GreenThumb: December 2018 News and Events

December 4, 2018
by garden
7 min read
GreenThumb’s monthly newsletter of workshops and events not to miss in December!

Access all workshop info and more in: GreenThumb’s Winter Program Guide

Gardeners learning about espalier fruit tree pruning from Outreach Coordinator Eric Thomann at Know Waste Lands Community Garden in Brooklyn.
Gardeners learning about espalier fruit tree pruning from Outreach Coordinator Eric Thomann at Know Waste Lands Community Garden in Brooklyn. Photo by Mara Gittleman, GreenThumb
 

GreenThumb GrowTogether 2019

Our 35th Annual GreenThumb GrowTogether conference will be Saturday, March 30, 2019, at the CUNY Graduate Center – 365 5th Ave. in Manhattan. We’re looking forward to putting together another powerful and invigorating conference with you to kick off the 2019 growing season!
 

2019 T-Shirt Contest

Submit your artwork to the GrowTogether t-shirt contest for our 35th annual conference!
The theme is: Roots, Shoots, and Fruits: Celebrating Generations of Gardening
The winning design will appear on the 2019 GrowTogether t-shirts, worn by hundreds of gardeners all over the city. The winners will receive: a t-shirt with their design, framed certificate, and Parks swag (reusable bag, hat, and more!). All are welcome to enter! Applicants may submit up to three entries.
 
For submission details and how to apply, visit: 2019 T-shirt Contest
Application Deadline: Friday, December 7th
 

Interested in facilitating a workshop at the 2019 GreenThumb GrowTogether Conference?

Apply with your ideas at GreenThumb GrowTogether Workshops 2019 by Monday, January 7, 2019. We’re looking for a wide variety of workshops on topics related to gardening, composting, food and racial justice, medicinal plants, group development, community organizing, and more.
 

Apply for Uprooting Racism Training

Facilitated by Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm, Uprooting Racism will be a practical training for community garden leaders to address racism in our communities. We will delve into the history of our community gardens and look at our personal and collective roles as stewards of the land. We will spend time developing tangible action plans for uprooting these dynamics within our own gardens. All levels of experience welcome to apply.
 
 

Community Board Applications are now available for the 2019-2021 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.
 
For Community Board Membership Applications and Deadlines, please visit links below:
Brooklyn / Bronx / Manhattan / Queens / Staten Island
 

Snow and Ice Removal Responsibilities

As the weather becomes colder and the winter season approaches, a friendly reminder that the removal of snow and ice from sidewalks following a winter weather event is the responsibility of GreenThumb gardeners. Garden groups must have a group plan for keeping sidewalks safe after a snowfall.

 

Please visit our website for tips and to download the Snow Removal Guide from the New York City Department of Sanitation.

 

Did You Know?

You may request translation services for any GreenThumb workshop for any language at least three weeks in advance at greenthumbinfo@parks.nyc.gov.
 

More News & Stories

 

Grants & Opportunities

  • Through Neighborhood Grants, Citizens Committee awards micro-grants of up to $3,000 to resident-led groups to work on community and school projects throughout the city. For more information and to apply, visit their website.
    Application Deadline is January 21, 2019, at 11:59 p.m..
  • Borough President Capital Grants provide support for various important capital projects throughout the city, including capital projects at community gardens such as water installation, new fencing, and more. If you are interested in advocating for a grant for your garden, please visit the links below and contact the office of your Borough President for more details on the application process. Brooklyn / Bronx / Manhattan / Queens / Staten Island
  • New York City Council Members can also offer capital grants for capital projects in community gardens. Contact your local Council Member to ask about the process to apply for capital project support in FY 2020.
  • Gardens that are part of Brooklyn Queens Land Trust or would like to register with the Cooperative Economic Alliance of New York City (CEANYC), Mini-Grant Opportunities are available for various capacity-building projects. Visit their website for more information.
  • NYC Service Neighborhood Volunteer Collaborative – Learn about the free tools and resources that are available to support volunteer engagement while connecting with other community groups. Contact Marcus Johnson (mjohnson1@cityhall.nyc.gov) if you have any questions and to see how you can become involved.
  • New Yorkers have an opportunity to propose projects for inclusion in the participatory budgeting process by visiting the New York City Council Participatory Budgeting website. Add an idea about how things could work better for your community to the map and after your idea is submitted, it will be given to community volunteers, called Budget Delegates. These proposals will be up for community-wide vote in the spring
 

Workshops & Events

ALL of our workshops are free and open to the public.
 
Highlight of the Month:
 
Make it Rain: Grants for your Green Space
 
Hear from Citizens Committee for NYC and Partnerships for Parks, who provide funding for community green space projects. Learn about the financial resources they offer and tips to secure funding for your 2019 community garden projects.
 
Tuesday, December 4, Bronx: RSVP on Eventbrite
6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
St. Mary’s Recreation Center
* Este taller se ofrecerá con traducción al español.
Tuesday, December 11, Brooklyn: RSVP on Eventbrite
6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Brownsville Recreation Center
 

December 8, Bronx: Herbal Soap Making
December 13, Manhattan: Organizing for Garden Success: Group Structure (Part 1 of 2)

Soil and lumber request forms are available at ALL GreenThumb-led workshops for GreenThumb Community Gardeners.
 

Grow to Learn NYC

Grow to Learn is the citywide school gardens initiative and managed through a partnership between GrowNYC, NYC Parks GreenThumb, and the Department of Education’s Office of School Food. Grow to Learn provides ongoing resources, technical assistance, and training to support gardens in NYC schools.

Join the Grow to Learn Network and become eligible to apply for a Grow to Learn Mini-Grant, request soil and lumber deliveries to your school, and more, by registering your school garden!

December 4, Manhattan: Food Justice 101: A Workshop for Kids and Teens
December 6, Queens: Bug Hotels

Follow GreenThumb on Social Media!

If you or your Community Garden are on social media, follow @greenthumbgrows on Instagram and Twitter, and @GreenThumbNYC on Facebook, to find out about the latest workshops, events, and news at GreenThumb.

GreenThumb: May 2018 News and Events

May 1, 2018
by garden
3 min read
1 Comment

GreenThumb Plant Starts Distribution

Get your veggie transplants and native plant starts for your registered GreenThumb garden at our annual Plant Starts Distribution on May 5th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.. Be sure to visit our registration page to RSVP and learn more.

Collage Garden Exhibition Opening

On May 12th from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., “Paper Garden”, an international collage show with garden-themed collages from all over the world, will be on display throughout the grounds at 6BC Botanical Garden in the East Village. On view until June 30th.

*Rain Date: May 20th*

Image courtesy from the_collage_garden.

Share Your “Art in the Gardens” Month Event

We are highlighting gardens with sculpture and murals in them, as well as creative and artistic events scheduled for next month.

If your garden is having a community art project event in the month of May, please email greenthumbinfo@parks.nyc.gov to let us know.

Request for Proposals

The Fund for Public Health in New York City, on behalf of the Building Healthy Communities initiative and NYC Parks GreenThumb, is currently accepting proposals from art organizations and individual artists interested in developing and installing art in three selected community gardens (William B. Washington Memorial Garden, Central Harlem; Canarsie Neighborhood Alliance, Canarsie; Patrick Van Doren Pocket Park, Bed-Stuy) in order to further activate public space and celebrate the strong history of arts and culture in community gardens. To learn more about this opportunity, view the Request for Proposals page. Deadline for submission is Monday, May 28th, 2018, 11:59 p.m. EST.

Community of Gardens

Community of Gardens, a digital archive hosted by Smithsonian Gardens in partnership with our Archives of American Gardens, are compiling gardening stories from gardeners or anyone who enjoys spending time in community gardens. This project was designed to preserve our country’s diverse garden heritage and they would love to see your stories! You can contribute your images, stories, videos, and oral histories related to gardens and gardening by emailing: communityofgardens@si.edu or sharing your stories through their website.

More News & Stories

• Save the Date for Harvest Fair: Saturday, 9/15 – Location TBD
• 2019 Bylaw Re-licensing Requirements Due
• New Safe Soil Gardening Practices Announced

Grants & Opportunities

• List your organization with the NYC Food Policy Database
• ioby: Power Up Neighborhood Match Grant
• ioby/PfP: Partnerships for Parks Crowdfunding Challenge
• The Awesome Foundation Microgrants

Workshops & Events

Grow to Learn Workshops
• May 9, Brooklyn: Potato Planters
• May 12, Bronx: Butterfly Project NYC Native Plant ShareDid you know that ALL our workshops are free and open to the public? You can find soil and lumber request forms at ALL GreenThumb-led workshops.

GreenThumb Workshop Survey

Do you have ideas for GreenThumb workshops? Would you like to host a workshop in your garden, share your skills by teaching other gardeners, or simply let us know which workshops you’d like us to offer? Let us know in the GreenThumb Workshop Survey.

Access all workshop info and more in: GreenThumb’s Spring Program Guide

GreenThumb News and Events – March 2018

February 28, 2018
by garden
10 min read

GreenThumb GrowTogether 2018

It’s hard to believe, but the 34th annual GreenThumb GrowTogether is a few weeks away! GrowTogether will feature a special keynote address from Karen Washington – a familiar face and tireless advocate for community gardens and food justice, a member of La Familia Verde Community Garden Coalition, and the co-founder of the Black Urban Growers.

This year’s event will take place at the Borough of Manhattan Community College on Saturday, March 31, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m..

Once again, we’ll be offering:

  • 60+ workshops
  • Dozens of greening partners sharing information and resources
  • Networking opportunities with community gardeners across the city
  • Breakfast and lunch
  • And, of course, the 34th edition of the annual GrowTogether t-shirt!

This year’s theme is “Honoring our Roots,” as this year also marks GreenThumb’s 40th anniversary. We are encouraging gardeners to share their old garden-related pictures and documents with GreenThumb to display at GrowTogether to showcase how far the gardening movement has come in the past 40 years. If you have GreenThumb related photos and/or print material from the early days of GreenThumb or your garden, please bring them to GrowTogether. We will have a scanner available, and will help you scan and digitize your materials.

If you are interested in displaying these materials at GrowTogether to help us show how far we have all come in the gardening movement, please contact: greenthumbinfo@parks.nyc.gov or (212) 602-5300.

At a cost of only $5, this is the best buy in all of NYC!

Here is a link to more info and where you can register.
The first 500 people to purchase discounted tickets in advance will receive a special 40th anniversary gift!

News

Spring Supply Distribution

Pick up basic gardening and maintenance supplies for your registered GreenThumb garden at the Spring Supply Distributionon April 14th from 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m..

  • On-site pick up only at the dates and locations below
  • One pick up per garden group
  • Carpool with other garden groups that may not have access to transportation
  • We encourage gardeners to take inventory of your toolsheds to see what you already have before taking supplies

Please note: RSVP to pick up supplies from 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.. You may only RSVP for 1 distribution site at a time. If you are registering for more than one garden, please enter them one at a time.

Walk-ins will be accepted from 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last.

*Staten Island: Please coordinate with your Outreach Coordinator or attend another borough’s pick up

Locations:
Brooklyn (Hattie Carthan Community Garden, New Vision Garden), Bronx (La Finca Del Sur), Manhattan (Green Oasis Community Garden, Pleasant Village Community Garden)

For more information, including addresses and directions, go to the Events page on our website.

Bylaws Requirements for 2019 Garden Relicensing

All community garden groups under NYC Parks jurisdiction must submit copies of their bylaws to their outreach coordinators to be re-licensed for 2018.

Visit our Bylaws page to learn more and to get started.

GreenThumb Soil Requirements

Growing food in urban soils is a challenge, and we want to make sure that every garden meets the highest standards for food safety. Visit our new Safe Soil Gardening Practices page to learn more about our best practices shared by your fellow gardeners.

2018 GreenThumb Youth Leadership Council

The Youth Leadership Council is a great way to give back to the community, earn volunteer hours, learn new skills, become a leader, and have fun! We are still looking for youth to apply to our 2018 Youth Leadership Council to serve in GreenThumb community gardens across all five boroughs!

The deadline has been extended to March 12th!
Youth Leadership Council Application

Grants and Opportunities

The Awesome Foundation

The Awesome Foundation is a global community advancing the interest of awesome in the universe, $1000 at a time. Each fully autonomous chapter supports awesome projects through micro-grants, usually given out monthly. These micro-grants, $1000 or the local equivalent, come out of pockets of the chapter’s “trustees” and are given on a no-strings-attached basis to people and groups working on awesome projects.

Deadline: Last day of each month
New York City Chapter
Grant Application

Citizens Committee for New York City

View a listing of other grant opportunities, resources, and workshops, like below, on the Citizens Committee for New York City website.

Composting Grant

In collaboration with the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Boardand Borough President Gale Brewer, Citizens Committee is awarding grants of up to $750 to start or expand compost projects in NYC.

Groups such as community gardens, schools, tenant associations, and community organizations in all 5 boroughs are eligible for the grant. Grant funds can be used to build compost bins, purchase other compost materials or tools, do outreach and education, and more.

Deadline: March 23
Learn more about the Composting Grant.
Questions? Contact Katie: kgrassle@citizensnyc.org or 212-822-9567

ioby

The Power Up Neighborhood Match, funded by Con Edison, provides matching dollars up to $5,000 for any parks, garden, or street tree project in Con Edison’s service area. Funds are easy to access–there’s no deadline or lengthy application, we just distribute funding first-come, first-served to all eligible projects.

Deadline: Rolling
Register for Power Up! Crowdfunding for your Neighborhood Webinar: March 21 at 12:00 p.m.

Partnerships for Parks/ioby

The Partnerships for Parks Crowdfunding Challenge provides up to $1,000 of matching funds for any accepted project benefiting NYC Parks properties – including parks, playgrounds, and green streets and street trees!
Learn how to apply here.

Deadline: Rolling

Workshops

Did you know that ALL our workshops are free and open to the public? You can find soil and lumber request forms at ALL GreenThumb-led workshops.

GreenThumb Workshop Survey

Do you have ideas for GreenThumb workshops? Would you like to host a workshop in your garden, share your skills by teaching other gardeners, or simply let us know which workshops you’d like us to offer? Let us know in the GreenThumb Workshop Survey.

Thursday, March 1

Grow your Garden Group
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Brooklyn

With spring around the corner, this is a key time to welcome new members to get involved in your garden. This workshop will cover creative and time-tested ways to grow your garden group, with a focus on recruiting new members and retaining existing members. Learn how to build the leadership of garden members and create healthy, effective groups with strong relationships at the core.

Este taller se ofrecerá con traducción al Español.

Register on Eventbrite to attend.

Saturday, March 3

Starting Seeds in a Greenhouse or Indoors
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Bronx

Get gardening early by starting your seeds in a greenhouse or sunny window. We’ll walk you through sowing, growing, and documenting your plant growth from seed to mature crop. In partnership with GreenThumb/NYC Parks, Praxis, and Urban Cultivated.

Please note: Pre-registration required by visiting our Eventbrite page or by calling: 212-602-5300.

Staten Island Garden Get Together
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Staten Island

Staten Island community members can gather to learn more about starting, growing, or joining a community garden.

Register on Eventbrite to attend.

Compost Mania
12:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m..
Queens

New York City Compost Project Hosted by Queens Botanical Garden
See decomposers under the microscope, meet our red wiggler worms, mix your own potting soil, sow some seeds, and roll wildflower seed balls! Take home what you make! This family-friendly day is all about compost—how it’s made and used. Find out why recycling food scraps and yard waste creates a more sustainable urban environment!

Register on Eventbrite to attend.

Thursday, March 8

The ABC’s of Event Planning: How to Plan a Successful Event at your Garden
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Manhattan

In preparation for Garden Month in June and the summer season, please join us as we discuss and come up with simple, quick, and easy steps to organize garden events. Whether you are thinking about hosting a community volunteer day, or opening the gates to your garden for a garden tour, this workshop will provide resources and information key to hosting a smooth, fun-filled, garden event!

Este taller se ofrecerá con traducción al Español.

Please note: Pre-registration required by visiting our Eventbrite page or by calling: 212-602-5300.

Tuesday, March 13

Organizing for Garden Success: Group Structure (Part 1 of 2)
5:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Brooklyn

Disorganization creates dysfunction. This two-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, we will discuss different examples of group structure and how they can help alleviate stressful decision-making. Registered GreenThumb gardeners who attend both sessions will be eligible to receive a free book for their garden.

This workshop will be offered with Bengali translation.

Register on Eventbrite to attend.

Thursday, March 15

Compost for Community Gardens
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Queens

Reimagine your garden as one where yard waste and veggie scraps are transformed into a rich soil amendment that creates a lush bounty. There’s no magic involved, only composting! Learn to make compost, pick the bin that’s best for your garden, and set up a management plan. Presented in partnership with GreenThumb and Queens Botanical garden.

Please note: Pre-registration required by visiting our Eventbrite page or by calling: 212-602-5300.

Tuesday, March 20

Microbes and Fungi: The Life of the Soil Party
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Manhattan

Get to know the soil in your garden. If we take care of the soil, the soil will take care of our plants and crops. Meet the microbes and other members of the soil food web who recycle nutrients and share best practices for soil care.

Please note: Pre-registration required by visiting our Eventbrite page or by calling: 212-602-5300.

Wednesday, March 21

Plant a DIY Sub-Irrigated Window Box 
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Brooklyn

Almost any container can be converted into a water-wise, sub-irrigated planter. Learn how, with the right plant choices, you can keep your window sill looking lush with less work and up to 80% less water than a traditional window box!

Please note: Pre-registration required at Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s website.

Grow to Learn Workshops

Grow to Learn, the citywide school garden initiative, of which GreenThumb is a principal partner, provides workshops and programming for school and community gardeners as well as the general public.

Thursday, March 8

Seed Starting
4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
Bronx

Join us for this workshop on how to start your seeds indoors, including proper timing and planting, care, and transplantation. Registered Grow to Learn school gardens ONLY will receive seed starting kits. Schools can attend one seed starting workshop.

Register to attend on the Grow to Learn Spring 2018 Workshop Registration page.

Thursday, March 15

Building a Bulletin Board From Scratch
3:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Bronx

In this workshop we will construct a weatherized bulletin board for communicating important information to your garden groups and/or the general school community and public. Please Note: the materials for building this bulletin board will not be provided, but lists of the items needed along with plans for the structure will be provided.

Register to attend on the Grow to Learn Spring 2018 Workshop Registration page.

Tuesday, March 20

School Garden Social
4:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Manhattan

Join Grow to Learn and gardeners from across all of New York City to celebrate the growing school gardens movement! This fun event will feature food, cooking demos, prizes, hands-on activities, and lots of chances to connect with other school gardeners from across the city! We welcome as many members of your school community as are able to attend.

Register to attend on the Grow to Learn Spring 2018 Workshop Registration page.

Access all workshop info and more in: GreenThumb’s Spring Program Guide

GreenThumb October News and Events

September 30, 2017
by garden
13 min read
News
GreenThumb Harvest Fair and Garden Recognition Awards recap
GreenThumb‘s annual Harvest Fair at Brooklyn Bears Pacific Garden in Brooklyn was huge success! We welcomed thousands of New Yorkers and hundreds of community gardeners to celebrate another gardening season and award ribbons in the annual Harvest Competition. We also celebrated the 2nd annual GreenThumbGarden Recognition Awards. Please join us in recognizing this year’s winners below.

Lifetime Achievement Award (Individual)
Jenny Benitez – Jenny’s Garden (Manhattan)

Lifetime Achievement Award (Garden)
Liz Christy Community Garden (Manhattan)

Greening Partner Award
Citizens Committee for New York City

Sustainability Award
462 Halsey Community Farm (Brooklyn)

Landscape Design Award
Clinton Community Garden (Manhattan)

Rookie of the Year
Windmill Community Garden (Queens)

Community Engagement Award
Joe Holzka Community Garden (Staten Island)

Youth Programming Award
McKinley’s Children Garden (Queens)

Public Art Award
Children’s Magical Garden (Manhattan)

Urban Agriculture Award
Taqwa Community Farm (Bronx)

Membership Updates are Past Due!
All registered GreenThumb community gardens should send an updated complete list of all their members to the respective Outreach Coordinator via email or US Mail. Download the submission template. Membership lists allow GreenThumb to identify gardens that can accommodate new members. This list is a GreenThumb requirement, and no service requests can be processed until this is met.

Winter is Coming!

This is a friendly reminder that all GreenThumb gardens on City-owned property are required to clear the sidewalks in front of their gardens of snow and ice following winter weather events. This is required as per the GreenThumb license, NYC Administrative Code, and DSNY regulations. It is important that all groups fulfill this responsibility to ensure public safety and maintain safe and inviting spaces throughout New York City. To support garden groups in doing this, GreenThumb will once again distribute shovels, calcium chloride, and ice breakers at our Fall Supply Distribution on November 4th. Details are below.
Strategic Planning Survey
GreenThumb has kicked off a 5-year strategic planning process, and we want your input! Help us plot out the next five years so that we can best support our network of 550+ community gardens and 20,000 community gardeners.

Current gardeners can participate here. And here is the Spanish version.

And anyone who is interested can participate here. And here is the Spanish version.

Please share widely. We want to hear from you!

New Grow to Learn Director!
Green Thumb is excited to welcome Kristin Fields as the new Director of Grow to Learn, the citywide school gardening initiative. Kristin was formally introduced to food and farming at the Queens County Farm Museum, where she started as an educator and later managed all educational programming. As a high school teacher, she integrated environmental sustainability into her English Language Arts curriculum before transitioning back to non-traditional learning spaces, most recently at the New York Transit Museum. Kristin is thrilled to join Grow to Learn and continue to build upon the amazing work already in progress.
Learn more about Grow to Learn here.
Youth Leadership Council
GreenThumb is excited to welcome Amanda Groziak and Carina Nieves as our new Civic Corps Fellows who will be managing the 4th annual GreenThumb Youth Leadership Council (YLC), our initiative to engage New York City youth in civic service, promote intergenerational learning, and foster the next generation of community garden leaders. This free program takes place during spring/summer of 2018, and we are looking for our next cohort of youth members, and also college mentors. Our application is now open and the deadline for gardens to apply is November 20th, 2017. For more information on the Youth Leadership Council, visit the GreenThumb website or contact Carina by email carina.nieves@parks.nyc.gov.
GreenThumb Volunteer Program
GreenThumb is also excited to welcome Hauwa Abubakar as a Civic Corps Fellow. Hauwa will be creating a volunteer program to support GreenThumb gardens with New Yorkers interested in volunteering in gardens. More details to come!

Save the Dates!

GreenThumb GrowTogether – March 31, 2018 
The 34th annual GrowTogether will be held on March 31, 2017. We have outgrown our past venue, and this year’s GrowTogether will be held at Manhattan Borough Community College. In addition to celebrating the kickoff to another great community gardening season, GreenThumb will be celebrating its 40th birthday! Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information.

MulchFest – January 6th & 7th 
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Bring your holiday tree to a designated city park or garden to be recycled into mulch that will nourish plantings across the city. Join the NYC Parks, the New York City Department of Sanitation, and GreeNYC to recycle your Christmas trees into wood chips. These wood chips are used to nourish trees and plants on streets and gardens citywide. Or, take home your very own bag of mulch to use in your backyard or to make a winter bed for a street tree. More than 26,000 trees were recycled last year. Help us top this number!
Fall Supply Distribution
Registered GreenThumb gardens can pick up basic winter maintenance supplies, including ice breakers, bags of calcium
chloride pellets (salt), and snow shovels for your registered GreenThumb garden on Saturday, Nov. 4 / 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

You must RSVP here or by calling our main line at (212) 602-5300 by October 27, 2017.

Please see below for additional information.

Saturday, Nov. 4 
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Pick-up by RSVP
12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m.: Walk-ins on a first-come,
first-served basis, while supplies last

BRONX
Townsend Community Garden
1735 Walton Ave.

BROOKLYN
New Vision Garden
590 Schenck Ave.

BROOKLYN
Hattie Carthan Community Garden
719 Marcy Ave.

MANHATTAN
Green Oasis Community Garden
382 E. 8th St.

MANHATTAN
Chenchita’s Group Community Garden
1691 Madison Ave.

STATEN ISLAND
GreenThumb will deliver directly to gardens in Staten Island.

Wednesday, Nov. 8 
4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.

QUEENS
GreenThumb Compound
10-01 Queens Plaza South

Grants and Opportunities

Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program, USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture
National Institute of Food and Agriculture requests applications for the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program for fiscal year 2018. The Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program funds two types of grants, Community Food Projects and Planning Projects. The estimated total program funding in fiscal year 2018 is approximately $8,640,000.

Deadline: December 4, 2017
Learn more about the Community Food Projects Grant Program

STEW-MAP is Live!
The STEW-MAP 2017 survey is now live! STEW-MAP is a map and searchable database of stewardship groups designed to help understand and strengthen our civic capacity to take care of New York’s neighborhoods. Your response and input helps support a vibrant, connected, and green NYC.

Learn more about STEW-MAP, and contact stewmap.ufs@gmail.com with any questions.

Home Depot Community Impact Grant
The Home Depot Foundation offers grants up to $5,000 to 501(c)(3) organizations that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their community.

Deadline: Rolling basis until Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017
Learn more about the Home Depot Community Impact Grant

Citizens Committee for New York City: Love Your Block Grant 
Love Your Block is an initiative of NYC Service in partnership with Citizens Committee for New York City that provides a unique opportunity for neighborhood groups to transform and improve their communities through local action while leveraging City services. Resident-led volunteer groups receive a grant of up to $1,000 and City services provided by the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Sanitation of New York, and the Department of Environmental Protection to help improve their block. In addition to the grant and City services, groups receive project planning and community building assistance as well as support with local media coverage for the project.

Deadline: November 6, 2017
Learn more about the Love Your Block Grant

Safe in the City Grant
The Safe in the City Grant offers funding opportunities designed to support community based actions and activities that will make neighborhoods safer. In addition to funding, applicants will also receive best practices and strategies from the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice’s Public Safety Tool Kit, further empowering them to employ prevention, intervention and trauma response methods while amplifying the voice of community to stand against violence and promote healthy, vibrant neighborhoods.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more about the Safe in the City Grant

City Parks Foundation
View a listing of grant opportunities and other resources on the City Parks Foundation website.

Workshops

Did you know that ALL our workshops are free and open to the public? You can find soil and lumber request forms at ALL GreenThumb-led workshops.

GreenThumb Workshop Survey
Do you have ideas for GreenThumb workshops? Would you like to host a workshop in your garden, share your skills by teaching other gardeners, or simply let us know which workshops you’d like us to offer? Let us know in the GreenThumb Workshop Survey!

Tuesday, Oct. 10

Composting with Bokashi 
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Shig Matsukawa, community gardener at El Sol Brillante, and GreenThumb

Learn about the bokashi composting method, how to ferment all food waste, how to use fermented food waste in soil, to feed earthworms, or to add to your existing composting setup, and how to make your own bokashi fermentation starter.

Location: El Sol Brillante Community Garden. 526 E. 12th St. MANHATTAN

Wednesdays, Oct. 11, 14 and 18

Soil is Alive Series 
October 11: 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
October 14: 10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
October 18: 6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Bronx Green-Up of The New York Botanical Garden
This three-part workshop will focus on maintaining and building healthy soil, vital to any productive garden, whether you grow vegetables or flowers. Learn what soil is, how to enrich it the organic way, and what concerns exist for urban soils. Parts 1 and 2 will take place at The New York Botanical Garden, and Part 3 will be hands-on at a community garden. Pre-registration is required. Priority will be given to Bronx community gardeners, but others are welcome if space allows. To register or for more information, call 718.817.8026 or e-mail bronxgreenup@nybg.org.

Location: New York Botanical Garden – Watson Education Building. Enter through the Mosholu Gate entrance. BRONX.

Thursday, Oct. 12

Triangular Double Raised Bed Design 
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
GreenThumb

Need a raised bed for a corner or just looking for interesting raised bed designs? Come learn how to measure angles and put together a triangular, double-height raised bed.

Location: 462 Halsey Community Garden 462 Halsey St. BROOKLYN

Saturday, Oct. 14

Soil Reboot: Compost and Green Manures
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
NYC Compost Project hosted by Snug Harbor

Explore cover cropping strategies that return fertility back to the land and hand-sow a fall cover crop mix to shelter and enrich the soil. Register at snug-harbor.org/compost/

Location: Snug Harbor STATEN ISLAND

Compost Demonstration Site For directions visit snug-harbor.org/visit/directions/. The Compost Demonstration Site is #23 on the map

Tuesday, Oct. 17

Keeping Chickens Part 2: Fall and Winter (Brooklyn) 
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Alex LaMond, GreenThumb community gardener at Tranquility Farm, and GreenThumb

Learn the nuts and bolts of keeping chickens in the city. This workshop will be the second in a two-part series and will cover maintenance for the fall and winter seasons. Garden groups who attended Part 1 in the summer and attend either location for Part 2 will be eligible to receive a book on keeping chickens.
Register at snug-harbor.org/compost/
Location: Tranquility Farm 267 Throop Ave. BROOKLYN
Thursday, Oct. 19

Gardening in a Changing Climate: What to Expect and How to Adapt 
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Dr. Darcy Telenko, Cornell Cooperative Extension, El Puente, and GreenThumb

Mild winters, summer droughts, and heavy storms are impacting growers throughout the region. More garden pests and diseases are surviving the winter and weed issues are changing. Come share what you’ve been experiencing with the changing climate in your garden and discuss what to do about it with Dr. Darcy Telenko, regional vegetable extension specialist for the Cornell Vegetable Program, who currently serves twelve western New York counties, where she focuses on fresh market vegetable production, weed management, and climate change resiliency. Join us beforehand for a tour of Espíritu Tierra Community Garden at 5:00 p.m. before the workshop, located at 203 South 2nd St., weather permitting.
Location: El Puente 211 S. 4th St. BROOKLYN
Tuesday, October 24

Season Extension and Cover Crops 
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
GreenThumb

Harvest your greens and root veggies well into December with low tunnels and row cover. We’ll discuss and build some simple season extension methods. We’ll also discuss and plant a cover crop seed mix. Registered GreenThumb community gardeners will be eligible to receive row cover and cover crop seeds, while supplies last!
Location: Howard Garden 750 Howard Ave. BROOKLYN
Wednesdays, Oct. 25, Nov. 1, Nov. 8, and Nov. 15

Pruning Series 
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Bronx Green-Up of The New York Botanical Garden The New York Botanical Garden • Watson Education Building

The Pruning Certificate course has been designed to help you learn to prune properly and improve your community garden. This course is ideal for community gardeners who want to keep their gardens in good shape. The focus of the class will be on pruning small trees and shrubs, with a full class devoted to fruit tree pruning. To receive a pruning certificate you must attend the four class dates listed above and demonstrate your pruning skills through 8 hours of practice at community garden workdays. Pre-registration is required. Priority will be given to Bronx community gardeners. To register or for more information, call 718.817.8026 or e-mailbronxgreenup@nybg.org.
Location: New York Botanical Garden – Watson Education Building Enter through the Mosholu Gate entrance. BRONX
Thursday, Oct. 26
Pumpkin Painting (Bronx)
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
GreenThumb It’s that time of year to use your creative chops and turn pumpkins into festive decorations. GreenThumb will have pumpkins and paint ready – please bring any other supplies and decorations to add to the beauty of your seasonal creation. This is a great workshop for the whole family! Este taller se ofrecerá con traducción al Español.
Location: United We Stand Garden 627 E. 137th St. BRONX
More Details

Saturday, Oct. 28

Pumpkin Painting (Brooklyn)
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
GreenThumb It’s that time of year to use your creative chops and turn pumpkins into festive decorations. GreenThumb will have pumpkins and paint ready – please bring any other supplies and decorations to add to the beauty of your seasonal creation. This is a great workshop for the whole family! Este taller se ofrecerá con traducción al Español.

Location: Berry Street Garden 303 Berry St. BROOKLYN
More Details

Saturday, Oct. 28

Bulbs: Design and Planting 
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
The Battery Conservancy Participants will learn about different types of bulbs, how to properly plant them, and how to design a beautiful spring display full of flowers. Pre-registration required attbcevents.eventbrite.com.

Location: The Battery. Enter at the corner of State St. and Broadway. MANHATTAN
More Details

Grow to Learn Fall 2017 Workshop Registration
Grow to Learn, the citywide school garden initiative, of which GreenThumb is a principal partner, provides workshops and programming for school and community gardeners as well as the general public. GTL has a wide variety of topics for you to select, including learning about soils, carpentry or about how your fellow school gardeners are raising chickens in their gardens. You must register to attend any Grow to Learn workshop- fill out the information below to sign up for one or more workshops of your choice. View the Grow to Learn Workshop Calendar. The sign-up information is there as well. We hope you will come and join us this fall to learn and share skills with us.

Access all workshop info and more in GreenThumb‘s Fall Program Guide

GreenThumb: August 2017 News and Events

August 14, 2017
by garden
9 min read

Help NYC Parks GreenThumb grow as we expand to reach more New Yorkers across social media!

Follow GreenThumb on:
Facebook | Twitter | Flickr | Instagram | tumblr

News

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Parks Equity Initiative
We are pleased to inform you that the New York City Council has made additional funds available in every council district to support the Parks Equity Initiative (PEI) in Fiscal Year 2018.  The PEI is a City Council-funded effort to help build a more equitable park system, providing Council Members with discretionary funding that they can allocate to enhance the maintenance and beautification of parks and gardens in their districts, to activate green spaces with vibrant programming or to support increased community engagement through volunteer projects and community-led activities.

GreenThumb has created a menu of options that are eligible for funding through PEI.  Council Members have the option of funding gardens through the provision of various materials and equipment, including soil, lumber, plants, tools, picnic tables, rainwater harvesting systems, picnic tables, sheds, and greenhouses.  If you would like to seek funding for your garden through this initiative, we recommend reaching out to your local Council Member today to request support.  Council Members are expected to begin making allocation decisions in August, so call now!

Membership Updates are Due!
All registered GreenThumb community gardens should send an updated complete list of all their members to the respective Outreach Coordinator via email or US Mail. Download the submission template. Membership lists allow GreenThumb to identify gardens that can accommodate new members. This list is a requirement for receiving material support from GreenThumb.

GreenThumb Harvest Fair and Garden Recognition Awards
GreenThumb’s annual Harvest Fair will be held on Saturday, September 16th at Brooklyn Bears Pacific Garden in Brooklyn, located at 590 Pacific Street, where we’ll be awarding ribbons to the winners of the annual Harvest Competition and also celebrating the 2nd annual GreenThumb Garden Recognition Awards.

Nominate a garden or gardener for a Garden Recognition Award

GreenThumb in the news!
In case you missed it, GreenThumb and our partners at GrowNYC were featured in a recent New York Times article on food production in community gardens.

Save the Dates!

Bronx Green-Up Harvest Festival
Saturday, Sept. 9
Join Bronx Green-Up for a celebration of the efforts of community gardeners that will include food, music, activities for kids, and much more. Learn more about the Bronx Green-Up Harvest Festival

GreenThumb Harvest Fair 2017
Saturday, Sept. 16
Bring your best harvest from your GreenThumb community garden to win prizes! Join us as we celebrate the close of the growing season. Learn more about the GreenThumb Harvest Fair 2017

Harlem Green Community Garden EXPO
Saturday, Aug. 12 – Saturday, Aug. 19
The Harlem Green Community Garden EXPO will be a week-long event advancing the cause of community gardens and displaying their outstanding resources. Learn more about the Harlem Green Community Garden EXPO

Sixth Annual LUNGS Harvest Arts Festival
Saturday, Sept. 23 and Sunday, Sept. 24 
The Sixth Annual LUNGS Harvest Arts Festival will feature music, dance, theater, spoken word, performance art, workshops and more in 50 community gardens on the Lower East Side. It’s free and open to all. Check their website for more details: Learn more about the Sixth Annual LUNGS Harvest Arts Festival

Grants and Opportunities

STEW-MAP is Live!
The STEW-MAP 2017 survey is now live!  STEW-MAP is a map and searchable database of stewardship groups designed to help understand and strengthen our civic capacity to take care of New York’s neighborhoods. Your response and input helps support a vibrant, connected, and green NYC.  Learn more about STEW-MAP, and contact stewmap.ufs@gmail.com with any questions.

Home Depot Community Impact Grant
The Home Depot Foundation offers grants up to $5,000 to 501(c)(3) organizations that are using the power of volunteers to improve the physical health of their community.
Deadline: Rolling basis until Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017
Learn more about the Home Depot Community Impact Grant

Partnerships for Parks Capacity Grants
Partnerships for Parks makes small grants of up to $5,000 to strengthen the outreach, membership, and program-planning capacity of community groups who care for their neighborhood parks in all five boroughs of New York City.
Deadline: Oct. 1, 2017
Learn more about the Partnerships for Parks Capacity Grants

Captain Planet Foundation: Environmental Education Grants
The mission of the Captain Planet Foundation is to give the next generation of environmental stewards an active understanding and love for the natural world in which they live. The Captain Planet Foundation primarily makes grants to U.S.-based schools and organizations with an annual operating budget of less than $3 million. Funding range: $500 to $2,500.
Deadline: Sept. 30, 2017
Learn more about the Captain Planet Foundation: Environmental Education Grants

Citizens Committee for New York City: Reuse and Repair Grant
Citizens Committee for New York City is partnering with the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer to launch our newest grant initiative: NYC Reuse and Repair.  The goal of the grant is to support New York City in reusing, repairing, and refurbishing 100% of all discarded products that can be reused in some capacity, with the balance being recycled.
Deadline: Sept. 12, 2017
Learn more about the Citizens Committee for New York City: Reuse and Repair Grant

Building Healthy Communities: Healthy Communities Grant
Citizens Committee for New York City is partnering with the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board (SWAB) and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer to launch our newest grant initiative: NYC Reuse and Repair.  The goal of the grant is to support New York City in reusing, repairing, and refurbishing 100% of all discarded products that can be reused in some capacity, with the balance being recycled.
Deadline: Aug. 5, 2017
Learn more about the Building Healthy Communities: Healthy Communities Grant

Safe in the City Grant
The Safe in the City Grant offers funding opportunities designed to support community based actions and activities that will make neighborhoods safer. In addition to funding, applicants will also receive best practices and strategies from the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice’s Public Safety Tool Kit, further empowering them to employ prevention, intervention and trauma response methods while amplifying the voice of community to stand against violence and promote healthy, vibrant neighborhoods.
Deadline: Rolling
Learn more about the Safe in the City Grant

City Parks Foundation
View a listing of grant opportunities and other resources on the City Parks Foundation website.

Workshops

Did you know that ALL our workshops are free and open to the public? You can find soil and lumber request forms at ALL GreenThumb-led workshops.

GreenThumb Workshop Survey
Do you have ideas for GreenThumb workshops? Would you like to host a workshop in your garden, share your skills by teaching other gardeners, or simply let us know which workshops you’d like us to offer? Let us know in the GreenThumb Workshop Survey!

Tuesday, Aug. 1

Signage for Inside the Garden
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
GreenThumb

Come paint educational, informational, and decorative signs to hang inside your garden. Bring your creative ideas. This is the perfect intergenerational workshop for the whole family.

Location: Evergreen Community Garden 47-32 Colden St., Queens

Saturday, Aug. 5

Sharing our Food Traditions: Canning
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Brenda Thompson-Duchene, GreenThumb community gardener at Powell Street Garden and GreenThumb

Preserve the harvest! Learn how to safely can summer bounty to enjoy through the winter.

Location:  Powell Street Garden 434 Livonia Ave., Brooklyn

Thursday, Aug. 10

Seed Keeping: Storytelling, Liberation, and How to Save Seeds
5:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Owen Taylor, Seed Keeping and Philadelphia Seed Exchange; Abu Talib, GreenThumb community gardener at Taqwa Community Farm; Bronx Green-Up/The New York Botanical Garden and GreenThumb

Keeping seeds connects us to our past and to our collective future. Come explore the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of saving seeds and the stories they hold through discussion and hands-on practice.

Location:  Taqwa Community Farm 90 W. 164th St. Bronx

Saturday, Aug. 12

Living Soil: Supporting Diverse Soil Ecology
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
NYC Compost Project hosted by Snug Harbor

We’ll go on a soil organism safari to understand how soil biodiversity sustains ecosystems and human health. Learn how to support soil life in the garden. RSVP for Living Soil: Supporting Diverse Soil Ecology.

Location:  Snug Harbor Compost Demonstration Site, Staten Island.
Get Directions
The Compost Demonstration Site is #23 on the map

Wednesday, Aug. 16

Toys from Twigs
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
GreenThumb

A hands-on workshop for teachers, parents, and care-givers of elementary school children. Learn how to safely build an array of toys that can be made from twigs the kids have gathered. Share your own ideas. You will build a toy in this workshop. Handouts will be provided with twig toy plans and a suggested tool list.

Location:  The Arsenal, 3rd floor gallery 830 5th Ave., Manhattan

Saturday, Aug. 19

Sharing our Farm Traditions: Willie Morgan
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Willie Morgan, GreenThumb community gardener at Our Little Green Acre, and GreenThumb

Harlem Farmer Willie Morgan will share crop stories, histories, and growing tips with us at Our Little Green Acre in Harlem. Mr. Morgan is well known for planting and tending to cotton and peanuts at the Harriet Tubman Memorial statue around the corner from his garden, where he teaches visitors about the legacies of slavery. He also farms dozens of varieties of heirloom vegetables and herbs.

Location: Our Little Green Acre 277 W. 122nd St., Manhattan

Tuesday, Aug. 22

Grant-Writing 101
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Partnerships for Parks, Citizens Committee for NYC, and GreenThumb

During this workshop and info-session, we will demystify the grant-writing process by discussing tips for applying for community-oriented grants. We will also share detailed information about Citizens Committee for NYC’s Love Your Block and Neighborhood Grants, Partnerships for Parks’ Capacity Fund Grant, and other resources offered to community gardens with upcoming deadlines.

Location:  GreenThumb Office (Please bring photo ID) 100 Gold St., Third Floor Grand Conference Room

Thursday, Aug. 24

Sowing Late Summer and Fall Crops
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Bronx Green-Up/The New York Botanical Garden and GreenThumb

Join us as we plant vegetables for the fall harvest at this urban farm. Learn which plants are best for the cooler weather.

Location:  La Finca del Sur 175 E. 138th St., Bronx

Grow to Learn Fall 2017 Workshop Registration
Grow to Learn, the citywide school garden initiative, of which GreenThumb is a principal partner, provides workshops and programming for school and community gardeners as well as the general public. GTL has a wide variety of topics for you to select, including learning about soils, carpentry or about how your fellow school gardeners are raising chickens in their gardens. You must register to attend any Grow to Learn workshop- fill out the information below to sign up for one or more workshops of your choice. View the Grow to Learn Workshop Calendar. The sign-up information is there as well. We hope you will come and join us this fall to learn and share skills with us.

Access all workshop info and more in GreenThumb’s Summer Program Guide

Members: Upcoming Staged Readings

June 26, 2017
by garden
2 min read

Dear garden members we have a fun theater event coming soon that you will want to put on your calendars and possibly participate in!

On Sunday July 16th and Sunday August 13th, from 3 to 5 pm our garden’s Special Events committee will be presenting staged readings of 5 theater pieces.

The scripts are all written by current or former members of the Harlem Dramatic Writing Lab at Columbia University. The scripts vary in theme: from mother nature to the poker table, and in style from the absurdist to the romantic. And the scripts vary in length from 4 to 19 pages (some pieces are excerpts.)

Audience members will be given response sheets to complete, and their top choice of the excerpts will decide which play or screenplay will be read in full on August 13th.

Casting is non-traditional. We are looking for: Professional Theater Garden Members!!!

Actors are asked to attend one rehearsal, and will be paid subway/bus transportation for both that day and the day of the first performance. The garden is not allowed to charge admission, but the “Suggested Donation of $10 or more” will be divided equally among the actors.

Garden members who’d like to be readers should contact Special Events committee member Joyce Griffen email: joycestar@mindspring.com asap.

GreenThumb – July News and Events

July 4, 2016
by garden
6 min read

News

GreenThumb Blog : An Introduction to GreenThumb’s Community Garden History
This month on our Tumblr blog we are excited to highlight the history of GreenThumb community gardens and the work of our early gardeners in New York City. Please read the article and visit our website www.greenthumbnyc.org to learn about how you can get involved in a garden near you.

Grants

Ioby Matching Grants Program
Crowd-resourcing platform In Our Backyards, or ioby, is partnering with the New York State Health Foundation to provide training and $100,000 in matching grants to help Brownsville residents improve health in their communities. Learn more about grant program.

NYRP Gardens for the City Program
Is there a community space in your neighborhood you’d like to see transformed? If so, apply for help from New York Restoration Project. NYRP provides support for project of various scales — from building a few vegetables beds to large-scale restoration work. Apply here.

Workshops & Events

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Sowing Late Summer and Fall Crops
11:00 am – 1:00 p.m.
Get the most out of the growing season by sowing late summer and fall crops. Learn about the best vegetables, herbs, and fruits to plant around this time. Also, gain insight on good cultivating practices for supporting this type of plant growth. This workshop is in partnership with Just Food. RSVP here.
Location : Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, 4881 Broadway at 204th Street, Manhattan
Cost: Free

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Garden Moves : African Dance
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Learn how to move in the garden with instructions in African dance. Each session will feature an African dance-based workout. No partner or prior experience required.
Location : Target Brooklyn Community Garden, 933 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Double Raised Bed Design
5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Learn how to build a double-high raised bed for your community garden. Higher raised beds provide an easier gardening experience for senior members, and provide better access for community members. All gardeners are welcome to this hands-on workshop. This workshop is offered with Spanish translation. Please RSVP here.
Location : New Hoe Avenue Garden on Hoe Avenue between Aldus Street and Southern Boulevard, Bronx
Cost: Free

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Art In the Garden Series : Natural Insect-Repellent Candles
12:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Annoyed by pesky gnats and mosquitoes that congregate in the garden once the summer sun sets? Interested in illuminating your garden at dusk? Join GreenThumb as we create our own natural insect-repellent candles using citronella oil and soy wax. RSVP here.
Location: Brooklyn Bears/Pacific Street Garden, 590 Pacific Street Brooklyn, NY 11217
Cost: Free

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Soil Health Series : Soil Science
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Want to learn how to keep your plants growing strong this season? In this workshop, we will cover soil health basics such as soil sampling and testing, and delve a bit into soil science, covering elemental make-up and building good soil quality with resources that are available. Please RSVP here.
Location: GreenThumb Compound, Queens Plaza South and 10th Street, Queens
Cost: Free

Thursday, July 14, 2016

City Chicken Institute: Coops, Runs, and Predators
6:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Visit a live chicken coop and learn how to raise your own flock. Learn how to keep you chickens safe and how to identify predators after an attack. Workshops are suitable for all levels of experience. Workshops may include hands-on components, so please come in appropriate attire. You will be provided with all necessary tools and gloves. Garden gates open at 5:30 p.m. and the workshop begins at 6:00 p.m.
Location: Imani Community Garden, 91 Schenectady Avenue, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Saturday, July 16, 2016

Building a Birdhouse
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Interested in building a birdhouse? Come and learn how to build a birdhouse to invite our feathery friends to the garden. RSVP here.
Location: 1278 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11221, Brooklyn.
Cost: Free

Monday , June 18, 2016

Kids Workshop : How does Soil Impact Plant Growth
10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.
At this workshop, we will learn how soil impacts plant growth. We will use hands-on explanations to explore soil health, while using our five senses. This is a kid-friendly event and it will include interactive components.
Location: East 43rd Street Block Association Community Garden
Cost: Free

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Staying Fiscally Fit
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Learn how to effectively keep track of your community garden expenses. This workshop is an introduction to basic bookkeeping tools and systems to manage garden finances, including receipt organization and sticking to a budget. Led by Pamela Capalad, CFP. RSVP here.
Location: The Arsenal (in Central Park), 830 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan
Cost: Free

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Garden Moves : African Dance
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Learn how to move in the garden with instructions in African dance. Each session will feature an African dance-based workout. No partner or prior experience required.
Location: Target Brooklyn Community Garden, 933 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Building a Birdhouse
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Interested in building a birdhouse? Come and learn how to build a birdhouse to invite our feathery friends to the garden. This workshop is offered with Spanish translation. RSVP here.
Location: College Avenue Garden, 1420 College Avenue, Bronx, NY 10456, Bronx
Cost:Free

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Garden Moves : African Dance
6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Learn how to move in the garden with instructions in African dance. Each session will feature an African dance-based workout. No partner or prior experience required.
Location: Target Brooklyn Community Garden, 933 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn
Cost:Free

Friday, July 29, 2016

Greenbelt Native Plant Center Field Trip
1:0 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Join GreenThumb on a field trip for a tour of the Greenbelt Native Plant Center, NYC Park’s 13-acre greenhouse, nursery, and seed bank complex on Staten Island. RSVP here or call (212) 602-5300. Limited spots available. RSVP required. RSVP does not guarantee participation; GreenThumb will confirm if spots are available.
Location: Greenbelt Native Plant Center, Victory Blvd, bet. Ridgeway Ave. and Travis Ave., Staten Island
Cost:Free

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Designing a Children’s Garden
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Huge sunflowers, purple hyacinth bean, and bitter gourd are just a few of the colorful and magical crops you can grow to interest young children in gardening. Come to Keap Fourth Community Garden and learn about great crops and structures that you can design for a thriving children’s garden. RSVP here.
Location: Keap Fourth Community Garden, 347 Keap Street, Brooklyn
Cost:Free

July 9: Flea Market

June 30, 2016
by garden
1 min read

Join us for our July Flea Market at the West 104th Street Community Garden on Saturday, July 9 from 11am to 5pm. Reserve now: $10 for a six foot space. Please bring your own table. Space will be available on the sidewalk in front of the garden. Raindate: Sunday, July 10.

For more information call 917-499-3589. Vendors call 917-416-4845.

Screen Shot 2016-06-30 at 11.29.42 AM

Download the Flyer to post in your buildling or neighborhood bulletin board.

November Greenthumb Newsletter

November 12, 2015
by garden
3 min read

GrowTogether T-shirt Design Contest
Please send in your GrowTogether T-shirt Designs for the 2016 season. This year’s theme is Concrete Jungle to Garden Oasis. The winning design will appear on the 2016 GrowTogether T-shirts, worn by hundreds of gardeners all over the city. Any GreenThumb gardener is welcome to enter. Applicants may send in up to 3 entries. The deadline for entry is Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Symposium: Growing the Urban Farm
Growing the Urban Farm features four distinguished speakers who will address these critical questions and offer inspiration to experienced and aspiring urban farmers alike. This symposium is presented by Bronx Green-Up, NYBG’s steadfast community gardening program, which has been instrumental in the Bronx for the last 27 years. Bronx Green-Up of the New York Botanical Garden is happy to offer community gardeners a discounted price of $10 to the Symposium: Growing the Urban Farm

Citizens Committee Neighborhood Grants
Neighborhood Grants: Up to $3,000 for Your Community Group Through the Neighborhood Grants, Citizens Committee awards micro-grants of up to $3,000 to resident-led groups to work on community and school projects throughout the city. We prioritize groups based in low income neighborhoods and Title I public schools.

New Deputy Director, Carlos Martinez
Please join us in welcoming Carlos Martinez as Deputy Director of GreenThumb. Carlos joins us from the Partnerships for Parks Catalyst Program where he was the Program Manager and Waterfront Park Activities Coordinator.

GreenThumb Youth Leadership Council 2016
The GreenThumb Youth Leadership Council is an opportunity for 150 high school aged youth and 20 college students to volunteer at a 10 community garden in New York City.

Workshops & Events

Saturday, November 14, 2015

GreenThumb Fall Bulb Giveaway
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Pick up a selection of spring flowering bulbs for fall planting at our compound. Unfortunately, we will not be able to hold bulbs for anyone.
Location: GreenThumb Compound, Queens
Cost: Free

GreenThumb Workshop: Healthy Soils
10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Want to learn how to keep your plants growing strong this season? Plant health is usually directly linked to the health of the soil it is growing in.
Location: GreenThumb Compound, Queens
Cost: Free

Thursday, November 19, 2015

GreenThumb Workshop: Group Structure and By-Laws 101
6:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Is your garden group in need of structure and more organization?
Location: Living Restorations, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Hattie Carthan Community Farmers’ Market
9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Shop for fresh, locally-grown produce, stone fruits, vegetables, herbs, Hattie Carthan cage-free eggs, value-added products, and specialty farm products.
Location: Hattie Carthan Garden, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

GreenThumb Workshop: Putting the Garden to Bed
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Want to get a jumpstart on planning for next season? This workshop is all about planning ahead and taking the time you have during late fall and winter to get ready for spring.
Location: Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Green Thumb June Calendar

June 9, 2015
by garden
3 min read

Green Thumb events are great ways for gardeners to learn about a topic related to community gardens. As a Green Thumb garden, West 104th Street Community Garden is eligible for certain benefits and free supplies. We are seeking volunteers who can commit to attending events. Attendance at certain Green Thumb may count toward the garden workday or makeup requirement. Contact us for details or to volunteer.

Irises & Green Thumb sign 5-15

Thursday, June 11, 2015

GreenThumb Workshop: Double Raised Bed Building

4:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m.
We will be learning how to raise beds higher to make them more accessible, especially for…
Location: PS 53 Garden (in ), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

JUN11

City Chicken Institute: Basics of Chicken Keeping

5:30 p.m.–7:15 p.m.
During this workshop, we will cover general topics of chicken keeping including ideal coop…
Location: Imani Garden, Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Saturday, June 13, 2015

GreenThumb Workshop: Freshkills Park Walking Tour

1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Join NYC gardeners for a tour of Freshkills Park and see land transformation on an…
Location: St. George Ferry Terminal, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Powell Street Garden Workshop: Introduction to Beekeeping & Honey Tasting

3:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Join us for a brief introduction to beekeeping and enjoy tasting local…
Location: Powell Street Livonia Garden (in ), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Sunday, June 14, 2015

8th Annual Red Hook Jazz Festival at the Urban Meadow Garden

1:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Please enjoy a day of cutting-edge jazz music at the Urban Meadow Community Garden in…
Location: Urban Meadow Community Garden, Brooklyn
Cost: $10 suggested admission, kids are free

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

GreenThumb Workshop: Garden Design

5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Have you ever wanted to do something different than the same old 4-by-8-foot wooden raised…
Location: Red Gate Garden (in ), Brooklyn
Cost: Free

Thursday, June 18, 2015

GreenThumb Workshop: Perennial Swap

5:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.
Perennials are plants like oregano or day lily, which grow and bloom in spring and summer,…
Location: River Garden (in ), Bronx
Cost: Free

Saturday, June 20, 2015

GreenThumb Workshop: Birdhouse Building

11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Interested in building a birdhouse? Come to the Clayton Williams Community Garden and learn…
Location: Clayton Williams Memorial Garden, Manhattan
Cost: Free

GreenThumb Workshop: Composting 101

11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
This is the first in a series of compost workshops in Staten Island. These three…
Location: Westervelt Community Garden, Staten Island
Cost: Free

Sunday, June 21, 2015

8th Annual Red Hook Jazz Festival at the Urban Meadow Garden

1:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
Please enjoy a day of cutting edge jazz music at the Urban Meadow Community Garden in…
Location: Urban Meadow Community Garden, Brooklyn
Cost: $10 suggested admission, kids are free

El Flamboyan Garden: Father’s Day Celebration

2:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Enjoy a Father’s Day celebration at the garden with a DJ, free food, and beverages.…
Location: El Flamboyan Community Garden (in ), Bronx
Cost: Free

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

City Chicken Institute: How to Build a Chicken Tractor

5:30 p.m.–7:15 p.m.
Chicken tractors are a small chicken run without a floor that allow you to safely move your…
Location: Paradise on Earth, Bronx
Cost: Free