News from the Acres: Resident Stewardship of Land = Resident-Led Solutions

HELP PROTECT OUR PLACES FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE TAX LIEN SALE
We need your help! Look at the map here and let the administrators of active nonprofits in your area know they are at risk. Last year a veteran’s resource center in Bedstuy was saved as a result of regular neighbors like you reaching out (just one example). It can really matter.

JOIN US TOMORROW AT GREEN VALLEY COMMUNITY FARM
Now that our collective advocacy saved the 20-year-old farm from a $1 sale, Brownsville’s farmers can turn energy back to helping Brooklyn residents thrive. Join Green Valley Community farmers, the Community Development Project of Urban Justice Center, 596 Acres, Council Member Inez Barron, Help USA, Melting Pot, Isabaliah Ladies of Elegance, and fellow community advocates for the groundbreaking of Green Valley’s new aquaponics system tomorrow, Friday, March 31 at 4pm (Green Valley Community Farm at New Lots Ave and Sackman Street)! More information about their expasion here. Facebook event here.

NEWS FROM THE ORGANIZING ACRES
Flatbush, Brooklyn – Neighbors want to start a community garden for youth and seniors at a huge vacant public lot at Church and Bedford Aves, where that big abandoned public building stood until it was recently demolished! Get involved by contacting Alexis atalexissmallwood83@gmail.com or Chloe at hirschc191@gmail.com and sign up to Organize here: https://livinglotsnyc.org/lot/3051030058/

Edgemere, Queens – As a result of 596 Acres’ participation, community land access is in NYC Housing Preservation and Development’s Resilient Edgemere Community Plan! Released on March 18, the plan includes the Edgemere Coalition Community Garden at Beach 43rd Street, identifies community gardens as a strategy for communities to adapt to increased flood risk, and includes a community land trust as strategy to facilitate long-term affordability and resilient stewardship. Photos here and here. Read more here. See the submitted Edgemere Coalition Community Garden GreenThumb application here. Plug in by signing up to Organize here: https://livinglotsnyc.org/lot/59126/

Rockaway Beach, Queens – Meet with GreenThumb and local land stewards next Tuesday, April 4 at 5pm at the Beach 84th Street Community Garden site (north of Beach Channel Drive on the Bayside) for what could be the garden’s groundbreaking! Residents have been organizing to transform this vacant public lot, used for dumping by municipal entities post Hurricane Sandy, for over a year. Along with local nonprofit Share the Bay Rockaway, they will be strong partners to the Parks Department as they realize the vision for Beach 88th Street Park, which was chosen to receive federal funding last week (read more here)! Plug in with Wanda (wandaone@optonline.net) or Claudia (claudiaste@aol.com or (917) 848-1082), or sign up to Organize here for updates: http://livinglotsnyc.org/lot/58968/

Far Rockaway, Queens – At last night’s public hearing at Queens Community Board 14, organizers asked that the vacant public lot on the corner Nameoke Ave at Augustina “not be sold to a developer but retained by the city for a community garden and compost site” (from press coverage here). Photo of last night’s agenda, here. Organizers continue their campaign to have the long-neglected public land stay public so it can become Far Rock Garden. For updates, contact Allison at afionaj@gmail.com or (718) 749-8830, Travis at t.andersoncap@gmail.com or (646) 662-0585 and sign up to Organize here: https://livinglotsnyc.org/lot/4155340070/

OUR LOTS WITH ACCESS
Long Island City, Queens – Join Smiling Hogshead Ranch (25-30 Skillman Ave) to unload a delivery of GrowNYC food scraps this Saturday, April 1 at 4pm. Then, join again on Sunday, April 2 from 12pm to 4pm to build a sixth biodynamic windrow compost system with these scraps. Learn urban biodynamic practices! More information here.

Bedstuy, Brooklyn – Help 462 Halsey Community Farm get ready for the growing season this Saturday, April 1 from 12pm to 3pm with a clean up and build day. 462 Halsey Street near Lewis Ave. Facebook event page here.

Greenpoint, Brooklyn – 61 Franklin Street Community Garden is welcoming new members! Joinnext Wednesday, April 5 from 7pm to 8:30pm at McCarren Park’s Play Center, Multi-Purpose Room C at 776 Lorimer Street. More information here.

COLLABORATORS
Greenpoint, Brooklyn – This Saturday, April 1, join Newtown Creek Alliance from 11am to 3pmthe water at Apollo Street for the first in a series of public workdays to improve environmental conditions and public safety at street-ends on Newtown Creek. More information here.

Borough Hall, Brooklyn – Brooklyn Solid Waste Advisory Board is meeting next Monday, April 3 at 6:30pm, 209 Joralemon Street. How can community-led initiatives help reach the Mayor’s goal of transporting zero waste to landfills by 2030? For more information, contact Nancy Walby at nancyadel@aol.com.

Bushwick, Brooklyn – Next Saturday, April 8 at 10:30am, join residents of Community Board 4 for a Bushwick Community Plan Summit at Ridgewood Bushwick Youth Center, 1474 Gates Ave. The summit will focus on open space, transportation and infrastructure. All residents are invited to give feedback to the ongoing Bushwick Community Plan. More information here.

Snug Harbor, Staten Island – Learn how to make a little compost go a long way with the NYC Compost Project! Soil Reboot: Compost Extract is next Saturday, April 8 from 11am to 12pmat Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace. More info and how to register here.

Gain new gardening skills in time for spring! Check out the GreenThumb workshops listed here.

JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES
The Brooklyn Queens Land Trust (BQLT) is seeking someone with horticultural and/or landscape design experience to design native plant beds in five community gardens located in Brooklyn and/or Queens. Applications are due tomorrow, Friday, March 31! More information here.

GREEN FOR YOUR GREEN
Check out our list of micro grants and resources that can help you make your project a reality AFTER you have access to your lot.