Community Gardener Portrait Project
It's a place that reminds me of my childhood growing up in Alabama and visiting and working on my cousin's farm. I really enjoy the chickens. My grandmother had chickens in our backyard. My cousin had chickens on the farm. My first job on a farm was taking care of the chickens and the pigs. I wanted that experience again, and I wanted my family—my children and wife who grew up in the city—to have experience with farm animals. -Gregory Anderson, Walt L. Shamel Community Garden, Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York
This was an eyesore. There were two abandoned buildings in this lot. Mattresses were hanging out of the window and rats were running all over. I started the garden because I was from the South and knew about the value of a garden. Plus, the garden was next to my home. We tried to make it presentable for the community. We wanted it to be a safe haven and to demonstrate to people the value of growing vegetables in the neighborhood. I think the garden has kept me moving. Sometimes you don’t feel well, but you come out to the garden and do something. You bend, your back hurts or whatever, but once you do that little exercise, you feel a little stronger. - Leila Jamison, Good Shepherds Community Garden, East New York, Brooklyn, New York
I got involved way before Brooklyn Queens Land Trust existed. This garden was abandoned in 1996 and it had no structures, no kitchen, no dance area, and an old wooden fence. I climbed that old wooden fence and started to work. I always kept the gate open. And I always will keep it open because I discovered that everything you need in your garden is in your neighborhood. How do you attract people? You make it their garden, so now it’s The People's Garden and they construct everything. There are professional people who come here pro bono. People come here with their families when it's time to party. Slowly the garden kept growing, and people kept building things. And because the garden is open to anyone and everyone, it doesn't allow for friction to exist. If you say there is a private garden, then there is friction, so we leave it open. -Hernan Pagan, The People’s Garden, Bushwick, Brooklyn
We're a huge carbon sponge for the neighborhood. We are sequestering carbon with our soils. The soil is the unsung hero of the climate crisis and everything that we can do to keep our soil healthy is going to help the climate crisis. -Jennie Plewka, Smiling Hogshead Ranch, Long Island City, Queens, New York
I'm proud that it's a community garden and that we're able to grow vegetables to distribute among the neighbors. -Joan Belton, Merrick Marsden Neighbors Association II Garden, South Jamaica, Queens, New York
This is a place of harmony. This is a place of learning, beauty. It's a place to relax. - Marty Rogers, Neighborhood Advisory Committee Community Garden, Melrose, Bronx, New York
