GreenThumb 2010 Winter Program Guide December . January . February

Congratulations! On Friday October 8, 2010, GreenThumb's unsung heroes, the Land Restoration Project Team, were recognized by The NYC Community Gardens Coalition, Bronx Green-Up of the Botanical Garden, and the Parks Department for outstanding performance and an exceptional commitment to teamwork. "LRP" is the heavy equipment team that makes our 600 community gardens the jewels that they are. Congratulations to Deputy Director Shawn Spencer, Diego Pantoja, Luis Paszuica, Michael Gutierrez, Ricardo Alvear, Wilson Torres and Samuel Jackson.

Does your garden need any of the following supplies? Look inside for details...

. Sidewalk Salt, Canvas Gloves, Garbage Bags, Ice Choppers, Shovels . . Community Organizing Certificate . Gardening Book and Journal . . Compost/Soil/Cleanfill/Mulch Request . 2011 Gardener’s Handbook . . MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Toolkit and Handbook .

Please note that garden members must attend workshops to receive supplies. All workshops are free and open to the public, with no pre-registration (unless otherwise noted). Workshops are rain or shine, cancelled only in the event of lightning or other dangerous conditions. All supplies are for registered gardens only and are available first come, first served, while supplies last.

WWW.GREENTHUMBNYC.ORG Winter Supply Giveaway Have a great idea for a community with GreenThumb Staff improvement project?

Pick up basic winter gardening and maintenance Apply for a New Yorkers for Better supplies for your garden over the winter. One Neighborhoods Award! Citizens Committee pickup per garden group. Please carpool with for awards grants of $500 to other garden groups that may not have access to $3,000 to volunteer-led groups for projects transportation. Call GreenThumb if you need the that bring neighbors together and that have contact information of gardeners near you. positive community impacts. Past award recipients have transformed You must notify GreenThumb if another group is empty lots into community gardens, picking up for you. organized tenants to preserve low-income housing, increased access to fresh, locally *The compound gates will not open until 9:45am. grown food, and created projects that foster Thank you for your patience. understanding and collaboration among youth. Supplies: Sidewalk Salt, Canvas Gloves, Garbage Our next grant deadline is January 31, 2011. Bags, Ice Choppers, Shovels For a grant application and for more information, call/email Arif Ullah at 212-822-9580 or Saturday, December 4 10am - 2pm [email protected] QUEENS www.citizensnyc.org GreenThumb/LRP Compound Queens Plaza South at 10th Street

Directions to the By Subway By Car GreenThumb/LRP Compound F TRAIN: to 21st St./Queensbridge. FROM & THE Walk south on 21st St. towards BRONX: Take FDR to 61st St exit. Queens Plaza South. Make right Follow signs to Queensboro Bridge. onto QPS. Walk 4 blocks to 10th St. Staying in the right-hand lane of the Compound on your right. bridge, exit to local streets. Continue N, 7 TRAINS: to Queensboro straight to Northern Blvd/Jackson Plaza/Bridge Plaza. Walk along Avenue intersection. Make a right Queens Plaza South, towards the onto Jackson Ave (Northern Blvd). East River, to 10th St. Compound is Make a right onto 21st St. and then on your right. a left onto Queens Plaza South (QPS). Continue on QPS until 10th By Bus St. Compound is on your right, Q19A, Q32, Q60, Q66, Q101, across from 10th St. Q101R, Q102 and Q103 all run along or intersect with Queens Plaza FROM BROOKLYN, QUEENS & South (QPS). Exit closest to 10th St. STATEN ISLAND: Take the BQE to and QPS. Compound is across from the McGuiness Blvd exit. Make a left onto McGuiness Blvd. Continue 10th St. straight into Queens (over the Pulaski Skyway Bridge). McGuiness Blvd becomes 11th St. Stay straight on 11th St. Make left onto Queens Plaza South. Go 1 block to 10th St.

2 Community Organizing Institute

GreenThumb is proud to present our first Community Organizing Institute, in partnership with Citizens Committee for NYC and Just Food. This is a 3-part certificate series that looks at different tools to effectively organize and strengthen your garden group. You will gain practical knowledge and develop a portfolio of organizing documents, including resource lists. Light refreshments will be served. Pre-registration is required.

Please contact Bilen Berhanu at 212-442-8961 or [email protected] to register. You must pre-register by December 10th. In order to receive the certificate you must attend all 3 workshops.

Part I Part III

Bring together members of your community to work on Knowledge is power! Participants will learn how to navigate issues that matter to you! Participants will learn about the bureaucracy of working with major city agencies and necessary first steps of community organizing including local public officials - including how to determine who holds how to bring community members together, how to power on specific issues you are addressing and how to develop a mission statement, goals and a strategy. We will hold effective meetings with local elected representatives. also practice mapping a community's assets. Thursday, December 16 5:30 - 7:30pm Thursday, February 17 5:30 - 7:30pm

Part II Directions

Increase your group's effectiveness by enlisting new MANHATTAN members and keeping existing members engaged. GreenThumb Office* Participants will explore tried and true tools for building 49 Chambers Street, Room 1020 (10th Floor) and maintaining membership, as well as strategies for resolving group conflict. Bus: M22, M15, M6, B51 Train: J, Z, 4, 5, 6 to /City Hall; R to City Thursday, January 20 5:30 - 7:30pm Hall; 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, to Chambers St.

*You will need ID to enter the building

Mulchfest 2011 Save the Date! Saturday, January 8 & Sunday, January 9

Bring your holiday tree to a designated city park to be recycled into mulch that will nourish plantings across the city! Remember to remove all lights and ornaments before bringing the tree to a MulchFest site

Look out for GreenThumb gardens drop-off andchipping sites and check out page 7 for GreenThumb/Mulchfest Workshops!

For complete list of sites call 311 or go to: nycgovparks.org/services/mulchfest/mulchfest.html

3 Starting a School Garden Crazy for Composting with Rasheed Hislop, GreenThumb withJodie Colón, NYC Compost Project in the Bronx

Learn the main steps to successfully start a garden on Are you passionate about composting but want more from school property and keep it growing. Topics will include: your bin? This Q&A session provides the practical tips, advice, establishing a school garden network, garden planning, and encouragement you need to take composting to the next vegetable production, and incorporating lessons into level, whether you are just starting out or have been digging in garden activities. for years. Please bring garden entrance alternate side parking rules for delivery times.

Pre-registration recommended. Contact the NYC Compost Project in the Bronx at [email protected] or 718-817-8543

Supplies: Gardening Book and Journal Supply: Compost/Soil/Cleanfill/Mulch Request* *for Spring delivery Wednesday, February 9 5 - 7pm Tuesday, February, 15 6:30 - 8:30pm MANHATTAN BRONX GreenThumb Office* The New York Botanical Garden, Watson Education Building 49 Chambers Street, Room 1020 (10th Floor) 200th St & Kazimiroff Blvd.

Bus: M22, M15, M6, B51 Bus: Bx41, Bx55 or Bx26 to Webster & Bedford Park Blvd. Train: J, Z, 4, 5, 6 to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall; R to Train: B, D or 4 train to Bedford Park Blvd. Transfer to the City Hall; 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, to Chambers St. Bx26 bus, OR walk eight blocks down the hill on Bedford Park Blvd to Kazimiroff Blvd. Please enter via gate on *You will need ID to enter the building Kazimiroff Blvd, between Mosholu Parkway and Bedford Park Blvd.

Farm School NYC Opens January 2011! Just Food and an alliance of horticultural and food justice organizations are Core courses include: pleased to announce the opening of Farm School NYC: The New York City Training of Trainers School of Urban Agriculture. The School will offer comprehensive training Transformational Leadership Development in all aspects of urban agriculture through a two-year certifi cate program and a Introduction to Food Justice wide range of individual courses. Botany Farm School NYC is: Propagation • Unique, community-based approach Growing Soil • Accessible to all NYC residents Irrigation • Advanced urban agriculture training Crops Management • Seasonal enrollment (winter, spring, summer and fall) Pest/Disease ID and Management Carpentry and Building Intro NYC is your Classroom Season Extension Farm School NYC will take place in a variety of classrooms and educational Preparing for Winter settings across the city, including community gardens and urban farms. Small Farm Design and Planning

T h e Winter application deadline: November 12 FARM New York City Learn More: www.justfood.org/farmschoolnyc SCHOOL S c h o o l o f 212-645-9880 ext.224 ❧ U r b a n [email protected] NYC 1155 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Floor Agriculture NY, NY 10036

4 What do the New Parks Garden Rules Mean for You? with Edie Stone, GreenThumb

This past fall, the Parks Department established a new set of Community Garden Rules designed to help preserve and protect New York City's community gardens. These new rules were issued in advance of an expiring agreement between the New York State Attorney General's office and the City of New York. GreenThumb Director Edie Stone will explain how these new rules apply to GreenThumb gardens, with special emphasis on the role of the garden contact person(s). Please bring a copy of your most recent membership list and garden key to one of the following workshops.

Attendance at one of these two workshops is mandatory for gardens under DPR (Parks) or HPD jurisdiction Other gardens are also invited to attend. Supply: New 2011 Gardener’s Handbook

Tuesday, February 1 5:30 - 7pm OR Saturday, February 5 10:30am - 12pm MANHATTAN Chelsea Recreation Center 430 West 25th Street Bus: M11 bus to W 25th St. and 9th Ave or 23rd St. crosstown bus to 9th Ave. Train: C, E trains to W 23rd St.; #1 train to W 23rd St. and 7th Ave.; F, M trains to West 23rd St. and 6th Ave.

Learn to grow more food! Attend a City Farms workshop! For more infromation: www.justfood.org/cityfarms/workshops Or contact Owen: 212-645-9880 x229, [email protected]

Sell your garden vegetables at a farmers market! Call Nadia for details about starting or joining markets: (212) 645-9880 x228, [email protected]

Join the City Farming NYC Meetup! Find out about upcoming workshops and events, post on a discussion board, and answer each others’ questions about farming in NYC. http://www.meetup.com/City-Farming-NYC/ JUST FOOD is a NYC based non-profit working to grow fresh, locally-grown food in the neighborhoods of NYC

1155 Avenue of the Americas, 3rd Fl New York, NY 10036 Tel: (212)645-9880 www.justfood.org

5 DECEMBER WINTER WORKSHOP Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday 1 2 3 4 5 CALENDAR GreenThumb 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Workshops & Events Greening Partners 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Winter Supply Giveaway Saturday, Dec 4 10am - 2pm QUEENS 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Community Organizing Institute Part I Thursday, Dec 16 5:30 - 7:30pm 27 28 29 30 31 MANHATTAN Mulchfest Saturday, Jan 8 10am - 2pm CITYWIDE (see page 3 for details) JANUARY MillionTrees Winter Street Care Saturday, Jan 8 11am - 12:30pm Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday BROOKLYN 1 2 MillionTrees Winter Street Care Saturday, Jan 8 11am - 12:30pm 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 BRONX

Mulchfest Sunday, Jan 9 10am - 2pm 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 CITYWIDE (see page 3 for details)

MillionTrees 'That Tree Saved My Life' Game 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Tuesday, Jan 18 5:30 - 7pm MANHATTAN

Community Organizing Institute Part II 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Thursday, Jan 20 5:30 - 7:30pm MANHATTAN 31 Parks Garden Rules Tuesday, Feb 1 5:30 - 7pm FEBRUARY MANHATTAN Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Parks Garden Rules and Licensing 1 2 3 4 5 6 Saturday, Feb 5 10:30am - 12pm MANHATTAN

Starting a School Garden 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Wednesday, Feb 9 5 - 7pm MANHATTAN

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Crazy for Composting Tuesday, Feb 15 6:30-8:30pm BRONX

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Community Organizing Institute Part III Thrusday, Feb 17 5:30 - 7:30pm MANHATTAN 28

6 A Million Ways to Get Involved MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Corps Winter Workshops

As part of the MillionTreesNYC initiative, GreenThumb is presenting a series of seasonal workshops focused on the value of street trees and how to care for them. At these workshops, you will: Learn how street trees benefit you and your community Get hands-on practice Receive a free handbook & toolkit of street tree care supplies Be able to adopt trees on your block, or request new trees Become a member of the MillionTreesNYC Stewardship Corps!

See our winter workshop descriptions and dates below. For more information, please call Eric at 212-442-8952, or visit the MillionTrees website at www.milliontrees.org.

Hands-On Winter Street Tree Care 'That Tree Saved My Life' Game Show during Mulchfest 2011 Workshops

Why wait for spring? Get your hands a little dirty learning Compete to win while learning about the many benefits of how to care for and beautify the street trees on your block trees, and what we can do to benefit them. Have fun while even in the winter! This clinic will cover the basics for showing off your street tree savvy, and leave with all the every season, including improving soil, watering tips, tools you'll need to care for the trees in your strategies for discouraging litter and pets, safe tree guard neighborhood. design, and planting a street tree bed garden. After the demonstration, you will have a chance for hands-on practice on tree beds. Bring your used evergreens from the holidays for reuse as tree bed mulch!

Supplies: Gloves, Trash bags, Hand pruners, Trowels, Supplies: Gloves, Trash bags, Hand pruners, Trowels, Cultivators Cultivators

Saturday, January 8 11am - 12:30pm Tuesday, January 18 5:30-7pm BRONX MANHATTAN El Flamboyan GreenThumb Office* Tinton Avenue & East 150th Street 49 Chambers Street, Room 1020 (10th Floor)

Bus: Take the Bx17 or Bx19 to Tinton Ave & E 149th St. Bus: M22, M15, M6, B51 Walk north one block on Tinton Ave - garden is on the Train: J, Z, 4, 5, 6 to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall; R to City corner. Hall; 1, 2, 3, A, C, E, to Chambers St. Train: Take the 6 to E 149th St Station. Walk west 149th St towards, and turn right on Tinton Ave. Walk up to E *You will need ID to enter the building 150th St - garden is on the corner.

Saturday, January 8 11am - 12:30pm BROOKLYN Hattie Carthan Community Garden 363-365 Clifton Place at Marcy Ave.

Bus: B44 to Nostrand & Lafayette Aves.Walk south on Nostrand to Clifton Pl and turn left. Or, B38 to Lafayette & Marcy Aves.Walk south on Marcy to Clifton Pl and turn right. Over 350,000 trees have already been planted citywide! Train: G to Bedford-Nostrand Ave.Walk east towards MarcyAve, turn right on Marcy Ave., and then right at Clifton Pl.

7 GreenThumb City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation 49 Chambers Street, Room 1020 New York, NY 10007

The program guide and events calendar are online! www.greenthumbnyc.org

For the most up-to-date list of upcoming community garden events and worksops.

If your garden group is having an event and would like it on the events calendar, let us know! Jardin la Roca/ The Rock Garden, Bronx. Sept, 7 2010. Workshop participants got some hands on canning practice during the GreenThumb workshop, Yes, You Can...Can!

GreenThumb City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor Adrian Benepe, Parks Commissioner Phone: (212) 788-8070 www.greenthumbnyc.org Edie Stone, Director of GreenThumb Fax: (212) 788-8052 www.nyc.gov/parks