrowTogether Conference 2017
Come celebrate the official kick-off of the community gardening season in New York City. The day will be packed with 30+ workshops on garden related topics including: food systems education, kids’ activities, vegetable growing techniques, and designing your community garden for the present and future. The conference will also include a panel discussion on ways to sustain your garden legacy. This year’s keynote speaker is Tony Hillary and is the Founder and Executive Director of Harlem Grown. Tony founded Harlem Grown to address the health and academic challenges facing public elementary school students in Harlem. Our youth speaker is Kadiatou Ba and has been a youth participant at Harlem Grown since its inception 5 years ago. Please get your tickets HERE
GreenThumb GrowTogether 2017 Networking Form
We are happy to share this opportunity to network and connect with community gardeners around the issues of urban agriculture, food justice, sustainability, youth, community organizing and much more. We invite you to complete this form in order to obtain table space at our lunchtime networking event. Download the form here: GreenThumb GrowTogether 2017- Networking Event Table Form. Please complete and return this form no later than February 17th, 2017. Confirmation letters with conference information will be sent out within the first week of March.
GreenThumb Youth Leadership Council 2017
GreenThumb is launching its third year of the Youth Leadership Council. This free program is designed for high school youth between 14 and 21 years old and college students to volunteer in a GreenThumb community garden located throughout the five boroughs. The program will take place during the spring/summer of 2017. Any student interested in agriculture, composting, botany, construction, stewardship or community engagement should apply.
Alcorn State University: Research on African American Farmers
The Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center, which is located at Alcorn State University, is a national center that was created to assist socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and to improve their success. They are conducting a research study on the participation of African American farmers in programs, which are sponsored by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. This study desires to explore the involvement of African American farmers in USDA programs to understand the factors that contribute to their participation.
Community Board Applications are Now Available for the 2017-2019 Term
As hand-on volunteers with deep community ties, GreenThumb gardeners are great candidates to serve on boards, which play an important advisory role on neighborhood issues including land use, city budgets, local service provision, and other community issues. Community boards are consulted when new gardens are begun, and they identify funding priorities in neighborhoods every year during the City budget process.
Learn more about Community Boards
Please see the links below if you’re interested in learning more or applying:
Grants
Borough President Capital Grant Funding
Borough President Capital Grant Funding applications are available. Every year the Borough President’s provide funding in support of various important capital projects throughout the city. This funding is available to city agencies, nonprofit organizations, cultural institutions, and public schools for projects serving New York City purposes. Please follow the links below for your respective borough.
Deadline February 14th
New York City Council offers capital funding requests for non-profit organizations. Submit your application for your garden through CapGrants.
Deadline March 24th
Workshops
GreenThumb will now offer soil and lumber request forms at ALL workshops.
Saturday, February 4, 2017
GreenThumb Workshop: Organizing for Garden Success: Panel and Q & A
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Part 3 of 3: Disorganization Creates Dysfunction
This three-part workshop series is designed to help your garden group build a strong foundation to deal with the many issues that arise in a community space. In this workshop, come hear the success stories of three gardens that have overcome conflict by creating group structure and bylaws.
Location: GreenThumb Office, Manhattan
Cost: Free
Please RSVP HERE or call 212-602-5300
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
GreenThumb Workshop: Sharing Our Farm Traditions
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
The goal of this workshop is to connect and educate participants on the diversity of gardening traditions among GreenThumb gardeners and to demonstrate how these traditions can be maintained and promoted on various-sized land parcels. We’ll highlight the online Vegetable Garden Planner tool to demonstrate how to take the guesswork out of planning for a bountiful garden season.
Location: Brownsville Recreation Center, Brooklyn
Cost: Free
Please RSVP by calling 212-602-5300
Saturday, February 18, 2017
NYC Compost Project: Crazy for Composting
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Are you passionate about composting but want more from your bin? These Q & A sessions provide the practical tips, advice, and encouragement you’ll need to take composting to the next level, whether you are just starting out (Session 1) or have been digging in for years (Session 2). Registered GreenThumb community gardens will be able to request an order of compost, soil or clean fill for spring delivery.
Location: New York Botanical Garden, Bronx
Cost: Free
Registration is required to attend this event. Please RSVP here.
For more information, please email compost@nybg.org or call (718) 817-8543.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
GreenThumb Workshop: Fruit Tree Pruning
11:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
Learn why fruit trees need annual pruning for the best production. Discover and practice how to prune the different types of fruit trees at the ideal time of year, in late winter.
Location: Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Bronx
Cost: Free
Please RSVP online here or by calling (212) 602-5300.
Staten Island Garden Get Together
10:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m.
GreenThumb invites you to a forum for Staten Island community members to learn more about starting, growing, or joining a community garden.
Location: Snug Harbor, Staten Island
Cost: Free
Please rsvp
Green Thumb NYC
