ability to cityscapes. The historic 1.5- mile Bowery was originally a dirt trail on Manhattan Island and wandered up to the island’s upper fringes. It con- nected farms and homes on what was then the outskirts of the city with the heart of New York. At the height of its development, it housed grand the- aters, stoic banks, high-end shops and the mansions of New York’s wealthi- est. However, the Civil War took its toll on this thoroughfare, and eventu- ally, it became home to brothels and disreputable concert halls and bars. The mansions gave way to crowded, crumbling hotels, boarding houses and tenements. The Bowery became the east border of the slum known as the “Five Points.” In 1878, an elevat- ed train added more pollution to the declining neighborhood, which con- tinued until the 1960s. The NYC Parks Department began to actively seek community input and facilitate outreach regarding trans- forming vacant lots into usable and improved open spaces. From this, the Community Garden movement was birthed by Liz Christy and her Green Guerillas in the Bowery on the Low- er East Side of Manhattan. They and other volunteers spent about a year working a lot on the northeast cor- ner of Bowery and Houston Street. They first removed a vast amount of trash, and then they added topsoil to the impoverished ground, built fenc- es, planted 60 vegetables, and eventu- ally added other elements of beauty, art and hospitality. In 1974, the city approved a $1 monthly lease for the “Bowery Houston Community Farm and Garden,” and the group contin- ued to develop the garden, adapt plants to hostile environments, share what they grew with their community and donate plants to budding gardens across the city. The resulting Green- Thumb program went on to support these types of neighborhood revital-
ization efforts through funding by the federal Housing and Urban Commu- nity Development Block Grants. And through other programs, groups and legal battles, 400 sites across New York are now “preserved” for commu- nity gardens and gardeners. The 2022 U.S. Census revealed that the average age of farmers in this country is 58 years. I am per- sonally acquainted with four farmers well over that age who love what they do but would have been grateful to re- tire five years ago. However, there is a gap in interested and even aware or knowledgeable young producers in- terested in carrying on the vital busi- ness of providing food, animal feed, fuel and fiber for an ever-expanding population. Of the 3.4 million farm- ers, large and small scale, only 9% are 35 years or younger. Urban growing, community gardening, and home hor- ticulture can play a vital role in bring- ing education, awareness and passion for growing food, horticulture and ag- riculture to the next generations. City green spaces and gardens also play an important role in keeping our environments healthy. Just one acre of greenery (not lawns!) can, over time, absorb up to two tons of sulfur dioxide, which is the main component of acid rain and a serious respiratory concern. Diverse plants, crops, shrubs and trees provide habitat for birds, in- sects and small animals. Green spac- es create oases of cooling shade in the midst of concrete jungles. Plants can also improve soil health as well as water conservation, even on the most blighted-looking empty lot. As we hope for a future of verdant gardens and farms, green neighbor- hoods and healthy food grown with conscientious hands, we can’t help but realize that we must work togeth- er to build and conserve that future. Community gardens bring people to- gether, hands in the dirt, sharing
A community garden offer opportunities for gardeners of all ages to work together towards something beautiful.
that large-scale crops could be used to feed our troops overseas. By the end of WWII, there were approximately 20 million victory gardens in the U.S. producing 8 million tons of food and 40% of the fresh fruits and vegetables served in homes in the country. Elea- nor Roosevelt even established a vic- tory garden at the White House. The history of the Bowery in New York City is an exceptional example of how urban farming and communi- ty gardening can bring life, vibrance, food relief and environmental sustain-
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