Gardening the Community

Thank you for Believing in Us!

2011-12-22T15:17:00.003-05:00

Dear GTC Friends,

Despite a tornado, hurricane and October snowstorm,

2011 was a year of growth and accomplishment for GTC. We grew at every level, and so many of you helped make this possible. We supported 30 youth in learning new urban agriculture and leadership skills, positively contributing to their community while earning money and growing more than 1,000 pounds of beautiful produce on four formerly abandoned lots in Springfield. And we celebrated 10 years of impact!

Your support is critical to continuing our work in 2012. Please consider making an end-of-year contribution to GTC, so we can deepen our roots and continue to grow food justice in 2012. Your gift -- large or small -- will make a tremendous difference.

We envision 2012 as a year of possibility for GTC. In our gardens we will be seeding and nurturing strong bodies and minds, delicious and healthy organic food, youth leadership and community partnership, as well as social justice and activism. We know this is powerful, life changing work. To quote GTC Youth Coordinator Qamaria Amatul Wadud (as reported in the Springfield Republican): "We're more than just a garden. We're trying to figure out some solutions to really difficult problems facing our community. We're not the whole piece, but we're an important part of [the solution]."

With your support, GTC will become an even bigger part of that solution over the next year. Thank you for believing in us!

Wishing you and your family health and happiness in 2012,

Anne Richmond

Program Director,

on behalf of the GTC Board, staff and youth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Highlights from GTC's work in 2011

Selling over 1,000 pounds of organic produce at affordable prices at the Mason Square Farmer's Market and Shriners' Hospital; piloting an affordable CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program for 30 community residents called GTC EATS!
Installing a learning garden behind the Mason Square branch library; leading a summer garden club for neighborhood children;
Hosting over 250 volunteers, including students from local schools and college;
Reaching over 200 people through educational workshops and presentations
Organizing to expand healthy food access in our neighborhood and address the root causes of the high rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease that plague our community

Project Grow!!

2011-11-28T10:46:00.000-05:00

Join us on Dec 5th! To learn more about Project Grow in Mason Square!

Thank You!!!

2011-10-28T11:42:00.001-04:00

Thanks to all of you who helped make our celebration a success!!

The youth were thrilled with all the support they received and we were overjoyed with the amount of folks who campus to support GtC. Thanks to all of our donors, volunteers, sponsors, staff, and board and of course our youth.We could not have done this without any of you. We are proud to call you our community.

Here are a few pictures from that amazing night!

Thank you!!

Save the Date! GtC's 10th Anniversary Celebration

2011-09-08T16:05:00.000-04:00

Thursday, October 13, 2011, 6:00 p.m.

Shriners Hospital for Children, Spfld. MA

Suggested Donation: $35.00 per person

Minimum Donation: $10.00 per person

Anne Richmond at
annegtcspringfield@gmail.com

413-538-5822

www.gardeningthecommunity.blogspot.com

GtC Video (Redux)!

2011-07-14T14:56:00.000-04:00

Learn about who we are and what we do today!!

Rebuilding the Community

2011-06-24T21:54:00.008-04:00

To our Friends and Supporters:

Many of you have asked about how we are doing in light of the June 1 tornado and what you can do to help. Here is our response:

For many, the tornados that hit Springfield and surrounding communities on June 1 changed everything. This is true for Gardening the Community, many of our youth, and the Six Corners neighborhood we call home.

The afternoon of June 1 was a work day for us - while school is in session our youth gather on Wednesdays from 4:30 - 6:30 to weed, water, and plant. Folks were outside weeding on our Hancock St. lot in the rain when the sky darkened and the wind began to blow. The rain had kept many youth home - so we had a small group. As it became clear that something more than a typical storm was roaring into the neighborhood, the father of one of our youth ran out of his house across the street and called for everyone to get into his basement. Others who had stayed home took cover in basements, closets and bathrooms. People emerged to a transformed environment: trees down, roofs and walls ripped away, shingles, insulation and pieces of metal scattered everywhere ..... I am sure you all have seen the images or damage yourself.

View on Hancock Street after storm

Thankfully for GtC, only one of our lots was hit directly. The tornado passed just south of our Hancock and Lebanon St. lots and somehow the grandmother tree on Hancock withstood the winds. We have repairs and clean up to do yet at 488 Central St. (trees came down in the back and our fences are damaged) - but on the whole we are able to continue our work. The vegetable plants we lost to the heavy rains that hit Brookfield Farm in Amherst have already been replaced by the generous donations of many. We have been blessed.

Our youth and neighbors, however, were not so fortunate. Many lost everything. Many families are having to start over. The neighborhood is reeling and parts are unrecognizable.

When we walk from our garden on Hancock St. to the one on Central Street, we cross the path of the tornado -- the destruction is all around. This neighborhood was home to several of our youth. Brookings School (K-8), the school for most of our younger members, will take 2 years to rebuild; the neighborhood park and streets lost most of their trees. Apartment buildings are piles of rubble; much affordable housing is simply gone. Homes are battered. We have to steel ourselves for the emotional impact each time we walk, bike or drive through. People are cleaning up and doing the best they can, but it's hard and there are no quick fixes.

House of one of our youth

The youth most impacted by the storm are with their families, doubling up with relatives, at the shelter or just moving into new housing. Some have moved out of the neighborhood; others have moved out of state. Our core youth crew is much diminished. We are waiting to see who will be able to return.

Our Response:
We have asked ourselves what we can do to be part of the recovery and rebuilding. First, we will be there for our youth as they begin to make their way back to GtC. We are working to increase the number of stipended positions we offer this summer, so that, as youth return to the neighborhood or figure out how to get to us from their new homes, we can welcome them in. We will also provide bikes as needed. Secondly, we are raising money to offer a weekly box of fresh, organic vegetables through our new GtC EATS Shares program to our families and neighbors most impacted by the tornado (see information below for more details on how you can buy a share). Third, we will push as much as we can for community involvement in decisions about the rebuilding, so that residents shape what the neighborhood looks like and so that resources are distributed equitably. We have already seen disturbing inequities play out in terms of emergency response and access to information and resources.

How You Can Help

All of this takes money and time, so we turn to you, our community of supporters, for financial support. We know our youth development program and the food we grow are more important than ever before. Our gardens provide an oasis of new growth and beauty in the midst of much destruction; the positive efforts and leadership of our youth help neighbors feel hopeful about the future. And our food, and the process of growing it, nurtures spirits as well as bodies. So many neighbors walking by our Central St. lot thank us for not leaving - for being there and working hard to clean it up and make it beautiful again given all that has happened. We intend to stay. With your help, we will not only stay, we will grow in the ways needed by our community.

GROW WITH US.
Your contribution, large or small, will be greatly appreciated!

Volunteers on our Hancock site

For tax deductible contributions in support of GtC, make your check to our fiscal sponsor, the Gasoline Alley Foundation and write Gardening the Community in the memo line. If you would like your contribution restricted to tornado relief, please indicate so. General contributions are also much needed and appreciated. Mail to: Gardening the Community, PO Box 90774, Springfield, MA 01139.

You can also use your credit or debit card to give through the donate button here on our website - its through Paypal and very secure. To give your time, show up any Saturday from 9:30 - 12:30 at 49 Lebanon St. or 256 Hancock ready to dig in. We also love hosting groups and can make special arrangements around your schedule. Just email gtcspringfield@gmail.com to connect.

Thank you to all who have offered support, prayers and assistance - showing up to work with us, getting plants, locating resources, passing on information. It has meant so much!

We are stronger because of you.
----------------------------------------------------------

GtC Shares Program

Gardening the Community Is Hiring!!

2011-06-15T14:55:00.000-04:00

GtC is looking to hire youth ages 10-16 for their summer youth program. Youth will have the opportunity, to learn about gardening, develop leadership and job skills, and learn more about their community. They will also get the chance to meet and work with other youth their age as well as attend different learning opportunities related to food security, social justice, and community organizing.

GtC teaches you how to be strong. We encourage teamwork, discipline, and integrity. Youth who complete the program learn to develop their initiative and potential.
Youth are paid a stipend and work 5 days a week from 8:30-12:30.
The program starts on June 28 and runs through - August 26th. Youth need to be available for the duration of the program and must be able to able to get to and from the program.

If you or someone you know is interested in applying, please contact us gtcspringfield@gmail.com for an application. Interviews are being held on the spot tomorrow June 16th from 4-7pm at Scan 360, 11 Wilbraham Rd. 2nd flr. And by appt on Friday, June 17 from 4-7pm.

Gardening the Community Video

2011-01-26T15:08:00.001-05:00

Courtesy of Smith College Student, Gabriella della Croce '11

Racial Healing through Food Justice

2010-10-14T13:02:00.000-04:00

In any setting the first step to healing is knowledge.

It was few years back when I actually heard racism defined as a social construct. It was at this time that I was introduced to the idea that “race” did not really exist, but was used as a tool in systematic oppression. While I have spent some time examining this concept and how it elevates and oppresses, it wasn’t until I went to Ghana last summer that I could actually experience what it felt like to sit in a room or ride public transportation and simply be a “person” instead of “the black person” with all the assumptions attached to what that means. In Ghana, for someone to determine my “value” or “status” they could not simply look at the color of my skin. It was almost ass if I had left my “race” behind.

Here in the U.S. I am always conscious of how my race is viewed in whatever situation that I am in. I know that in some circles I am to be pitied as the victim of oppression, in others the most likely perpetrator of underachievement, and still in others the minority with the assumed minor role in group. In most cases I am the living breathing representation of unchallenged assumptions of an entire race. My deviance from those assumptions only serves as evidence of some minor exception but only within the context of what is considered peculiar for “those people.”

Allan Johnson notes, that “reducing people to a single dimension of who they are separates and excludes them, marks them as ‘other,’ as different from ‘normal’ people and therefore as inferior…”(15)

Internalized and interpersonal oppression is perpetuated by institutional oppression that creates unjust systems and assigns power and privilege to the dominant group. While examining these paradigms are vital, these concepts are often somewhat large and complex to convey to youth.

GtC's approach is direct education through engagement with a more observable system: Food. Because food deals with our health, lifestyle, culture and community we can more readily identify and examine inequities and systematic dis-empowerment that are part of a larger social system.

For GtC focusing on food systems is a relevant and productive way in which we have decided works as a segway into issues of oppression, inequality and racial healing. By focsuing on something as fundamental as eating and where our food comes from, we are able to look at the broader context of community and empowerment.

Allan G. Johnson, The Social Construction of Difference, Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, Maurianne Adams et al, Routledge Taylor Francis Group, New York London, 2010

Meet Qamaria Amatul-Wadud - GtC Jr. Staff

2010-09-30T22:49:00.001-04:00

How long have you been with GtC?
For 7 consecutive years

Why did you sign up?
My mother really wanted me to do something during the summer and she heard of GtC and thought it would be a great program for me and my sisters to join, but I also wanted to work and meet new people.

Why have you stayed with GtC so long? What do you like best about gardening?

I stayed with GtC because I like the fact that i'm helping out my community out one step at a time. Watching it grow and eat healthier food! The best thing about Gardening,is when the produce start coming up,such as the cherry tomatoes (yummm!).I sit there and eat them,lol!

What are you currently involved in now other than GtC?
Well,for the past few years I'll go upstate NY and help jump start a community Garden. Throughout the summer I'll go up and visit their garden and make sure it's doing alright!

How has GtC impacted your life?
GtC has made me see life in a whole other way. Seeing how fortunate I am to know how to Garden and it has encouraged me to make canned goods. After being involved in such a program for this long I want to study agriculture!

What are your future plans?
I now want to major in agriculture and sustainable living thanks to GtC and hopefully start a similar program in another State!

What are your hobbies? How do you like to spend your free time?
If I'm not home sewing, i'm supporting my family with the sports they play, or I'm out traveling somewhere and visiting friends and family.

What advice would you like to give to other yong girls out there?
Whatever goals they have in life,keep striving for them,they'll make it! Just be patient,God is with the patient ones!

Urban Agriculture and Youth Development: The New Food System

2010-08-26T16:46:00.002-04:00

Check these guys out! Hope we can see the same thing happen in Springfield!!

Shriners Hospital Farmers' Market

2010-07-23T21:07:00.019-04:00

From left to right: Denis Zenchenko, Natanel Velez, Ruby Maddox

Ahhh, it's that time of year again, when we don our bright orange GtC shirts, load the produce trailer, and bike our way across several miles of the rugged streets of Springfield, to sell at the Shriners Hospital Farmers' Market! As always, Shriners Hospital is very generous and supportive of our market, purchasing fresh, organic veggies, providing us with tables, chairs, and other needed accessories, and encouraging us in our difficult yet important mission. Two trips have been made already, four people per trip, and both have been extremely fun. Jacob and I(Denis), attend and will be attending every week, with two other members of the staff or youth. I have pulled the produce trailer both times, there and back, for the first time in my three years of working at Gardening the Community.

Thursday mornings are full of work, as we spend the morning harvesting and preparing for the trip. Harvest includes anything from assorted flowers, red potatoes, waxed beans, cherry tomatoes, and broccoli, to squash, green beans, and fresh herbs. At about 10:30, we saddle up on our bikes and head off to Shriners, arriving at about 11 o'clock. After a few minutes of set-up, nurses, patients, and locals swarm our table during the lunchtime rush. After things settle down, we eat our lunch, provided by the ever hospitable Shriners Hospital. At about 1:30, we pack up our stuff and bike back to the garden, where equipment is put away and people go home. This is the general procedure of our Thursdays at GtC, but, as expected, there is something different, every time we go.

The first Thursday that we went, we had a decent amount of produce left over. Things were slow and we ended up taking a lot of veggies home for ourselves. But during the second trip, we nearly sold out of everything. Students from Zanetti Montessori School stopped by to learn about a few of our organic veggies and to purchase a healthy snack. Nurses come out and showered us with complements about how beautiful our flowers are and how low our prices are. At about 1:30, we packed our trailer and biked back to the garden. The few veggies that were left over were divided up, and the four of us went home, feeling accomplished and satisfied with our work. Per usual, the earnings from the market were saved and recycled back into the program. Yet another successful market at Shriners Hospital.

Urban Agriculture in Accra, Ghana

2010-07-06T17:48:00.005-04:00

As many of you are aware I recently took a trip to Ghana to explore the Urban Agriculture scene in the city of Accra. Accra is the capital of Ghana and many areas are densely populated. Urban Agriculture accounts for more than half of the food produced and consumed in Accra.
My interest in Urban Agriculture had led me to a group known as RUAF. When I found out about the work they were doing in Accra, I signed on with Amizade, a volunteer organization who set me up with a host family and placed me with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. During my stay I accompanied their officers to various urban agriculture sites around the city. I was able to speak with several farmers and volunteer with them.

The goal of my trip was to observe not only urban agriculture but to examine how local governments interacted with urban growers. A few years back GtC struggled to hold on to land being put up for auction by the city of Springfield. So I wanted to learn how local governments could work more effectively with community groups like ours.

But land insecurity is not a new issue for urban growers. As I mentioned in an earlier post, urban land in most areas, is currently not zoned for agricultural purposes. Urban growers either find themselves on the fringes or altogether blocked out. Access to land and land security are important issues in the development of urban agriculture. Increased policy support for urban farms and gardens could lead to increased ecological urban design as cities are designed with zoning for green and "growing" spaces.

Many of the farmers in Accra faced not only land insecurity but issues in accessing safe water for irrigation. With the help of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly-Ministry of Food and Agriculture and many others, these farmers were learning how to organize, advocate, and increase their efforts.
My trip to Ghana allowed me to witness all of these things coming together and experience what it meant to build a movement and create change.

GROWING POWER - Will Allen

2010-05-10T13:28:00.005-04:00

Will Allen is one of my all time heroes. To me, he's the Godfather of Urban Agriculture.

Read my Will Allen article for NOFA/Mass

Will Allen and me at the NOFA Conference last year!! (Couldn't help sharing this:)

Meet GtC Jr. Staff: Denis Zenchenko!

2010-05-03T15:06:00.003-04:00

How long have you been with GtC?
I have been with GtC for a total of two years, working on my third year this spring and summer. My first year I was a student, and this year and the last I have been working as a Junior Staff.

Why do you keep coming back each year?
I keep coming back to GtC for several reasons. The greatest reason is the amount of knowledge I gain from GtC. I love knowing how to work the soil with my own hands. I love being able to distinguish a weed from a plant and being able to care for the plants; whether diseased or simply in need of some water. There is so much to learn about planting and gardening that even after two years of being part of the program, I still have much to learn. I also enjoy biking to and from work and exercising while I'm at work, doing physical labor.

How has being a part of GtC affected other areas of your life?

GtC has helped me in many areas of my life. I can and do bring mt knowledge of gardening to my mom's home garden, as well as others. I have built relationships with fellow workers and students, expanding my social life as well. I also spend more time outside working and biking, as well as earning a bit of cash, which is necessary these days.

What other activities do you particpate in? I include myself in all sorts of activities, mainly associated to my school, PVCS. This past school year, I played varsity soccer and jv basketball for the school teams. I also sang and still do sing in the school choir for concerts. I have played a lead role in the Christmas Concert, and am currently playing a minor role in the school Spring Play. I also do community service, which is required for school, along with attending church on Sundays and Youth Group on Tuesdays. All of these extra activities are done on top of maintaining first honors at school.

What would you like to do in the future?
I am currently unaware of what I really want to do in the future. I have given thought to going into business or enlisting into the Marine Corp. Those are just some ideas, and honestly, time will tell.

What's fun fact about you that you would like to share?I love life, because I love God. I love to work hard and then sit back and see the fruits of my labor, literally. And I love to love.

Community Volunteer Day at GtC This Saturday!!

2010-04-28T20:17:00.000-04:00

Missed Our Last Volunteer Day?!

SATURDAY MAY1st
9:30am-12:30pm
256 Hanock St.

Join us this weekend in honor of Keep Springfield Beautiful!

We'll be digging and planting and getting ready for the season.
Come join us and learn more about how you can be a part of Gardening the Community!!

Urban Agriculture in Accra, Ghana

2010-04-06T11:46:00.006-04:00

In June I will be going to Ghana, to explore urban agriculture in the city of Accra. Urban agriculure is a multi-pronged approach to communiy development and food security. While it may not be the complete answer, it is a definite step in the right direction and a entry point in galvanizing community support and empowerment.
This video talks about some of those Urban Agriculture efforts happening in Accra.

New Director for GtC!!

2010-03-29T14:16:00.004-04:00

Introducing Ibrahim Ali, Our New Director!!

Ibrahim Ali (M.Ed) is the new Director of the Gardening the Community (GTC) program. Ibrahim's role includes working with the incoming youth for the growing season, establishing community relations with groups and educators to foster community gardening, and utilizing methods to enhance programming in general. He is a recent Masters degree recipient in Education from Lesley University (Cambridge), and has created and organized youth groups throughout New York City, Springfield, MA and Northampton, MA.

Ibrahim is also heavily involved in Hiphop culture, and has lectured (Hampshire, Greenfield Community College) on his 15+ years in this field. Additionally he has created an organization (Western New England Hip Hop) that spans from Burlington, VT to New Haven CT and is currently developing curriculum that will have artists teaching and lecturing in various schools and community groups throughout Western New England area.

1. How does it feel to be the new Director of GtC?
Aside from the fact that I am humbled to part of such an important city organization, I am quite eager to get started and grow some food!

2. What made you decide to join GtC

My interest in working with youth has been a 10+ year odyssey taking me from Brownsville- Brooklyn, NY to Northampton, MA (and stops in between). GtC presented with with an opportunity to work with youth in a different capacity, encourage healthy and sustainable living, and ride a bike again!

3. How do you see community gardens impacting the City of Springfield?

At the first meeting I attended (which was a collection of a handful of community organizations and churches), I was surprised to see the number of groups that were interested or had already started community gardens. Food is not an infinite resource, and the sooner we incorporate this type of independence with our food locally, perhaps we will will make those most vulnerable to poor nutrition or unhealthy food choices more empowered in what they eat. Organic/healthy foods should not be synonymous with only wealthy individuals and families.

4. What do you like to do for fun?

I run various other music related enterprises, but the most fun is when I'm with my sons, family, and friends.

5. What your favorite vegetable?

So many! Broccoli, spinach, green beans, peppers (red, green, orange, green), squash, brussel sprouts, dark leaf lettuce, onions, egg plant, carrots, etc.

Urban Farms in D.C.

2010-03-26T13:40:00.000-04:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

GtC Jr. Staff Member - Mabelline Velez

2010-03-22T12:27:00.010-04:00

Mabelline Velez is a high school senior. She is a dynamic student and mentor. Mabelline joined GtC four years ago and has been leading both crew and staff by example ever since. Mabelline is an inspiration at GtC. She takes on challenges in the garden and encourages other students to try new things. Since joining GtC she has also began teaching gardening to elementary school students in an after-school program at Zanetti Montessori School in Springfield.

Interview with Mabelline Velez

Why did you sign up for GtC?
I signed up because I like to garden but also I saw the program as an opportunity to get work experience. Even though it was a youth program and not a job I thought that I would gain skills that I could use in my future.

Why have you stayed with GtC so long?
I have stayed with GTC for this long because it's a job for me, but also I found a family there and incredible friends that I know I will keep for my whole life. Also I enjoy what I do there. I love to garden. During the time I have spent with GtC I have learned the value of taking care of our Earth. I like to work with kids and teach them what I have learned in the past which I think is important.

What are you currently involved in now other than GtC?
Now I am working in an after school program helping a gardening teacher. I'm also a volunteer at a nursing home.

What are your future plans?
I am pretty sure that I will be majoring in Biology but I will also like to major in something else. Depending on what college I go to, I could be majoring in Agriculture which I love as well.

What are your hobbies? How do you like to spend your free time?
In my free time I love to go biking with my brother[also a GtC member], reading or play tennis or soccer.

What advice would you like to give to other young girls out there?
One piece of advice that I would give to the young girls out there is to do what you really like and even though for some people it may sound weird, if you like it and you are happy with it keep going. Never let something negative change your plans and try your best to learn from that experience. I will also tell them that education is important and that we have a future in our hands with education.

Food Security Aspects of Urban Agriculture

2010-02-11T13:32:00.000-05:00

Social Aspects of Urban Agriculture

2010-02-11T13:30:00.000-05:00

Global Food Security Through Support for Urban Agriculture

2010-01-28T16:24:00.006-05:00

One of the most important thing the US can do to improve Global Health over the next 15years is to improve Global Food Security through support for Urban Agriculture. Studies have shown that over the next few years, cities all over the world will become increasingly populated. This increase in population will require additional food sources as well as employment. I believe that urban agriculture is a way to help feed people and provide an alternative form of community economic development. The amount of food produced in urban areas has steadily increased, but support for urban agriculture has not always been consistent. Providing support for urban agriculture means thinking about food production in innovative ways as well as supporting policy and agency that contribute to these types of efforts.

GtC was started about 9 years ago. While this program is made possible through generous donations, grants, and institutional support, there still exists many obstacles in amplifying these efforts. Currently agriculture is still seen as a rural activity; therefore most city land is not zoned for agricultural use. This makes the availability of urban growing space, scarce and often unstable. Many urban growers operate “under the radar”. There isn’t any cohesion or organization among them that would enable them to successfully advocate for beneficial policies, subsidies, or legislation that is presently in place for rural growers. Urban growers aren’t able to collectively bargain for resources in the same way as rural growers. And at this time, there isn’t any official system for tracking the amount of food that is being produced in the cities; data which could also contribute to the argument in favor of urban growers. Support for urban agriculture would also entail ensuring access to safe water for crop irrigation. Without this type of support from public governmental entities, urban agriculture will remain on the fringe.

Enabling communities to produce food at a local level even on a small scale would have a global effect. By strengthening the local food system, we not only create healthier communities, we contribute to the alleviation of poverty, as local communities world-wide are allowed to contribute to their local economy. Growing more food where people are, means decreasing the use of fossil fuels to transport food over long distances. By providing the means for urban growers to gain access to resources like credit and agricultural extension services, they are able to better compete and sustain their markets. Urban Agriculture also contributes to stronger social ties within a community, due to the collective nature of small-scale agrarian work and distribution. It creates community empowerment, and allows people to connect to each other on numerous levels that contribute to mental health as well as physical health.

In 2008 the MacArthur Foundation awarded Will Allen, an urban grower in Milwaukie, Wisconsin with the MacArthur Genius grant. Will Allen’s work is leading the way not only in urban agriculture production but in developing inventive methods and appropriate technologies to increase urban food production. His organization highlights the marriage of endless creativity and sustainability. If the US is to improve global health over the next 15 years, the most important task will be to help provide the most basic of human needs, through the most revolutionary means.

"The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness." HH Dalai Lama

2009-12-13T10:54:00.003-05:00

"I knew someone had to take the first step and I made up my mind not to move." -Rosa Parks

2009-12-01T09:40:00.003-05:00

December 1st 1965 was the day Rosa Parks was arrested because she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus.

Reform Education, Reform Urban Life

2009-11-30T13:59:00.002-05:00

In the United States today, more than 13 million children—nearly one in five—live in poverty. We know that these children face a future in which they are far less likely than other children to get a good education or adequate health care and more likely to enter prison. Under these circumstances, the pull of negative forces is so strong on already fragile families that only a small fraction of exceptional children growing up these communities thrive and are often and justly celebrated. But, the reality is that, most children are not exceptional. Most poor children lack the means to overcome these crushing forces and reach their potential. They grow up poorly prepared to find good jobs with decent wages as adults, and many fall into substance abuse or end up incarcerated which results in perpetuating the viscous cycle of poverty.

Now, we all have seen promises and programs about ending poverty come and go. But, most traditional poverty-fighting approaches are narrowly focused and hampered by a lack of resources. Also, too many programs neglect the neighborhood environment that surrounds the children which has the most profound affect on them. Geoffrey Canada created a new model for fighting poverty that is intended to overcome the limits of traditional approaches. The Harlem Children’s Zone has an intense focus on the social, health, and educational development of children. To support this development the Children’s Zone provides wrap around programs that improve the children’s family and neighborhood environments.

The Harlem Children’s Zone is an amazing and successful project. But, it is not a realistic, nor a good idea to attempt to implement programs like HCZ in every poor neighborhood in America. Instead we must see the Harlem Children’s Zone as an example of how the cycle of poverty can be broken through the reformation of education. Anyone who is familiar with the educational system in the US will not dispute that it has failed, is failing, and unless it is completely overhauled, will continue to fail, especially in poor communities. While there is no national consensus about what should be done, Canada and the Harlem Children’s Zone have come up with five steps that can make a difference if implemented.

The first is to reform the bureaucracy. The stagnant bureaucracy that has grown around the country’s schools is getting in the way of student achievement. Managers of schools and school systems can’t organize their staff so they can best benefit students. Often teachers can’t be moved from a successful school to a failing one and lousy teachers or principals can’t be replaced in a timely way.

The second step is to end the public school monopoly. While the goals of the No Child Left Behind law are admirable, in poor communities, there is essentially no choice for parents whose children attend failing schools. Canada compares the reality of giving parents the “freedom” to opt out of their child’s failing schools to telling passengers on the Titanic that they can sit in any deck chair of their choosing.

The third step is to attract and retain more great teachers. Teachers, who have one of the most important jobs in our country, receive significantly less money than peers in other professions. The median starting salary for a teacher in the U.S. is $29,564, while a recent MBA can start his or her career with a salary of $75,000 or more.

The fourth step is to make teaching and learning full-time jobs. It’s clear that we have to pay teachers more, while requiring them to work a full year. Perhaps having schools closed for the entire summer worked fine when we had an agrarian society. But today, in failing schools, we need to extend the school year and the school day. That is the only way poor kids can catch up and eventually have a shot at a job in our increasingly knowledge-based workplace. The simple truth is that no one is going to turn around our failing schools without making teaching in them a full-time job and compensating staff accordingly.

Finally, the fifth and last step is to create incentives for excellent teachers. Right now, a teacher who inspires students can look forward to the same pay raise as the teacher next door who has mentally checked out and is just counting the days to retirement. In fact, great teachers who want to earn more have to leave classrooms entirely for jobs in administration. Our education system needs a structure that fairly rewards great teachers and trains other teachers to improve their classroom skills.

In conclusion, we need to resume the war on poverty, but with a new vision, new goals, and fresh ideas. Canada says that losing the war on poverty is just as dangerous as losing the war on terrorism. He says that the future of our homeland will never be secure if we continue to lose the war on poverty. The need for improving education, particularly in low-income communities, couldn’t be much plainer. We have 12 percent of African-American men in jail on any given day; more than 90 percent of them did not graduate high school. The Community Service Society reports that almost 50 percent of African-American men in New York City are unemployed – clearly this is a direct result of their lack of education. Today the country spends, on average, more than $7,500 per pupil annually to educate our children in public schools, while a top private school can cost more than three times that amount. We do not need to match private schools dollar for dollar, but public schools must do better and that means more money, spent wisely. Think of it this way - We can spend escalating amounts of money on jails, drug treatment and welfare -- or we can pay a fraction of that money up front and do the job of educating low-income Americans right the first time.

"Wars of nations are fought to change maps. But wars of poverty are fought to map change." - Muhammad Ali

2009-11-30T12:57:00.001-05:00

We're on Facebook!

2009-11-23T10:13:00.002-05:00

Become a fan of GtC on our new Facebook page!

Urban Ag on Sesame Street

2009-11-11T10:35:00.003-05:00

The First Lady, Michelle Obama, makes an appearance on Sesame Street and once again is advocating gardening with youth.

The past and the FUTURE

2009-10-28T09:34:00.005-04:00

It literally feels like it was last week that we were on Lebanon St. and the youth were hassling me to dance the jerk instead of pulling up the hay. But, the frost came, the market ended, the youth are back in school, and so am I. Now, that the gardens have been put to rest, for what I feel might be a long winter, it's time to reflect on our summer as well as envision the future.

This was my first season working with GtC and working in the garden has inspired me not only as a gardener, but as an activist committed to my neighborhood, community, and world. Working with GtC was my first experience working with a real grass-root community organization and taught me an indescribable amount about community organizing, development, agriculture, the importance of youth programs, and sustainability. I have been a Springfield resident my entire life and never really thought about the issues that faced my own community.

By working with GtC I began to see the isolation and deprivation of people in my own community from basic needs such as fresh food, a clean and healthy neighborhood, access to careers with futures, and quality educational opportunities both in and outside of the classroom due to racism, classim, and urban decay. I will forever be thankful to the GtC youth and team for creating a community that allowed me question and discuss the priorities, assumptions, and values that I had collected over the course of my life.

Winter is supposed to be a time for hibernation, rest, and to keep warm. But, there is still a lot of work to be done. Springfield has seen an unsettling up surge in violence over the past few weeks. If you are a Springfield resident and reading this right now, you know that those headlines of shootings and murders sadden and frustrate you because this isn't the city that you see on a daily basis. You see a place that is a lively home to thousands of people of countless backgrounds, ethnicities, and lives; a real ethnic stew. Springfield is a city that holds assortment of peoples and their activities, while still mainting a collective feeling of unity because we share the vision of a city filled with peace and prosperity. The press and outsiders see Springfield as a place that is filled with "bad guys." This is not true. This violence is a direct reaction to the disparity due to a lack of jobs, education, and basic needs which have cause the youth of our city to turn to drugs, gangs, and crime for comfort.

To create peace we must focus on working with the youth of our community because they are the most sensitive to the injustices that are present whether they are conscience of them or not. We must work together to create more opportunities for them to partake in community events, groups, and movements that are constructive such as organized sports, academic clubs, music, and community service groups. We need to devote ourselves to making sure that our children, brothers, sisters, and neighbors develop into independent, strong, smart, individuals who are civic minded. I can promise you that we at GtC are already committed to this and that we will try our hardest to make even a larger impact.

I hope that you have a warm winter, but please don't hibernate, because we need your help to make our community into a safer and healthier place to live.

Also, GET OUT AND VOTE ON NOVEMBER 3rd!

Urban agriculture – a hobby grows into a cause | csmonitor.com

2009-10-20T19:27:00.001-04:00

Urban agriculture – a hobby grows into a cause | csmonitor.com

Posted using ShareThis

Where do we stand?

2009-07-13T16:13:00.008-04:00

In 2005 the City of Springfield announced that it was going to auction off 488 Central St. An empty parcel of land that previously housed an abandonned burned down home and had become a community garden for four years. This was the original home of GtC. The land was about 1/4 acre in size but was the small beginnings for a youth program that introduced the concept of growing food right in the neighborhood to a lot of young people. The community rallied and protested but in the end the lot was taken back by the city.

In 2007 after the lot had gone back to becoming an abandonned piece of property and illegal dumping followed, the lot was returned in exchange for taking away another parcel from GtC, this time a much larger plot, 326 Central St.

One acre on size this site was a historic Community Garden in the Maple High Six Corners Neighborhood, one of the only ones in the city of Springfield for a time. It was here on this site where hundreds of pounds of fresh vegetables were produced in the community year after year. In 2003 GtC joined the ranks of these urban growers and began growing food on this site.

Just as it was with 488 Central St. 326 Central St. has become an overgrown mess once again. It is a blight and an eyesore in the community. But this time, it is not the fault of an absentee landlord.

Last year the city of Springfield unveiled a program entitled Groundwork Springfield. A program whose mission is to "bring about sustained regeneration, improvement and management of the physical environment by developing a community-based partnership with which empowers people, businesses, government, residents, and community-based organizations to promote environmental, economic, and social well-being".

Other such organization have also sprouted up and City Hall continues to urge residents to become involed and active in their communities. But where's the support for GtC?

Urban agriculture is about community development, as much as it is about feeding the community. It lowers crimes, beautifies a neighborhood, keeps money inside the community and promotes healthier communities, and for GtC, it gives jobs to young people.

I have no doubt that Groundwork Springfield will do great things in the City of Springfield. I have nothing against their organization. But to the youth and community residents who worked with GtC every year to create and encourage change in their neighborhoods its a frustrating situation.

In Response to "The Other First Ladies of Gardening"

2009-06-26T13:18:00.002-04:00

Aww, Ruby Maddox! Thank you so much for your kind, sincere words. It really means a lot to me for you to say that.

You have no idea how much I've learned from GtC over the past 6 years. Ever since I stepped foot onto "GtC grounds" my life has never been the same. I've set goals in life and GtC, along with the people involved in it, has not only given me the skills, the knowledge, the strength, and the courage to achieve my goals, but it has also made me set a new goal- to take the principles and habits of GtC and spread them where ever I go. There should be plenty of programs like GtC, it's far more than just beneficial to any community across the world.

I'm proud of the woman I am and the woman I aim to become and I owe a lot of that to my GtC family. I am more than honored to have all of you in my life. I love you guys!

The Other First Ladies of Gardening

2009-06-19T14:04:00.012-04:00

Michelle Obama's spotlight on community gardening and the importance of growing fresh healthy veggies, have been a God-send.

Donny's post reminded me of some of other "first ladies" I know that have given so much to the idea community gardening. They are women in my life who have inspired me to be and give more as a gardener, and as a human being. These woman have helped me connect to my community and to myself through gardening. And although they may never grace the front page of a NY Times article, their contributions are no less powerful and beautiful.

Kristen Brennan, our former director believes in the power of the gardens to transform people beyond feeding them. She taught me that small, truly was beautiful and that creating community was one of the most important things in this work if not the only thing.

Going into her 4th year of GtC, Mabelline has always shown a quiet strength. Her actions have always shown foundations of leadership, discipline, and determination. Mabelline inspires me to push harder even when the task seems impossible. (Like hauling veggies on a bike up a steep hill). And how to take initiative for a task, even when you are unsure.

Qamaria jokingly once told me "I am the heart of this garden. Without me, you would all die!" While it's not exactly true, Qamaria's insightfulness constantly gives us different ways of looking at a problem and finding solutions. (When your complete operation is spread across several vacant lots, some with no water pipes, you come to rely heavily on creativity for problem solving).

Qamaria's playfulness continues to remind me of the simplicity that is usually at the root of any issue. Our fearless leader.

Long after the garden is over you can find Ippy fixing a tomato bed that wasn't exactly 2 feet in width, replanting onions that aren't spaced correctly and making plans to arrive early the next day without the kids to catch up on any tasks that need to be done. The woman is driven!

I met Ippy when she came to GtC as a youth with her sisters, Qamaria, and Jalilah. She was 14. When given her own plot to design, along with the other youth, Ippy made sub-plots with her space, measuring each bed perfectly.

This year Ippy became the Director of GtC. When she's not yelling out instructions, her laughter can be heard all over the garden. She combines her leadership with her exuberance making even the hardest work of GtC an act of joy.

The woman who started it all.

Nine years ago Betsy Corner, then NOFA/Mass's Social Justice Coordinator, was referred to me, a Springfield Resident, in order to start a community youth garden project in Springfield. We got together and designed a program called "Community Gardening/Gardening the Community" (later shortened to just Gardening the Community) and GtC was born. Starting on a small 1/4 of an acre. We worked together to find land, youth, and support for GtC. Betsy's vision for what GtC could be was clear even then. She pushed me along when I thought no one would listen and showed me immense patience as a budding organizer.

Today GtC is my life. Not just because of the work that we do but because of the principles and the people behind it. GtC represents a community that is there for each other and comes together to live, work, and laugh. GtC is a new beginning every spring and a peaceful ending each fall. It is the wonderful mix of old friends and new ones and the memories that bind us all together.

I am proud to have known these women, and work side by side with them. I believe there are many more Michelles, Ippys, Mabellines, Kristins, Qamarias and Betsys, out there in other communities and gardens. Lending their vision, their laughter, their determination, and their compassion. They are a great source of strength, joy, and reconnection to the land.

The First Lady and gardens

2009-06-16T21:25:00.004-04:00

Michelle Obama knows the importance of growing vegetables and especially growing vegetables with youth. Just like us, Mrs. Obama and students from Bancroft Elementary School in DC started their garden back in March and today they came together to harvest some of their early summer crop. Then they went into the kitchen of the White House and cooked with the vegetables that they had just picked.

This is an awesome example of "growing your own" and finding a way to obtain fresh healthy food to feed yourself and your family with. The First Lady is also on the same page as GtC when she said in a cbs.com article, "that too many people around the country rely on inadequate sources (for their food) such as gas stations and convenience stores for grocery needs (due to lack of access to fresh food)."

So, Mrs. Obama when are you going to come volunteer with us at GtC? We'll be out in our gardens all summer!

Check out the article!
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/06/16/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5092437.shtml

Food As...

2009-06-12T12:21:00.005-04:00

As the Summer Program Coordinator, I am charged with coming up with learning activities for the students that will raise their awareness about their food system and how it relates to the broader picture of creating a sustainable community.

In the past we have done such things as breaking down the basic needs of humans (Food, Water, Community, etc) and discussed ways in which we were currently meeting this need and alternative way in which we could provide for this need (growing food, saving and conserving water). With our participation in the Mason Square Farmer's Market the youth shift from being just the consumers to producers in their Community Food System. This is a powerful experience, not only for them but for their neighborhoods who witnes this happening in their neighborhoods.

Inspired by the book I'm currently reading, Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food", I decided that this summer's theme would focus on acts of reclamation centered around food. The goal being, to examine with them the relationships we have with food and reclaiming what was lost when we shifted, our lifestyles from interconnectedness to individualistic, from traditional diets to processed food-like stuff. Food was more than just food. Deep down, each of us knows this to be true.

So during the 8-week summer program of GtC we will look at, food As...

Food as Justice

Food as Security

Food as Community

Food as Culture and Identity

Food as a Revolution

and so on.

I'm hoping we may even take them to view the new film Food Inc.

What I would like to remain mindful of and show sensitivity too, is the food we may demonize or condemn in our lessons, may be the very food that some families are surviving on. How do we approach this realtity within our own communities? I myself, find that I dare not critcize members of my own family who struggle to provide sustenance for their families in the only ways that they know how, yet I am compelled to find a "delivery system" that works. I think, this is where I too, must be willing to be a student at times.

Student Volunteers

2009-06-09T09:54:00.002-04:00

Volunteers volunteers volunteers!!! Keep 'em comin', GtC loves them! :-D

Yesterday we had two very sweet girls, Gabbie and Kelsey, come to our garden site on Hancock Street. They contacted me the other day about work they are doing on a social action unit in their social studies and language arts classes at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts School (PVPA). Their project is on environmental justice, so they had wanted to get involved with GtC to help out and experience first hand what it is that we do. (Gabbie, Kelsey)

Gabbie and Kelsey worked together with two of our junior staff members, Mabeline and Jacob, and a few of our youth workers to build and define beds and prep them with compost to make ready for popcorn seeds. (above)

After finishing their first task of planting popcorn, they moved up front to assist in tackling the weeds that unattractively line our front fence. Once the weeds had been pulled and removed they were gracefully replaced with beautiful flowers that will grow tall and bloom into various colors. GtC would like to thank Gabbie and Kelsey for their hard work and wish them good luck on getting a good grade on their project! Thank you girls, you are always welcome to come back!

Productive

2009-06-08T21:05:00.005-04:00

Today I met with The Springfield Institute and their four interns from Amherst College. It was a really great meeting and it looks like the relationship between GtC and The Springfield Institute will turn into something that will be great for our city and its neighborhoods. It sounds like they'll be down to gardens soon to get their hands in the dirt and see GtC in the works.

We had a great (hot!) day at the garden and got a lot of work done on Hancock Street. Clearing some land for our corn, tearing up some roots to plant our winter squash, weeding, and planting flowers along the fence.

The Williston Northhampton School...pictures

2009-06-08T07:52:00.007-04:00

As Donny had posted earlier in "Our First Post!" on May 28th, we had nearly 90 (if not more) middle school students and teachers from The Williston Northhampton School come to volunteer hard labor at all of our garden sites! After being out in the fields for a couple of hours tilling land and pulling weeds one after the other, the day was forced to come to an end as the students had to head back to school. The progress that we made was, to say the least, absolutely amazing! We were aiming to give our gardens a "face lift" and that's exactly what we got! Thank you Williston students and teachers, and by all means, please come again!!

MLK Students Come for a Visit

2009-06-07T10:50:00.005-04:00

OK! It took me a while, I know, but I am finally here with my very first post!

Over the past few weeks we've had 2nd grade students from the Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School (MLK) come out to our garden sites and help plant different fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

We have had a total of four classes, with approximately 20 students in each class, come for a visit so far. I must say, each group was an extremely well mannered, inquisitive, and very hard working group. I was so impressed with the strength and determination these students possessed! Once we designated an area for them to weed out and clear, they set their minds to it and away they went! With the option of working with either a shovel or a hoe many of the boys had their preference, "I want the shovel, it's biggg...grrrrr". I believe I even heard one of the boys say to a female classmate, "let me get over here, this is a mans job"!

The kids were so excited and ready to work, they even came out in the rain! They walked into the garden and said, "Hi Ms."! They went straight for the tools and were ready to start digging. I had to slow them down before we had holes all over the place!

I would gladly have them back anytime they want to come. They're such good workers I even told my GtC youth, "you all better look out, these kids would give you all a run for your money!", "they can talk and get work done at the same time"!

GtC appreciates the help of the young MLK students. Hopefully they'll come back for a visit to see the "fruits of their labor" finally popping up!

Until next time, signing out- Ippy

GtC with the Community

2009-06-06T00:26:00.002-04:00

Thursday is what Ruby and I called the GtC meeting marathon. It was great. Ruby, Kathy, and Ippy all went to a meeting down at the Main Library on State Street in the morning while I was in my philosophy class and met with a bunch of different community groups like, WIC, The Food Bank, Nuestras Raices, and a bunch more. From what Ruby told me they all discussed and brainstormed on how to make fresh food more available in Springfield. Ruby will have to post something on that meeting.

But, after I got out of class I ran to Dunkin' Donuts and picked up Ruby and I a couple of iced coffees and went to the New North Citzens Council on Main Street in the North End of Springfield. We were put into contact with Vanessa Otero of the North End Campus Coalition by Aron Goldman of The Springfield Institute almost by chance. Vanessa gathered around 10 people from the community who are either working closely with the people of the North End or have experience with Urban Agriculture to discuss the prospects of really creating a fresh foods initiative in the North End. She discribed the North End as a "food desert" where there is virtually no acess to fresh food in the North End due to no grocery stores, no farmers markets, and only a couple small community gardens. Vanessa has an awesome dream of creating large community run gardens, a weekly farmers market, a food truck, and much more.

This was my first "community organizing" meeting and, man, I was really blown away. The ideas that were shared and bounced off one another, the expertise and the knowledge of the individuals sitting around that table, and so much more was really really amazing. GtC offered any help that we could give to help Vanessa and the North End start up these programs and the end the drought of fresh food in the North End.

The day wasn't finished after that meeting, though. Ruby and I then jumped in our cars raced home to eat a quick lunch, change, and head to the garden on Central Street where the youth were going to be working on their individual plots. These plots are for the youth to really use their own creativity in designing their own gardens and ontop of that everything they grow will be their own to bring home to their families. I also decided to take up a plot and turn it into the "Staff plot" so that we aren't left out of the free fresh veggies. To say the least, it was just another great day at the garden.

Today, Ippy, Hadjira, and I did a little weeding and planting on Hancock Street in the morning on our own. There isn't anything better to start off your day than having your hands in the dirt. I also met with Kathy of 3hrees Cafe on Belmont Ave.(who we will be selling some of our vegitables to this summer) today about selling some sandwhiches and wraps at the Mason Square Farmers Market this summer! So, we'll have some great premade locally grown and organic sandwiches to grab this summer at the market.

On Monday I'll be meeting with Aron Goldman and the four interns working for The Springfield Institute to discuss what they can do to help make GtC more sucessful as well as how to promote healthy and sustainable life choices in Springfield.

Thats all I've got for now...

Volunteering

2009-06-02T16:53:00.008-04:00

Today I brought Ippy and Qamaria from GtC and my cousin, Livon up to Mount Holyoke College Student Garden to volunteer.

We helped re-bury a tree that had been scheduled for removal and then unable to be moved. We helped the crew spread compost, organic fertilzer, and lime for their ecology observation plots. After the tree was buried, I was on fence mending duty.

Conversations with plants helps them grow...

2009-06-02T14:02:00.002-04:00

Yesterday while working on Lebanon St I noticed that vegetables, fruit, and flowers are not the only things that grow over the course of the season, but that the youth do as well. When I say grow I'm not talking about the summer growth spurts that most 13 year old kids go through, but rather the intellectual growth that comes with learning how to work with the land as well as the conversation that is partaken in while working (sometimes we get carried away and Ippy has to remind us to "Work and talk, guys!"). I'll give you a quick example. Yesterday, one of the youth, David, and I were talking about stereotypes, the truth that they posses, the damage that they do, and what they mean. By the end of our conversation it wasn't just David and I speaking, but instead probably 6 more youth and Ruby. Not everyone saw eye to eye at the end and David shook my hand before leaving the garden thanking me for partaking in the "debate." I quickly reminded him that it wasn't a debate, but instead a conversation. To me yesterday proved to be one of the most productive days. Not only because we spread a lot of compost and planted lots of tomatoes, basil, and much more, but because these kids engaged in a meaningful conversation that caused them to question and to think about the norms that so often rule our lives; especailly in an urban enviroment. Over the course of the summer I hope more of these conversations will spring up like the weeds that often plauge our gardens because I feel as though these conversations are what motivate kids to form their own ideas and feelings on issues which in return may inspire them to do something great.

In the end, we at GtC don't just introduce and foster principles of sustainable living, but we also introduce and foster a safe enviroment for ideas and discussion of them.

First Day back

2009-06-01T23:49:00.004-04:00

Every June I return to GtC for the ending of the spring program and the beginning of the summer program. My time at MHC's Center for the Environment shift to part-time for the summer and I prepare for my other life which is the summer program coordinator for GtC. I can not begin to tell you in how many ways this work is rewarding. So much so that there is almost a guilt in taking pleasure in it.
The youth are incredible, the staff are amazing, and the energy that surrounds it all is simply invigorating. I missed it all.
Today, I made one of our annual treks to Brookfield Farm. Because GtC does not have a greenhouse, Brookfield Farm has consistently housed many of our seedlings until they are ready to be picked up. I packed my car with flats of tomatoes, peppers, basil, and Swiss chard. I love those guys!!

This gave us plenty to do today. Lots of plants to get in the ground. Lots of wheelbarrows, filled with compost. In what seems like a flurry of coordinated chaos, due to all the buzzing activity and laughter surrounding me, it quickly becomes clear that each student has internalized his or her role in the collective goal. Each of them understands what needs to happen, and how they will contribute to help make this happen. Whether it is with extreme focus or giggles and teasing, there is a consistent determination for completion. No one has left the group to wander. No one is sitting on the sidelines. This is a group of 13-16yr olds, paid a very modest stipend. But there is an absence of reluctance and a sort of giddiness in simply being together. I feel it too. This is my favorite place in the world.

Our First Post!

2009-05-28T14:33:00.002-04:00

Today as Ruby was about to get into her car and she shouted that we needed to start up a blog and so when I got home I jumped on the idea. We just had a great morning working with around 85 middle schoolers and teachers from the Wiliston Northampton School. We got an unbelievable amount of progress on Central, Lebanon, and Hancock as well as clearing the land in the back of Jefferson's house on Ashley Street! I didn't take any pictures, but Ippy or Ruby will post pictures soon.

I've got to get ready to back down to Central Street because the youth are coming and we havn't seen them in a week! Back on the bike and back to the garden!