Since 462 Halsey opened its gates - gates that remain open to the public all day everyday from April to November - we have worked with a diverse group of people to transform a lot full of garbage into an active community center with over 500 square feet of organic food growing space and a compost project that diverts around 2000 pounds of food every month from landfills to garden beds. In partnership with Grow NYC, we host a weekly CSA program that is utilized by around 100 households every week. We grow fruits, vegetables and herbs that we share free of charge with anyone who wants them. Our bees pollinate the neighborhood and provide delicious, medicinal honey for our community. We run education programs with neighborhood schools, serve as a gallery for local and international artists and also have really awesome parties.

     The neighbors who come together as community in our garden bring all different experiences, skills and personalities to the space. Some, like me, are 20 somethings who are new to agriculture. Others- our older, wiser, members are West Indian or from the south- they came up growing food. And then there are the children - the new generation that will know how to grow food, create life-giving soil and tend bees, despite growing up in this concrete jungle. Community gardens nurture vital intergenerational skill-sharing. If we as a city are serious about urban agriculture, then we need to be serious about growing farmers. That happens at community gardens. These are the spaces that will grow our kids into wise elders with green thumbs who know how to feed their neighbors.

 

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A video posted by 462 Halsey Community Garden (@462halsey)