A round of applause for PeeWee, garden hero for taking all the trash bags gathered in the storm to the curb for pick-up this morning! Thank him when you see him.
PeeWee is glad no damage was done during the storm, but salutes everyone who prepared, reminding us that it’s best to have things in order, for anything that comes our way.
PeeWee doesn't put off what must be done
The garden was well-prepared and suffered no notable damage during the Irene storm.
Roy's new cabbage crop
Ivy keeps the front beds looking lovely with many perennials she propagated herself and a few annuals.
Posted in Flowers, Uncategorized
Tagged colors, container, contrast, flower, heritage roses, hosta, impatiens, marigold, mums, planter, safety cones, sedum, stonecrop, sunflower, sweet potato vine, trellis
sawing plywood to fit the shed sides
We prepared for hurricane Irene on Saturday morning. Harlem is elevated ground and our area has not been evacuated.
We temporarily enclosed the tool shed with plywood and moved all tools and loose items inside, to prevent them from blowing in the wind.
Larger furniture is stacked. tied and anchored.
Special thanks to Mike, Roy, Steve, Marta and Michelle for preparing the garden.
Roy secures shelter posts, hammering bolts into the ground
the tarp roof removed
benches tied together
all benches and chairs stacked and tied
trees as anchors
Most of our gardeners have experienced hurricanes before. Steve led a repair train to the yard for the MTA during the last one to hit New York and is relieved to be retired today. Roy and Mike have seen many hurricanes on the islands. Michelle was in a flooded house in North Point. It was great to share stories and advice.
We send best wishes to our friends and loved ones still working to secure the City and hope everyone else enjoys their forced staycations.
good excuse to clean out
Mike and Steve install temporary plywood on tool shed
All hands on deck! Saturday, August 27th we will meet in the garden at 9a.m. to secure the garden for the hurricane. We need to remove any loose objects, take down the tarp/shelter and be prepared for lots of water and wind. Please remove any personal items from the garden and help us stow all the general supplies.
Posted in Uncategorized
THIS PROGRAM IS POSTPONED DUE TO HURRICANE WARNING – WE WILL RE-SCHEDULE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
WHINGS workshop event to share knowledge and build partnerships to produce more healthy food from community gardens, in the greater West Harlem area.
Sponsored and co- hosted by: Carey King, Harlem Community Farm Share
and Steven Kidd, Carrie McCracken TRUCE Garden
Sunday, August 28 at 3:00p.m.
Carrie McCracken TRUCE Garden, 143 St. Nicholas Avenue between West 117th and 118th Streets
Featured Trainers:
Shig Matsukawa- Author “How to recycle all food waste by Fermentation”
Expert in Bokashi system for food waste recycling. And…
Elaine Jefferson- “Oregon Farm Girl” Oregon State University Engineer
specializing in hydroponics and vermiculture (worm composting)
Calling: Community Gardeners; CSA members; Environmental Justice Advocates
Letʼs meet, learn, and work together for better food waste recycling.
On the day when the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial is commissioned; let those of us who canʼt attend, write a new chapter in our communityʼs struggle for food sovreignty and green development.
All are welcome! Send a representative if you can’t join us.
Tagged announcement, bokashi, coffee, compost, food waste, husks, soil improvement, training, trench, workshop
Posted in Flowers, Uncategorized
Tagged growing, Pablo David, red, seeds, sidewalk, sunflowers, yellow
Our meeting brought us together in the shade of the tarp. Thanks to GreenThumb for our new signs, which Mike and other gardeners promptly displayed on our fence. We also looked at nearby empty lots and their soil – certainly our lot is much improved. The roof on the tool shed is almost complete and ready to help keep our supplies dry and organized.
Posted in hardscape, meetings, Uncategorized
Tagged empty lot, greenthumb, meeting, members, shed, signs, soil
ready for salad - thanks to generous gardeners who gave what they grew
classic eggplant beauty
as many tomatoes as you can hold
Angelo's tomato trophies
yellow pear tomatoes
fan made of collards, the ultimate garden accessory
broccolli delicacy
cucumber on the vine
Roy is one of the most committed stewards of our garden. Every week he spends many volunteer hours keeping the garden open, planting and watering crops, identifying problems and helping less experienced members get started. He is a great resource, chat with him when you see him! One of Roy’s pet peeves is crops rotting on the ground or vine. He has lots of experience and is always willing to help. If you plan to be away you can let him know your harvest schedule and how you want your plot tended to.
Roy with cucumber and very large tomato
It’s not always the amount of produce but the quality time spent outdoors without going far from home that makes community gardens a great experience. Justin is a third-year grower with the garden, having planted sunflowers the past two years. This year his mom and dad started seeds indoors, joined the garden and have their own planting space. They are now harvesting the fruits of their labor and family unity.
Justin enjoys the garden with his family
Star gardeners Sage and Tiana with a tomato picked from our garden today. Thanks to Lydia for sharing these lovely photos. Lydia also invites artists interested in performing or presenting in the garden to reach out to us!
Tiana and Sage with gorgeous August tomato
Posted in vegetables
Tagged big tomato, commitment, community, family, garden, gardener, harlem, portrait, produce
Carrie McCracken TRUCE Community Garden 
