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Project snapshot

Greene Acres Community Garden was founded in 2001, when an environmentalist activist group -Time’s Up- inspired some young new arrivals to BedStuy to propose a community garden on the corner of Franklin and Greene Aves, an abandoned lot which was garbage strewn. Long term residents in the neighborhood took up the cause, the lot was cleaned up and Greene Acres was born. Not long thereafter, NYRP incorporated Greene Acres into their land trust. Since then the garden has an unbroken record of practicing small scale democracy, organic veggie growing, food waste composting and native plant cultivation. We have held monthly meetings for over twenty years, discussing and voting on issues as they come up. We have worked with NYRP to ensure genuine grassroots input. We have had many educational events, such as natural dying, birdwatching, integrated pest management and many more. Our signature event is Buster Bailey Day, a live jazz concert with neighborhood history and a cookout. We have developed a pond area which represents ongoing native wetland restoration, as well as the serene beauty which a water feature creates. A ten bird chicken coop operation is our most captivating outreach effort, bringing in children and animal lovers.

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