July 16: Theater in Our Garden

Thanks, in advance, to everyone coming out to the West 104th Street Garden later today to attend THEATER IN OUR GARDEN, a day of staged readings.

West 104th Street between Central Park West and Manhattan Avenue
3:00pm-5:00pm

Suggested Donation: $10

Thanks, in advance, to everyone coming out to the West 104th Street Garden later today to attend THEATER IN OUR GARDEN, a day of staged readings. West 104th Street between Central Park West and Manhattan Avenue 3:00pm-5:00pm Suggested Donation: $10

GreenThumb: July 2017 News and Events

News

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. Membership lists allow GreenThumb to identify gardens that can accommodate new members. This list is a requirement for receiving material support from GreenThumb. Download the membership update template.

GreenThumb Harvest Fair and Garden Recognition Awards
GreenThumb’s annual Harvest Fair will be held on Saturday, September 16th in Brooklyn, 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. The deadline is this week!

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: Green Your Cuisine
The Fund for Public Health in New York City (FPHNYC), on behalf of the Building Healthy Communities (BHC) initiative, is currently accepting proposals for community based organizations interested in implementing nutrition education and/or cooking workshops for residents of the Corona and Flushing communities to encourage healthy eating.
Deadline: July 7, 2017
Learn more about Building Healthy Communities: Green Your Cuisine

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!

Saturday, July 8

Living Soil: Compost Tea for Integrated Pest Management
11:00 a.m.–Noon
NYC Compost Project hosted by Snug Harbor

This workshop will walk you through a simple DIY brewing system that will cost under $25 and give you tips on making and applying compost tea properly.

Location: Snug Harbor Compost Demonstration Site, Staten Island
For directions visit snug-harbor.org/visit/directions/
The Compost Demonstration Site is #23 on the map
RSVP: Register at
snug-harbor.org/compost/

Wednesday, July 12

Composting: What’s Going on Inside my Bin?
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
GreenThumb and NYC Compost Project

In this workshop we’ll discuss the basics of composting and how to troubleshoot common issues that come up when maintaining a compost pile. We’ll take a deeper look at the inner workings of the compost system at Morris Jumel Community Garden as an example.

Location: Morris Jumel Community Garden 457 W. 162nd St., Manhattan

Thursday, July 13

Herbal Teas Using Garden Herbs
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.
Frances Dunston, herbalist at Sacred Vibes Apothecary, and GreenThumb

Herbs can do more than enhance your food—many have medicinal properties as well. For this workshop we’ll partner with an herbalist from Sacred Vibes Apothecary to discuss the healing properties of herbs commonly found in our gardens and sample some recipes for herbal teas.

Location: Isabahlia Community Garden 615 Saratoga Ave., Brooklyn

Tuesday, July 18

Replenishing your Soil
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
GreenThumb

Want to learn how to keep your plants growing strong this season? In this workshop we will discuss how to use amendments such as bone and blood meal to reintroduce nutrients into your soil. Amending throughout the season will keep your plants nourished and viable.

Location: 400 Montauk Avenue Block Association Community Garden 956 New Lots Ave., Brooklyn

Thursday, July 20

Carpentry 101: Creating Projects for Your Garden
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
GreenThumb

With the right tools, you can do a lot in your garden. We’ll discuss lumber and hardware selection, explain and use some measuring tools, and practice using hand and power tools on small garden projects. Este taller se ofrecerá con traducción al Español.

Location: Eagle Slope Community Garden 586 Westchester Ave., Bronx

Saturday, July 22

Vegetable Gardening: Crop Planning for Maximizing Harvest
10:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.
The Battery Conservancy

Participants will learn how to create an efficient crop plan to maximize yield in a small space using succession planting while maintaining healthy soil through crop rotation and other organic techniques. They will tour Battery Urban Farm to see these techniques in action. Pre-registration required at tbcevents.eventbrite.com/

Location: The Battery Enter at the corner of State St. and Broadway, Manhattan

Keeping Chickens Part 1: Spring and Summer (Bronx)
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
GreenThumb and Lilly Kesselman, GreenThumb community gardener at Brook Park

Learn the nuts and bolts of keeping chickens in the city. This workshop will be the first in a two-part series: this summer we’ll cover maintenance for spring and summer, and in the fall we’ll discuss maintenance for fall and winter. Garden groups who attend both sessions will be eligible to receive a book on keeping chickens! Part 1 this summer will be offered in two locations, and Part 2 will be offered in the fall.

Location:Brook Park 494 E. 141st St, Bronx

Tuesday, July 25

Natural Insect Repellent Candles
5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Grow to Learn and GreenThumb

Annoyed by pesky gnats and mosquitos 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. Bring flowers and garden treasures to decorate your candle!

Location: Oasis Community Garden 505 W. 52nd St. Manhattan

Thursday, July 27

Growing Plants for Dye
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.
Mark Leger, GreenThumb community gardener at Phoenix Community Garden, Grow to Learn, and GreenThumb

Many of the beautiful plants that we grow in the garden can also be used to color yarn and cloth. Orange cosmos makes vibrant golds. Marigolds make yellow. Purple basil makes olive green. And there’s lots more! This workshop will cover how to plan a dye plant garden, and then we’ll get to work dying some yarn! Workshop participants will each take away a length of colored yarn.

Location: Phoenix Community Garden 16 Somers St. Brooklyn

Saturday, July 29

Feral Cat Caretaker Certificate
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
NYC Feral Cat Initiative and ASPCA

Learn the basics of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and colony care in this hands-on workshop. Attending a TNR certification workshop is the first step to gain the knowledge and skills needed to help the feral and stray community cats in your garden. Upon completion of the workshop, you will become a Certified TNR Caretaker and be eligible for free or low-cost spay/ neuter, trap loans, transportation for cats and traps, educational and networking events, newsletters, community outreach materials, and other services and support. Este taller se ofrecerá con traducción al Español.

Location: Jackie Robinson Recreation Center 85 Bradhurst Ave., Manhattan

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

Members: Upcoming Staged Readings

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.

Karl Porter’s Funeral: June 16

Linda Prudhomme sent out this information on Karl Porter’s Funeral tomorrow. The North West Central Park Multiblock Association is the garden’s fiscal sponsor.

Dear Neighbors:

Our neighbor from 425 CPW, Karl Hampton Porter, died Friday, June 9 at St Luke’s Hospital.

Along with his many career and musical accomplishments, Karl served as the President of the North West Central Park Multiblock Association right up until his death.

His congenial spirit will long be in our memories.

Please pass the memorial info on to others who knew and loved Karl.

Unity Chapel
2352 8th Ave (Frederick Douglass Blvd)
between 126 and 127th Streets East side of the street.
Easily accessed via the #10 bus..

Date : Friday June 16
Time: 11:00 am
Phone 212 866-8300

June 25: Jazz in the Garden with the Joyce Griffen Quartet

Screen Shot 2017-06-14 at 8.55.49 AM

JUNE 25, 2017
Time: 4:30-6:30p

Location: on 104th Street, between Central Park West and Manhattan Avenue

Description: Joyce Griffen and her quartet returns! Gorgeous standards, sensual ballads, hip-moving Latin rhythms. Suggested donation: $10.

Feel free to contact us with any questions about our events.

Contact: Donna Checkan 917. 416. 4845
Email: donnacheckan@gmail.com

Garden events are always free and open to the public. Download our flyer to help promote this event in your building.

June 21: Make Music New York!

make-music-flute

June 21st is the annual Make Music NY festival.Garden members will be strumming & singing from 4:30-6:30p! Bring your instruments and your voices, as we celebrate Make Music NY!

Garden events are always free and open to the public. All are welcome.

June 17: Flea Market

Screen Shot 2017-06-14 at 8.55.32 AM

SATURDAY, JUNE 17 [Raindate Sunday, June 18]

West 104th Street Garden FLEA MARKET

Time: 11:00a-4:00p

Location: on 104th Street, between Central Park West and Manhattan Avenue

Description: Join community members as they clear out their closets and offer their wares. All items marked with suggested donations. All proceeds benefit the West 104th Street Garden.

Feel free to contact us with any questions about our events!

Contact: Donna Checkan 917. 416. 4845
Email: donnacheckan@gmail.com

The Flea Market is open to the public. All are welcome. Download our Flyer to promote the flea market in your building.

GreenThumb June 2017 News and Events

News

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

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

June is GreenThumb Garden Month
June will once again be GreenThumb Garden Month.  We’re asking all of our gardens to plan free community events in the month of June to show neighborhoods across NYC the full benefit of being home to a GreenThumb garden.  Let us know here about all of your events so that we can post them on our website.

Membership Updates are Due!
All GreenThumb community gardens should send an updated list of members to their Outreach Coordinator. Submission template.

GreenThumb Harvest Fair and Garden Recognition Awards
GreenThumb’s annual Harvest Fair will be held on Saturday, September 16th in Brooklyn, 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.

Grants and Opportunities

CRAFT Day at Friends of the High Line
Green Council offers paid job opportunities for local youth aged 14-19 in urban gardening and food justice work. Green Council members learn about horticulture, and work alongside High Line Gardeners, collaborate with other youth on issues of food justice, and partner with organizations to care for green spaces. Once members complete one year in the program, they can apply to be Leaders, developing leadership skills through facilitation and decision making, while also serving as peer mentors for their fellow members.
Date:  Tuesday, June 8
Location: 820 Washington Street New York, NY 10014
Time:  9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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.  Visit our website for more information 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, December 31, 2017
More Info: https://corporate.homedepot.com/grants/community-impact-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: September 30, 2017
More Info: http://www.captainplanetfoundation.org/apply-for-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: September 12, 2017
More Info: http://www.citizensnyc.org/grants/reuse-and-repair-grant

City Parks Foundation
You can 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 this survey!

Tuesday, June 6

Planting Herbs for Health and Wellness
6:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Janiele Lewis, Intergenerational WELLth Educator, Coach, and Community Chef, and GreenThumb

Curious about how you can help your community members naturally increase their resilience to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other chronic conditions…with what you grow? Then join us, as we explore how to simply and strategically plan and plant medicinal herbs and foods, which support our best health and satisfy our taste for diversity!

Location: Ashford Learning Garden
341 Ashford St., Brooklyn.

Thursday, June 8

A Gardener’s Yoga
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Onika Abraham, Director of Farm School NYC, and GreenThumb

Repetitive gardening movements often cause painful knee joints and sore back muscles. Founded by a farmer and Kripalu-trained yoga instructor, A Gardener’s Yoga classes are for gardeners, not gurus. This class will soothe, strengthen and connect students with their intention to grow. We will have a limited number of mats available so please bring your own if you can. Este taller se ofrecerá con traducción al Español.

Location: Two Coves Community Garden
11–01 30th Ave., Queens

Saturday, June 10

The Wonderful World of Caribbean Vegetables
1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.

Marlene Wilks, GreenThumb community gardener at New Vision Garden, and Brooklyn Botanic Garden Bitter

Melon, callaloo, Malabar spinach, and dasheen are familiar to many Brooklyn gardeners, yet a mystery to some. Learn hands-on how to source, grow, and use a variety of amazing Caribbean veggies to add a taste of the Islands to your garden. Pre-registration required.

Location: Brooklyn Botanic Garden
1000 Washington Ave., Brooklyn

Living Soil: Soil Fertility for Crop Production
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

NYC Compost Project hosted by Snug Harbor

Learn how to nourish the soil to support plants in developing our favorite fruiting crops and make this summer’s harvest the best you’ve ever had!  Register at snug-harbor.org/compost/

Location: Snug Harbor Compost Demonstration Site, Staten Island
For directions visit www.snug-harbor.org/visit/directions
The Compost Demonstration Site is #23 on the map.

Tuesday, June 13

Plants that Take the Heat
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Whether you want a lively tree bed, a bodacious window box, or a colorful front yard, it helps to use drought- and heat-tolerant plants. We’ll share some tough beauties and water-wise tips to stop your garden from wilting this summer. Pre-registration required.

Location: Brooklyn Botanic Garden
1000 Washington Ave., Brooklyn

Wednesday, June 14

Making Mosaics
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.

Barbara Cahn, community gardener at LaGuardia Corner Gardens, and GreenThumb

Enhance your garden’s character by creating unique and colorful mosaic stepping stones. We will use recycled tiles, ceramics, and glass. Feel free to bring your own tiles, take-out containers for shaping the stones, friends, family, and creative ideas!

Location: LaGuardia Corner Community Garden
511 LaGuardia Place, Manhattan

Saturday, June 17

Juneteenth Celebration

Join M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden for its 2017 Juneteenth Celebration! Juneteenth marks the freedom of the last enslaved African Americans in the U.S. For more information, please visit www.mkgarden.org

Location: M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden
Across the street from 177 Chrystie St. in Sarah Roosevelt Park, Manhattan

Thursday, June 22

Drip Irrigation 101
5:30 p.m.–7:00 p.m.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden, East New York Farms!, Grow to Learn, and GreenThumb

Save water and save time by using drip irrigation. This sustainable garden technique transports water directly to the plant so there is no need to water the whole bed. Learn the basics in this hands-on class. Registered community garden groups who attend this workshop may be eligible to pick up rainwater harvesting barrels.

Location: Hands and Heart Community Garden
290 New Lots Ave., Brooklyn

Saturday, June 24

Building a Brick BBQ
1:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.

GreenThumb

You can’t beat the taste of barbecued food cooked on a grill. Forget rushing to the garden center to buy an expensive barbecue—set aside one day and you can have your own stylish brick barbecue. Learn the basics of keeping it safe and what is allowed in your community garden. This workshop is in collaboration with GreenThumb’s Youth Leadership Council.  Este taller se ofrecerá con traducción al Español.

Location: Melrose New Generation Community Garden
377 E. 160th St., Bronx

Tuesday, June 27

Attracting Pollinators and Pest-Controlling Predator Insects with Native Plants
6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.

Bronx Green-Up/The New York Botanical Garden and GreenThumb

Learn about the importance of our local pollinators and how to create gardens to attract them. As part of the workshop we will spend time identifying the native plants that host them at New Roots Community Farm. We will also observe and discuss design elements of the pollinator gardens and spend some time caring for the plants.

Location: New Roots Community Farm
670 Grand Concourse Train, Bronx

Wednesday, June 28

Keeping Chickens Part 1: Spring and Summer (Brooklyn)
6:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.

GreenThumb and Alex LaMond, GreenThumb community gardener at Tranquility Farm

Learn the nuts and bolts of keeping chickens in the city. This workshop will be the first in a two-part series: this summer we’ll cover maintenance for spring and summer, and in the fall we’ll discuss maintenance for fall and winter. Garden groups who attend both sessions will be eligible to receive a book on keeping chickens! Part 1 this summer will be offered in two locations, and Part 2 will be offered in the fall.

Location: Tranquility Farm
267 Throop Ave., Brooklyn

Grow to Learn Spring 2017 Workshop Registration
See the Grow to Learn Spring 2017 Workshop Calendar and registration.  They have lots of topics for you to select, and will be adding to this form as the season goes on, check back regularly to the events calendar for more workshops from Grow to Learn and other partner organizations. 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.

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

June Events in the Garden

SATURDAY, JUNE 17 [Raindate Sunday, June 18] NOTE NEW DATE

West 104th Street Garden FLEA MARKET

Time: 11:00a-4:00p

Location: on 104th Street, between Central Park West and Manhattan Avenue

Description: Join community members as they clear out their closets and offer their wares. All items marked with suggested donations. All proceeds benefit the West 104th Street Garden.
SUNDAY, JUNE 25

West 104th Street Garden JAZZ

Time: 4:30-6:30p

Location: on 104th Street, between Central Park West and Manhattan Avenue

Description: Joyce Griffen and her quartet returns! Gorgeous standards, sensual ballads, hip-moving Latin rhythms. Suggested donation: $10.

Contact: Donna Checkan 917. 416. 4845

Email: donnacheckan@gmail.com

Website: w.104garden.org

Feel free to contact Donna with any questions about our events!

June 3: FREE & SECURE On-Site Paper Shredding

Saturday, June 3rd, 11am-3pm
FREE & SECURE On-Site Paper Shredding

Please join Assembly Member O’Donnell & City Council Member Helen Rosenthal for FREE & SECURE on-site paper shredding on Saturday, June 3rd from 11am-3pm just East of the corner of Columbus Ave & 88th St. American Security Shredding’s mobile truck performs on-site shredding services using a highly secure shredding process and is AAA Certified by the National Association of Information Destruction. This is a great opportunity to securely dispose of sensitive documents to eliminate the risk of identity-theft, in just minutes!