Last night was the first meeting to brainstorm and plan for the new Flatbush CommUNITY Garden. A group of 20+ people met at P.S. 217 to share their ideas of what they’d like this neighborhood resource to become. In addition to growing vegetables and fruits and flowers, what many of us expressed was the desire for a place where we can meet our neighbors, form ties to our community, and enjoy a peaceful outdoor environment. New York City has many examples of gardens that serve as hubs of neighborhood cultural and social interaction as well as providing beautiful green spaces (and in some cases food as well). Clearly there is a longing for such a place here in Flatbush, and our goal is to create one.
East 4th Street Community Garden, Kensington, Brooklyn, photo by Flatbush Gardener
Campus Road Garden at Brooklyn College
East Village community garden, Manhattan
There was also talk of composting, rainwater harvesting, permaculture, urban agriculture, and many of the other sustainability concepts that I for one have been hoping for a location to demonstrate and educate the community about (myself included!). It’s great to learn that other folks in the neighborhood share the same goals.
A tour of the site is scheduled for this Sunday afternoon… stay tuned for details.
Just linked back.
The site is large enough to support diverse strategies of use. My vision/fantasy: That the garden can embody the three “pillars” of sustainability: economic, environmental, and cultural. I can see in my mind where these can live on the site.
A composting site as part of the garden would be a wonderful wonderful thing – the community providing the nutrients to nourish the garden which will then nourish some of the community…..
Community composting is definitely on the Sustainable Flatbush radar!
Where is the site? Will there be individual plots? How do I sign up?! Really terrific news. I can’t wait.
A listserv has been set up for the garden:
http://groups.google.com/group/flatbushcommunitygarden
Sign up to stay on top of communications. First Clean Up Day is scheduled for July 20th!
Is it possible to join/get on a waiting list for any possible space in the garden? If so, how can we do that?
Rachel, stay tuned! Info about the garden for this year will be coming very soon.
I’m a different Rachel with the same question: How can we become involved this year?
Hi Rachel(s)! Thanks for your interest in the Garden.
Sustainable Flatbush is currently planning an orientation for our Urban Gardens and Farms initiative; this meeting will be the next opportunity to get on the CommUNITY Garden waiting list, and will also provide information about other gardening opportunities we have been working on for the neighborhood. The plan is to hold this meeting in the next few weeks (late May or early June).
We have also started an email list specifically to provide news about Urban Gardens and Farms initiative activities. If you have not yet received an automated response from garden@sustainableflatbush.org.s107207.gridserver.com feel free to send an email to that address requesting to be included on the mailing list.
Thanks again for your interest and I hope to meet you soon!