Proud Gardeners at Church Avenue Streetscape (photo by Flatbush Gardener)

This Saturday, June 4th, from 11am-4pm, Sustainable Flatbush will greatly expand the native plant gardens already underway at the Church Avenue Communal Garden at the Flatbush Reformed Church.

Native Columbine (photo by Flatbush Gardener)

Not only is this a rare chance to break ground on a native plant garden that will benefit the Flatbush community for decades to come (learn why here), it’s an opportunity to learn about plants native to our area, the many benefits they provide, and how they can be used in gardens.

Thanks to a very generous donation from the Greenbelt Native Plant Center, City of New York Department of Parks and Recreation, this week we’ll be receiving more than 390 individual plants of over a dozen species propagated from wild populations around NYC. We will need a BIG turnout on Saturday to clear weeds, prepare planting beds, and get the plants in the ground! That means, we need YOU!

Chris Kreussling (aka Flatbush Gardener), Director of our Urban Gardens and Farms Initiative, will be there to share his abundant knowledge of native plants and their important role in New York City’s ecosystem. So this is a great opportunity to get your hands dirty, help beautify a historic site in the heart of Flatbush, AND gain some knowledge about our urban environment. You know you don’t want to miss this one!

WHAT: BIG Native Planting Day at the Church Avenue Communal Garden!
WHEN: Saturday, June 4th, 11am-4pm
WHERE: Church Avenue Communal Garden at the Flatbush Reformed Church
890 Flatbush Avenue (enter at East 21st Street and Kenmore Terrace)

Hope to see you there!

Brooklyn Dirt: Monthly Talks on Urban Farming and Gardening.

Talk Four: Native Plants

with Speakers Mariellé Anzelone (Executive Director, Founder, NYC Wildflower Week) and Chris Kreussling (aka Flatbush Gardener)

May 18th, 2011 from 7 – 9:30 pm Downstairs @ Sycamore Bar and Flowershop, 21+

1118 Cortelyou RD, BK (Q train to Cortelyou)

$5 suggested donation (proceeds benefit Sustainable Flatbush & Prospect Farm)

——-

Mariellé Anzelone, Executive Director, Founder of NYC Wildflower Week

Marielle Anzelone is a botanist, urban conservation biologist and native plant landscape designer. The idea for NYC Wildflower Week was born of her desire to share her love of flora and create an posse of passionate plant people. Prior to this, she was the Plant Ecologist for NYC Department of Parks’ Natural Resources Group for nearly 7 years. Her op-ed on the extinct flora of New York City was recently featured in The New York Times.
http://nycwildflowerweek.org/about.html

Chris Kreussling (aka Flatbush Gardner)

Chris Kreussling is a garden coach with more than 30 years gardening experience in NYC. Chris is also the Director of the Urban Gardens and Farms initiative of Sustainable Flatbush and a community member of the Healthy Soils, Healthy Communities advisory board, a project of the Cornell Waste Management Institute.

Over the past 6 years, Chris has transformed a dusty, weedy backyard into a garden oasis of over 60 species of native trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses and wildflowers. He’s documented the process on his gardening blog, Flatbush Gardener.
http://flatbushgardener.blogspot.com/

Sustainable Flatbush brings neighbors together to mobilize, educate, and advocate for sustainable living in their Brooklyn neighborhood and beyond.
http://sustainableflatbush.org/

Prospect Farm is a community group in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn working together to grow food in a formerly vacant lot, with the mission toward creating a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm that can serve the commmunity.
http://prospectfarm.org

Serviceberry bush on Church Avenue

Brooklyn Native Plants Tour May 15th, Spring Planting at the Garden May 21st, and Celebration with Flatbush Farm Share CSA June 8th!

Thanks to all who came out for our first spring planting at the garden on April 30th! We were able to score some beautiful native plants from the 12th Annual Wildflower and Native Plant Sale at Westchester Community College for the first installation of the Church Avenue streetscape, including a beautiful Serviceberry (Amelanchier) bush. The edible garden also looks great, and we’ve now planted okra, cauliflower, collards, cherry peppers, green beans, and more in sub-irrigated planters created from reclaimed materials!

There are several exciting events in the works for the garden over the next month, please save the dates! Events will take place at the backyard space of the Flatbush Reformed Church, at Kenmore Terrace and East 21st Street, unless otherwise noted.

Sunday, May 15th, 12-3pm

special off-site event: Native Plant Garden Tour

As part of NYC Wildflower Week, our own Chris Kreussling (aka Flatbush Gardener), Director of Sustainable Flatbush’s Urban Gardens and Farms Initiative, will partner with Compost for Brooklyn to provide a tour of two native plant gardens in the neighborhood. The self-guided tour begins at Compost for Brooklyn, Newkirk Avenue and East 8th street, and continues to Chris’s home garden.
Register here for this free event (and for directions).

Planting the Church Avenue streetscape

Saturday, May 21st, 11am-4pm

Spring Planting and Potluck: Native Plants Edition!!!

Join us for a special spring planting day and potluck meal!

This is our second installation of spring planting days at the the Church Avenue Communal Garden. We’ll focus on beautifying the Church Avenue streetscape and preserving our urban ecosystem with plants that are native to the New York City region.

Enjoy a beautiful day outdoors at the historic Flatbush Reformed Church! A composting demonstration and workshop will be held from 11-12. Bring food or drinks to share with your fellow gardeners.

Wednesday, June 8th, 4-8pm

Spring Planting Celebration and Potluck with the Flatbush FarmShare CSA!
Join us for a potluck social at the Church Avenue Communal Garden to celebrate our spring plantings and the first day of the season for the Flatbush Farm Share CSA! We’ll have info tables, wine tastings, live music, and more. Bring finger food and/or drinks to share.

See you at the garden!

(photos courtesy of Alexandra Corrazza)

The Church Avenue Communal Garden is a new community garden located on the grounds of the historic Flatbush Reformed Church property at Church and Flatbush Avenues. The project is a partnership between Sustainable Flatbush and the Flatbush Reformed Church, and will include a rain garden and community space, an edible garden, and a native plant streetscape along Church Avenue. As we begin our first planting season this spring, the garden will become a community space for Flatbush residents to participate in workshops and events around nutrition, composting, container gardening, native plants, and local food, including special activities for youth. For more information email emily@sustainableflatbush.org or call 718.208.0575. Come get your hands dirty with us!

Last year's abundant tables at the Flatbush Plant Swap!

The 2nd Annual Flatbush Plant Swap is coming up soon! On Saturday, April 16, Sustainable Flatbush and Flatbush Food Co-op will be hosting a free community plant swap. So prepare your cuttings, divide your perennials, or just get excited to pick up some horticultural tips… and take a plant home to start your own indoor or outdoor garden!

Lucky neighbor took home a beautiful young flowering tree

Last year’s inaugural plant swap was a huge success; we saw many people of all ages come and go throughout the day bringing plants, taking plants, sharing gardening knowledge and just hanging out to enjoy the sun.

Click here to see our photos from last year’s event.

From noon to 3pm, rain or shine, we will be in front of the Co-op again this year. So come out and join the fun!

Remember, you don’t have to bring something to take something.

Everyone goes home with a plant! Children and adults alike are welcome!

What: Free plant swap

When: Saturday, April 16, 12-3 p.m., rain or shine

Where: Flatbush Food Co-op @ 1415 Cortelyou Road (between Marlborough & Rugby Roads)

Greening Flatbush 2011 – held this past Sunday, February 27th – was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who came out and to everyone at the workshop tables.  We had an amazing turn out, over 100 participants!

After much time and effort put into decorating and preparing our room at the Flatbush YMCA, we were able to sit back and enjoy all the great knowledgeable people who came to do workshops! From learning how to grow our own mushrooms, planting using plastic bottles, learning about urban farms in the area, the new garden to be opened on Church Avenue, sprouting our own seeds, how to make the best use of trees in our area, and the oh-so-popular Earth Dumplings,  it was a day packed with exciting info.  Attendees enjoyed a great raffle and snacks and a fun time was had by all.

If you missed out we hope to see you next year and once again thanks to everyone involved!

Click here for more photos from this year’s Greening Flatbush!

.

WHEN:
Sunday, February 27th, 2-5pm

WHERE:
Flatbush YMCA
1401 Flatbush Avenue (at Rogers Avenue)
Brooklyn, NY  11210

CONFIRMED PRESENTATIONS:
Church Avenue Communal Garden
How To Cultivate Mushrooms In Your Apartment with EcoAntworks
Start Your Own Seedling(s)
DIY Soda Bottle Planters
Brooklyn College Soil Lab
Flatbush Farm Share CSA
Compost for Brooklyn! community composting project
Gardening for Children with Emily Goodman
Lefferts Community Food Coop
Prospect Farm
Vermicomposting with Pieranna Pieroni, Master Composter

more to come!

Victorian Flatbush Street Tree (photo by Keka Marzagão)

After the success of last year’s fall walking tour, this Sunday, October 24th, Sustainable Flatbush will be holding our 2nd Annual Fall Street Tree Walking Tour! This year it has even been listed as a NeighborWoods Month event!

The tour will take advantage of the colorful fall foliage in the backdrop of the beautifully picturesque Victorian section of Flatbush. The rich history of this area includes the trees, some of which are more than a century old. These natural landmarks dot the Flatbush area, and are an important aspect of the Victorian charm here.

The tours will leave at both 11 AM and noon that day from the Sacred Vibes Apothecary on Argyle Road, and will be led by our two expert tour guides, Sam Bishop of Trees NY and Sustainable Flatbush’s own Chris Kreussling (aka Flatbush Gardener). They will share some interesting details and facts about the trees of the area, the different types of trees and their characteristics, and the benefits of having trees in the context of urban areas. So whether you are interested in learning more about the flora of the area, or you just want to admire the beautiful sights to be seen during this time of year, this Sunday is sure to be a great experience!

WHAT: Sustainable Flatbush 2nd Annual Fall Foliage Street Tree Walking Tour
WHERE: Meet at Sacred Vibes Apothecary, 376 Argyle Road, Brooklyn
WHEN: Sunday, October 24th at 11am

Suggested donation $5

Greening Flatbush: Garden Where You Are is an afternoon of short demonstrations and hands-on workshops on a variety of gardening and urban agriculture topics, including:

• - gardening for kids
• - starting seeds indoors
• - growing herbs and microgreens on your windowsill
• - vertical gardening
• - growing sprouts in your kitchen
• - composting with worms in your apartment
• - how to join the Flatbush Farm Share CSA
• - preparing healthy food (cooking demo with a Just Food Community Chef)

… and much more!

“Garden is a verb,” says Chris Kreussling, Director of our Urban Gardens & Farms Initiative, which is sponsoring the event. “It’s not just a place you visit. It’s something you do.” The Urban Gardens & Farms Initiative is centered on modeling sustainable horticulture practices, promoting urban agriculture and food sovereignty, and building community through neighborhood gardening and beautification.

Sustainable Flatbush programs provide opportunities for residents to learn about and get involved in working toward the goal of a sustainable neighborhood, while simultaneously building community and fostering local self-sufficiency.

“Hearing about what others are already doing can inspire people to work with their neighbors to take action,” says Kreussling, who also authors a local gardening blog, Flatbush Gardener. “We want to build community through gardening.”

Snacks and coffee will be available (courtesy of Flatbush Food Co-op and Vox Pop Café).  Bring your own mug!

Greening Flatbush is on Sunday, February 21, from 2 to 4 pm, at the Dorchester Senior Center, 1419 Dorchester Road, located on the corner of Dorchester Road and Marlborough Road. Take the Q train to Cortelyou Road.

$3 suggested donation. Space is limited, click HERE to register.

If you have questions about this event, feel free to contact us.

Help us spread the word! Click here to download a PDF version of the flyer to print and put up in your building, community center, congregation, etc. Invite your neighbors to join in the fun!

* Learn about the projects and plans of Sustainable Flatbush’s Urban Gardens and Farms Initiative, including the Flatbush CommUNITY Garden

* Connect with others from the community who want to get their hands dirty greening our neighborhood

* Find out how to get involved

Your ideas, energy, and hands-on help are an essential part of our sustainable community. Any amount of participation is welcome! We hope to see you there!

Please RSVP to let us know if you’ll attend.

Light refreshments will be provided.

The Brooklyn College Arts Lab (BCAL) is located in Brooklyn College’s Roosevelt Hall, 2946 Bedford Avenue, south of Campus Road.

View Map.

Directions from Q train Avenue H station

Directions from 2/5 train Flatbush Avenue station

WHAT
Orientation for the Sustainable Flatbush Urban Gardens and Farms Initiative

WHERE
Brooklyn College Arts Lab (BCAL)
2946 Bedford Avenue
Roosevelt Hall, 3rd floor
Brooklyn, NY  11210

WHEN
Tuesday, June 16th at 7:00pm

photos by Flatbush Gardener (Daffodil Project)  and Inside Urban Green (Fire Escape Peppers)

From Ditmas Park Blog and Flatbush Gardener‘s reports on last year’s bulb planting, this looks like a fun activity for both adults and kids, with rewards in the spring.

The dates are the first two weekends in November — that’s the 1st, 2nd, 8th and 9th. More info to come.

Green Thumbs Up! photo by Flatbush Gardener