Friends, This sound ideals, a community garden on a horse farm?
Regards, Adam Honigman Hell's Kitchen, NYC Gardening plots available for lease in Southeast By MARCELA ROJAS THE JOURNAL NEWS (Original Publication: April 15, 2006) To learn more For more information on Tilly Foster's community gardening program, call Deputy Parks Commissioner Chris Ruthven at 845-225-3650. Applications can be picked up at the park office, Putnam County Veterans Memorial Park, 201 Gipsy Trail Road in Kent. SOUTHEAST b Carmel resident Clare Ryan is excited at the prospect of growing her own tomatoes, string beans and zucchini this summer at a garden close to home. Ryan was one of the first to apply for a new Putnam County program that will allow residents to lease community garden plots at Tilly Foster Farm, a bucolic setting on Route 312 in Southeast better known for its horse-boarding operation. Ryan said she and her daughter, Marcie, who uses a wheelchair, would work on the garden together, providing not only fresh vegetables for the table but also a nice way to bond. "It's easy to go the farmstand, but it will be fun to watch things grow," said Ryan, 56. "We are looking forward to it." The county endeavor has been in the works for at least two years and is meant to provide more public access to the farm, said Deputy Parks Commissioner Chris Ruthven. Residents can lease a 20- by 20-foot plot, or 400 square feet, for $30, and pay $25 for additional ones. Families can lease as many as three plots. Ruthven said the roughly 1.5-acre parcel at Prospect Hill Road and Route 312 could accommodate 125 plots. Water will be made available at various locations, and the perimeter will be enclosed with deer fencing. Gardeners can plant any kind of flowers and vegetables, but the plants must be organic. No pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers are allowed. The garden was tilled with horse manure, Ruthven said. The Community Garden Field will officially open May 12. Participants will have access to the garden from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, Ruthven said. "We want to open up the farm to the public," he said. "Give more opportunities for the public to utilize the farm." Currently, fishing, cross-country skiing and hiking are offered at the 199-acre farm, though some people have complained about a lack of recreational activities there. The county bought the property in 2002, using $3.9 million in New York City watershed protection money. The purchase has proven costly. Putnam officials are now looking to lease the money-losing horse barn to a private operator that would incorporate riding lessons, trail rides and horse breeding programs for the public. The county's budget projects an $89,000 loss for Tilly Foster this year. Greg Wunner, a Tilly Foster advisory board member, spent the morning yesterday putting up six Eastern bluebird boxes around the garden and a wood duck nesting box in a nearby pond. Wunner worked on the project with his children and other members of Hilltop Sport and Conservation, a local organization that has two preserves along Joe's Hill Road. They plan to install six more birdhouses in the coming week. Wunner said he would lease a garden plot to grow Indian corn, and give the ears away in the fall to nursing homes and other community groups. "Things are starting to shape up over there," he said, referring to Tilly Foster. "The more people you bring there to discover it, the more it's going to get used. It's not just horses ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
