places to get involved in the city

Added Value Farm in red hook is great and there is the community garden on 6th ave and 15th st in park slope. What else is out there? I studied permaculture this past summer and would like to find a local group.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Liz on December 18, 2008 at 4:04pm

I'd really like to get involved with a community garden. I know there's one in my neighborhood (Prospect Hts), but I haven't found any contact info online for them.

I'd also like to start a compost collection service, picking up compost or food scraps from people's homes and bringing them to community gardens.

Where did you study permaculture?

Permalink Reply by Devin on December 19, 2008 at 12:47pm

I studied up near Ithaca at Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute. I've had the same idea for compost collection. I was thinking I could get a bike trailer. I also want to do a backyard organic gardening business like the ones I've read about on the west coast.

Permalink Reply by Peter on January 13, 2009 at 11:01am

Hi all. I want to try doing my own urban agriculture this spring and summer. I'm sure there are community gardens around (I'm in Ditmas/Midwood area), but I was thinking about asking some neighbor to let me use part of her yard to grow vegetables. (I don't have a yard.) Does anyone have experience doing/negotiating such a thing?

Permalink Reply by Erika on January 23, 2009 at 5:44pm

So, the backyard organic gardening business, are they just selling whatever they can grow in their backyard? I was considering that and think I'd check some of the farmer's markets to see who was allowed to sell there. My friend was telling me this great story about a guy in New Orleans who loads up the back of his truck with veggies and just goes around the neighborhood like the ice cream truck blasting music. People take what they way, come to the window, and pay him. I like to imagine doing something like that. There's also this awesome organization called the People's Grocery in Oakland. The take organic goods around in a truck to neighborhoods that lack a place to buy quality vegetables. They also employ and teach the youth.

Devin said:

I studied up near Ithaca at Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute. I've had the same idea for compost collection. I was thinking I could get a bike trailer. I also want to do a backyard organic gardening business like the ones I've read about on the west coast.

Permalink Reply by Erika on January 23, 2009 at 5:47pm

I don't have any experience doing that, but I am planning on taking over the yard of a house no one lives in. Do your neighbors make use of their yard at all? If not, I'm sure they'd be happy to have to not deal with the weeding and cutting. Also, if you're offering them some produce, I think that's some good incentive. Good luck!!

Peter said:

Hi all. I want to try doing my own urban agriculture this spring and summer. I'm sure there are community gardens around (I'm in Ditmas/Midwood area), but I was thinking about asking some neighbor to let me use part of her yard to grow vegetables. (I don't have a yard.) Does anyone have experience doing/negotiating such a thing?

Permalink Reply by Erika on January 23, 2009 at 5:55pm

If your talking about the St. Marks Ave Brooklyn Heights community garden, try contacting the Brooklyn Queens Land trust. I've seen a link for this guy on some website --- Ceci Charles-King at comcmte@bqlt.org Try it out. Good luck.
Also, I'm thinking of taking this Permaculture class in Arizona: http://www.ecosainstitute.org/workshop.html . Check it out if you're interested. I believe it's a 4 week intensive during the summer. I'd be interested in helping out with the compost collection too.

Liz said:

I'd really like to get involved with a community garden. I know there's one in my neighborhood (Prospect Hts), but I haven't found any contact info online for them.

I'd also like to start a compost collection service, picking up compost or food scraps from people's homes and bringing them to community gardens.

Where did you study permaculture?

Permalink Reply by Peter on January 27, 2009 at 9:27am

Liz, this was posted by Micki on the Flatbush Supper Club in response to my post about backyard farming in other people's backyards. Here are resources for finding community gardens:

Here is a site my friend put together of master composters, so you could find gardens through there http://groups.google.com/group/compostingnyc?lnk=srg, or she said contact OASIS, maybe try Greenbridge, and then there's also Green Thumb. Good luck.

Liz said:

I'd really like to get involved with a community garden. I know there's one in my neighborhood (Prospect Hts), but I haven't found any contact info online for them.

I'd also like to start a compost collection service, picking up compost or food scraps from people's homes and bringing them to community gardens.

Where did you study permaculture?

Permalink Reply by Peter on January 27, 2009 at 9:36am

Erika-The permaculture class sounds awesome. I'm from Arizona originally, and Prescott is great in the summer. But so many green things to do, so little time. I'm taking a photovoltaics class through Bronx Community College, but offered here in Brooklyn this spring and summer (if I can get through the two-day math review first!).

Did you know that a certificate in permaculture design is being offered at the New York Open Center in July? There are shorter, one-day perm workshops being offered in March. Go to www.opencenter.org. Also, Carolyn Gilles will be speaking along with Starre Vartan and Sandria Taliercio at Open Center on March 30: "Eco-Women: Leading the Green Living Revolution." It's all cool.

Erika said:

If your talking about the St. Marks Ave Brooklyn Heights community garden, try contacting the Brooklyn Queens Land trust. I've seen a link for this guy on some website --- Ceci Charles-King at comcmte@bqlt.org Try it out. Good luck.
Also, I'm thinking of taking this Permaculture class in Arizona: http://www.ecosainstitute.org/workshop.html . Check it out if you're interested. I believe it's a 4 week intensive during the summer. I'd be interested in helping out with the compost collection too.

Liz said:
I'd really like to get involved with a community garden. I know there's one in my neighborhood (Prospect Hts), but I haven't found any contact info online for them.

I'd also like to start a compost collection service, picking up compost or food scraps from people's homes and bringing them to community gardens.

Where did you study permaculture?

Permalink Reply by Erika on January 27, 2009 at 11:55pm

Hey All,

I was browsing tonight and found another resource for finding community gardens and contact information. They also have volunteer opportunities in helping out with gardens and also doing community education and helping out with green markets. I've been looking to this stuff for quite a while and this is my first time running into this website. They are a not-for-profit run through the mayor's office.

.
Council on the Environment of New York City
http://cenyc.org/about/contact#openspace this is their contact page.
Also look at the description of their programs:
http://cenyc.org/about

I hope that helps.

Erika

Permalink Reply by Liz on February 17, 2009 at 10:39pm

Thanks for all of the info, Erika. I will definitely look into this.

I'm going to the Urban Permaculture intro workshop at the Open Center. It's March 21-22. Peter, thanks for bringing to my attention that there's a stateside urban permaculture certificate program. There's also one in Italy through the Open Center. But the one starting this summer in Brooklyn will be much more doable! I am seriously considering it.

Erika said:

Hey All,

I was browsing tonight and found another resource for finding community gardens and contact information. They also have volunteer opportunities in helping out with gardens and also doing community education and helping out with green markets. I've been looking to this stuff for quite a while and this is my first time running into this website. They are a not-for-profit run through the mayor's office.

.
Council on the Environment of New York City
http://cenyc.org/about/contact#openspace this is their contact page.
Also look at the description of their programs:
http://cenyc.org/about

I hope that helps.

Erika

Permalink Reply by Brooklyn Queens Land Trust (BQLT on February 27, 2009 at 12:40pm

Liz:
Generally on the fence, at most BQLT gardens, you will find contact information and the garden's open hours. Patti Hagan is the garden representative for the St. Marks/Prospect Height Community Garden located on St. Marks between Carlton and Vanderbilt Avenues.

Down the block from St. Marks/Prospect Heights is another garden...forgive me, but I cannot think of the name. It is on the opposite side of the street. The people are friendly, and you can inquire about the membership process.

Council for the Environment can give you statistical information about the gardens, i.e. address, block, lot numbers, number of fruit trees, and the like. Their mapping system and other information can be found online... http://www.cenyc.org/openspace and specifically for finding a garden
http://www.cenyc.org/openspace/mapping

I am a member of that garden and I joined by walking by and finding members inside. I inquired and was told to sign up...there happened to be a space available AND I returned with four bags of compost. They have a three-bin composting system in the rear of the garden.

Hope this helps.
Cecile Charles- King (Ceci)

Liz said:

I'd really like to get involved with a community garden. I know there's one in my neighborhood (Prospect Hts), but I haven't found any contact info online for them.

I'd also like to start a compost collection service, picking up compost or food scraps from people's homes and bringing them to community gardens.

Where did you study permaculture?

Permalink Reply by Nicole on March 18, 2009 at 11:51am

Hi Devin, I just joined this group recently, so you may have already found what you were looking for, but I am currently taking a permaculture PDC course and am also on the lookout for city involvement. I went to a meeting of the PermacultureNYC group this month. It offered some good networking and interesting conversation. They meet the first Tuesday of each month at Earth Matters Cafe in the LES, Manhattan.
I am currently working on a design for an urban community garden and I'd love some input if you want to meet up and share ideas!
Peace & Peas, Nicole