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Past Newsletters
This Thurs. 7-9pm in the Zoom Bloom Room
Happy Spring Everyone!
Who watched the great celebration of our Garden being introduced to the Garden Hall of Fame by Major Kim Janey during this years’ Annual Gardeners’ Gathering?? If you missed it, here is the link to her introduction and the awards ceremony (and here is the link to all the sessions of the Gardeners ‘ Gathering). If you don’t want to watch the whole video, here are some more photos:
Monthly Meeting this Thursday 1 April, 2021, 7 – 9pm in our Zoom-Bloom-Room – and hopefully soon again in the Garden.
Topics on the Agenda include:
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Planning of next Workday
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Event Schedule 2021 – incl. preparation for first Workshop of the year in the Garden on April 24
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Updates on LEGOMS and the Shed Project
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AOB (AnyOtherBusiness)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82505128009?pwd=ODlCb0UvWFVWdHRzUWhsMERjcnk4Zz09
Meeting ID: 825 0512 8009
Passcode: 549297
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,82505128009#,,,,,,0#,,549297# US (New York)
And last but not least – since we just got introduced into the Garden Hall of Fame – look what we found …. the original first design drawings of the Garden:
Thurs. 7-9pm -Mtg in the Zoom Bloom Room
Dear Garden Friends,
After weeks of snow-covered grounds, look who just woke up – our snowdrops – the first sign of spring! 🙂
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82505128009?pwd=ODlCb0UvWFVWdHRzUWhsMERjcnk4Zz09
Meeting ID: 825 0512 8009
Passcode: 549297
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,82505128009#,,,,,,0#,,549297# US (New York)
- Introduction Alex Alvanos (new Associate Director of the Boston Food Forest Coalition) – he can only join us for the first 15 min so be on time
- Planning out indoor seed starting (we got our Fedco Seed order last week – juhuuuuu – and we have volunteers – thanks Emmett and Roland for offering to host the starters :-))
- Update on the shed
- Planning the next workparty – March 20 – see also Garden Gathering below.
This Thurs. Bloom Room Zoom, Seeds, LEGOMS
Dear Garden Friends
Another winter months’ gone by, and even though still far away, the growing season moves closer. Susan, Kathleen and Robin have worked with the community and put together the Garden seed order for FEDCO. Seeds seem to be in high demand this winter but to quote, “we got 23 out of 27 – and lots of seeds to plant!” 🙂
- Seed planning update
- Shed update
- Any other matters
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82505128009?pwd=ODlCb0UvWFVWdHRzUWhsMERjcnk4Zz09
Meeting ID: 825 0512 8009
Passcode: 549297
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,82505128009#,,,,,,0#,,549297# US (New York)
Work-Vision Party this Saturday, 12 noon, Jan. 23, 2021
We hope you are finding some peace in these wild times. Following our monthly meeting, some quick updates and shout outs:
We decided to move our January monthly Work-party by one week to Saturday 23 Jan. As it will be more a gathering than a workday and to get the warmest hours of the day, we’ll meet at 12:00PM. We envisage to:
– check on our Compost situation
– talk about planning for the next growing season and finalizing our seed order (if you have any thoughts/wishes what we should grow, please let us know by e-mail or come on the 23rd.
– provide updates about our plans to potentially build a shed.
2020…whatever that was….
Luminaria Solstice Celebration-Sat. Dec. 21, 2019 4-6pm
Good morning all,
I hope you are doing well. The Sun is rising over the Garden as it does for about the last month before the Solstice…then it will head back to the left in the perfect rhythm of the Universe to mark the peak of Light in summer, then back to the left once more…and so it goes…Amazing!
Last Event of the year at the Leland Cooperative Garden —
Luminaria Solstice Celebration – Saturday, December 21, 4-6pm
(Raindate Sunday, December 22, 4-6pm)
Let’s celebrate the shortest day of the year by coming together – eat, drink, sing, and hang out. Since it’s a Saturday, we’ll start preparing at 3pm and as of 4pm will distribute the lanterns in the garden. Bring finger food snacks if you are so inspired.
Many thanks to Lindsay and Joanna for putting the attached flyer together.
Many thanks to the spontaneous shovellers in the community!
We hope to see you a week from Saturday! Dress warm, unless it’s 60, of course! 
Take care,
Alex, DJamil, and the Leland Garden team
Meeting this Thursday, 7-9pm
(Monday, December 2, 2019)
- Admin team – help with communications including newsletter, website, checking email/replying to inquiries et al
- Education team – to build/begin an educational program
- Events – coordinate, organize events, both ours and host support with requests
- WorkParty team – help making our monthly WorkParties productive i.e. preparing task-lists, instructing volunteers, etc.
This Saturday – WorkParty, October 5, HOOPLA! [September 17, 2019]
Wednesday, September 25 @ 7pm Rare Reels: 16mm film night Free Popcorn!
Tuesday, October 1, 6pm Dinner is served…Food for body, mind and soul
Pasta provided, potluck for everything else Artists, Musicians, and you!Sunday, October 20, 1-3pm
Conversations on Community Ecology
Notch Traveling Biergarten at Minton Stable Community Garden
Friday, September 20: 5-9PM, Saturday, September 21: 2-7PM
up the road from Doyles off Williams St., Jamaica Plain
Enjoy full pours of Notch’s delicious session beers in a family-friendly biergarten setting.
More info: http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/metro-boston/event-47581.html
*Also, at the end of this email you will find the September Trustees Boston Gardeners Gazette. If you would like to receive it in a more timely manner, please email Michelle and she’ll put you on her list mdelima@thetrustees.or
Boston Food Forest Coalition is celebrating the GRAND OPENNING of the Ellington Street Community Food Forest Garden
This Saturday, September 21, 12:00 pm-3:00 pm Location: 103 Ellington Street Dorchester, MA 02121
Food, Fun and Celebrating Community
Pause…
I hope you have a good one wherever you find yourself taking in the last days of summer…
All the best,
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
*To receive the Trustees Boston Gardener’s Gazetter, please email Michelle as mentioned above.
Work Party this Saturday, August 17, August 22 & 24, too!
Good morning all,I hope you are doing well. The celebrations this past weekend far surpassed our expectations. Thank you all who participated in the many ways that come together to have so much fun! It brings to mind a story I learned years back in a sweat lodge: The man asked Buddha “What happens after enlightenment?” Buddha replied “We sweep the floor..!”
Here at the kick off gifting ceremony, we were listening to Alex at one of the new tables with Jennie to the left – the local artists, bringing Tended by All, Harvested by All interactive art installation to the Garden. He is sharing the process of sustainably treating the Cedar planks using an ancient Japanese method that can be found on 500+ year old building today. First the surface is charred (using a blow torch in this case) then applying whey that hardens the seal. These tables are now water and fireproof, and very much looking forward to the first spaghetti dinner next week!
Tended by All, Harvested by All (formerly All Who Are Hungry, Come in and Eat)
Arts and Activism, Thursday, August 22, 6:00-9:30PM
Through spaghetti dinners, we will create lasting connections through food, performance, and ephemeral experience. Part potluck (salads, sides), part shared table, part performance space, part placemaking exercise, the garden will become a community hub for artists, activists, ecologists, musicians, and more.
This dinner will begin with a 45 minute yoga practice and meditation from Hands to Heart Yoga and end with an exploratory performance from demo radio, so bring your body, your mat (if you have one), and an open heart.
More info on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/tendedbyall/
IN THE HOOD
Parkman Playground official opening on August 24, 10.30am
Please join Mayor Walsh and the Parks and Recreation Department
The Potlucks are from 6-8. Bring a dish or drink of your own choice, and your own tableware (we will set up a dishwashing station). We will be at the Gazebo next to the Community Gardens.
The Workdays are from 3-6. We meet at the Gazebo to start, but come any time and find us in the food forest!
More info:
Workparty this Saturday, Solstice Celebration, Friday June 21 and more…
Thursday Meeting and Success! 🙂
In the beginning, there was mud…and in the middle and the end, too! Alas, that did not detour us in the least…Many thanks to Lindsay for sharing all the pics in this newsletter. There are a few more great ones on our Facebook page here:
Voila…the Fruiting Garden was born…
Many thanks to all who made this and so much more possible this past month in the Garden…
All the best,
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
Saturday, April 27, Hugel bed work party, beautiful faces…
(Emmett, DJamil, Sarah, Kathleen, Beck in the center)
Next Sat. April 13 1st Work-Play day/ Sat. April 27, 1st Hugel bed! 🙂
Louis Armstrong What A Wonderful World
next Thursday, April 4, General Meeting and Springing into things…
Hello all,
On your mark, set, go…! After the Gardeners Gathering, we are ready to get our boots on and head outside, right? Maybe… 🙂 Thank you to all at the Trustees for making the Gardeners Gathering happen again. It was good to share a few hours with fellow dirt enthusiasts. Soil enthusiasts? hmmm….
Backyard urban chicken mini-series! April 9 – 30, 2019
Orion@bostonfoodforestcoalition.org
We hope to see you soon!
Take care,
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
Gardeners Gathering this Saturday – Farewell Spring!
Hello all,
I hope you are doing well. We are bidding farewell to winter once more – today actually! The Gardeners Gathering is this Saturday, March 23 from 10-5 at Northeastern. (Trustees Upcoming events can be found here: http://www.thetrustees.org/things-to-do/special-events/seed-sow-grow.html )
Meeting next Thursday and other fun stuff!
[January 3, 2019]
Hello all,
Ready or not, here we go into the New Year…In the Garden we had quite a finish celebrating the Solstice with the Luminaria and the Full Moon. Sometimes a delay is such a gift! It was fantastic to see the abundant turnout of young families in our neighborhood – thank you for coming out!
General Meeting
Thursday, January 10, 7-9pm Alex and Lyndsey will host – Thank you!
24 Wachusett St. #3
Regrouping and ? We always have something to share and explore. Bring a snack if you like, though not required.
All are welcome, including and especially new faces. (yes, you…)
Work/play Day
Saturday, January 19 is a definite maybe leaning yes at this moment. More details to follow in the next communique.
From Michelle at the Trustees:
Garden Planning
Wednesday, February 6 | 6-7:30PM
Trustees Boston Office | 200 High Street, Downtown, 4th floor
Want to get more out of your garden? Learn to make the most of the space and time you have through methods like succession planting, interplanting, and season extension. This class is designed for people with some experience who are looking to improve their gardens, but beginners are welcome also. Come with a measurement or estimate of your garden space, and leave with a map and a planting plan! Trustees members $9; Nonmembers $15. Contact Mdelima@thetrustees.org for more info or to reserve your spot!
The Making of a Community Garden Film Wednesday, February 27 | 6:30 – 8:30 PM
More Than Words Bookstore | 242 East Berkeley Street, Boston
Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at a new documentary film about Boston’s community gardens coming out this year, and help us name the film! Filmmaker Mark Gardner will show footage and explain the process of filming interviews, editing, and laying out the film. Community gardeners who were interviewed for the film will share their stories as well. Enjoy light refreshments, including locally sourced appetizers, beer, and wine. Trustees members $12; Nonmembers $20. Contact Mdelima@thetrustees.org for more info or to reserve your spot!
Boston Food Forest Coalition is offering Applied Permacultiure Series beginning in February.
More details:
https://bostonfoodforest.org/events/applied-permaculture-series-2019/
Wishing you all the best in the new year!
Take care,
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
Luminaria Friday 6-8pm/Raindate Saturday
[sent December 19, 2018]
A gathering of neighbors and friends to welcome the Return of the Light by placing candles all around the garden…
We will share a brief circle offering an inclusive program and song.
Hot Cider and bring finger food snacks if you like
All are Welcome!
Some people can be bad
The things they do, the things they say
But baby I’ll wipe away those bitter tears
I’ll chase away those restless fears
That turn your blue skies into greyWhy worry, there should be laughter after the pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now, why worry nowBaby when I get down I turn to you
And you make sense of what I do
I know it isn’t hard to say
But baby just when this world seems mean and cold
Our love comes shining red and gold
And all the rest is by the wayWhy worry, there should be laughter after the pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now, why worry now
Saturday Work-playday/Next Friday Luminaria Solstice Celebration! [December 13, 2018]
A gathering of neighbors and friends to welcome the Return of the Light by placing candles all around the garden…
We will share a brief circle offering an inclusive program and song.
Hot Cider and bring finger food snacks if you like
All are Welcome!
Sending you hot chocolate on this cold morning!
Take care,
DJamil and the Leland Garden team
Honey! General Meeting [November 27, 2018]
“As some of you know our beekeeper Larry VandeVenter harvested some honey from his hives at Leland Garden which was sold at the Harvest Hoopla. He does have some more 12oz Honey Bears, not all from Leland Garden but also from his hives at City Natives – not as local but still pretty local ;-). Each bear is $ 10,- and all profit of the sale go toward Leland Garden. If you are interested please contact Alexander Klosterkemper at axk@ppaxk.com.”
What a great gift idea!
Take care until next time,
DJamil and the Leland Garden team
Work/play day this Saturday, General meeting, Solstice [November 15, 2018]
Meeting this Thurs., correct survey link, and a love note… [October 28, 2018]
Hello all,
I hope you are doing well. The sun is really trying to come out… 🙂
General Meeting
This Thursday, November 1 , 7-9pm
@ Emmetts 29 Wachusett St. #3
Thank you Emmett! Workday ideas and the like.
Bring a snack if you like, though not required.
All are welcome…
Looking ahead…here is the correct link to fill out our very brief and interactive survey. You are invited to share your voice about what you would like to see for our children in the Garden.
(Thank you Kaya for the heads up about the last link.)
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DNBRMSL
For your Sunday reading pleasure, attached is an essay shared by Jamila. She just entered Smith college and was asked to write about a special place in her childhood for an assignment linking her thoughts to authors that they are studying in her class.. She wrote about the Leland Garden. She and her mother lived next to the Garden for nearly 10 years. In that time, they were active participants and contributors as well. Jamila even wrote a song we sing every year for the Winter Solstice coming up…!
Thank you Jamila for sharing your Light … our world is surely a better place with you in it! And thank you to Anne, her amazing mother, whose dedication knows no bounds! My hats off to you… 🙂
Reading this brought home for me why we do this…what visions and dreams are being launched and inspired by the children of all ages who pass by or spend time in the Garden..?
All the best till next time,
DJamil and the Leland Garden team
ps.
As always,if you would like to become a member of the Trustees and make sure that your contribution goes to the community gardens, contact Michelle directly and she’ll process your membership personally.
mdelima@thetrustees.org or 617.542.7696 x2115
Jamila’s Essay without the pictures:
Jamila dePeiza-Kern
Introduction to Landscape Studies
October 21, 2018
“My” Garden
When I grew up, a community garden flourished right below my porch. My mother—who is not religious—referred to it as her church. It was a place of fragrant herbs, buzzing honeybees, and hardworking people. It was a garden that grew, literally, out of the rubble, having been transformed by the neighborhood from a trash heap into an oasis for all.
I spent my childhood in a unique part of Boston: Jamaica Plain. Situated five miles southwest of downtown Boston, JP is one of the greenest neighborhoods in the city. Part of Frederick Law Olmstead’s chain of parks and green space (dubbed “The Emerald Necklace”), Jamaica Plain boasts such beautiful outdoor places as Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum, Forest Hills Cemetery, Jamaica Pond, Franklin Park, and the Southwest Corridor Park.
Our apartment—located on the third floor of a triple decker—had two porches. The front porch looked out over a large park and playground as well as the woods of Forest Hills Cemetery while the back porch overviewed the Leland Street Community Garden. In essence, it was a wonderful place to live. But it hadn’t always been this way. In the early 1980s, Forest Hills was part of “a large area of Boston that in the public mind was simply ‘bad’ or ‘dangerous,’” according to Kathleen Robinson in her “History of Leland Street Community Garden” (2008). Due to the fact that houses were deteriorating and the neighborhood was being neglected, many landlords stopped paying taxes, while others burned their properties for the insurance money. Kathleen wrote: “Three… abandoned lots occupied the dead end of Leland Street… abutting the Forest Hills Cemetery. These parcels had never been built on, probably because Roxbury puddingstone ledge lay close to the surface throughout much of them. They had been used for years as a place to dump construction waste and junk cars… [and] had also become a venue for drinking, drug dealing, and other illegal activity.”
It was during this time that a group of neighbors decided something needed to be done. They organized cleanup days to remove trash and dig up the invasive Japanese knotweed, all the while brainstorming possible community uses for the space. Eventually the neighbors settled on the idea of a community garden and contacted the Boston Natural Areas Network for guidance. “They suggested that they could purchase the lots and lease them to our community group… Eventually the arrangement became that we, the community gardeners, could use the space without charge as long as it was maintained as a garden” (Robinson, 2008).
To most people, a community garden evokes images of orderly plots, each belonging to an individual person. The Leland Street Garden, however, was designed with a true community feeling. The garden website explains: “The Leland Street Cooperative Garden is a community garden in the truest sense of the term. Dedicated to creating a neighborhood gathering place, the garden is free from individually owned plots and fences, locks and keys. Everything in the garden is open for all to use.” (retrieved from https://lelandgarden.wordpress.com/) This community-focused sentiment is echoed in the writing of James Rojas: “The streets, front yards, driveways, and other spaces around homes bring residents together […] while in many other neighborhoods and cities these same spaces remain unoccupied, thereby isolating residents.” (James Rojas, 2003, p. 279: “The Enacted Environment: Examining the Streets and Yards of East Los Angeles,” in Everyday America: Cultural Landscape Studies After J.B. Jackson).
Bees in the garden, summer 2014. Sadie, the beekeeper, and our neighbor Pam (from the first floor) are checking the hives. Our triple decker can be seen in the background.
The garden plays host to a multitude of plants, including (per the website) “a cutting flower garden, vegetable beds, perennial borders, and—as the centerpiece—a lovely herb garden.” Honeybees have had varying degrees of success throughout the years while a three-bin system for composting produces rich soil.
The Leland Street Garden—or simply “the garden”—was, and continues to be, a very special place for me. I lived close by and watched it change over almost ten years. Throughout the year, but especially in the summer, the garden—and the community it created—became entwined in our day-to-day lives. In the words of Ursula Lang: “As people live with yards (often over long periods), these spaces become enmeshed in daily life.” (Ursula Lang, 2015, pp. 124–125, “Yards and Everyday Life in Minneapolis,” in Making Suburbia: Histories of Everyday America). This meant that not every visit to the garden was a fun one: brining our bucket of food scraps to the compost bin at the far edge of the garden involved going up and down three flights of stairs, as well as unwanted encounters with mosquitos and spiders. But mostly the garden meant pleasure! In the evenings after work, my mother and I would ride the subway home. After trudging up the long hill, we would cut through the garden, stopping to pick a few cherry tomatoes or to chat with a neighbor out walking their dog.
The vegetable plots—gardened by some, open to everyone to harvest.
The garden was run by an all-volunteer steering committee. At age seven, I joined simply because my mother and I attending one of the monthly meetings. Soon, my mom was writing grants to pay for a new watering system while I developed a garden treasure hunt for a local summer camp and crafted ribbons for the “Gardener of the Month” award.
“Gardener of the Month” awards, designed by Jamila, May 2010.
We were warmly welcomed by the community, and I was taken seriously despite my age. In her Garden History, Kathleen Robinson wrote: “The decision to build an open community space with garden areas jointly maintained, rather than individual plots, was made partly because… a number of neighborhood kids had been playing in the lots for years and were active participants in the garden building. It didn’t seem right to fence them out and give access only to plot holders.” The following quote from J.B. Jackson evokes Kathleen’s eloquent sentiments: “A landscape should establish bonds between people, the bond of language, of manners, of the same kind of work and leisure, and above all a landscape should contain the kind of spatial organization which fosters such experiences and relationships; spaces for coming together, to celebrate, spaces for solitude, spaces that never change and are always as memory depicted them” (J. B. Jackson, 1980, “Learning about Landscapes,” in The Necessity for Ruins, pp. 16–17).
Timothy and Judy working together on the cold frame.
Celebrating the winter solstice in the garden was always a special day. Neighbors would congregate to light votive candles placed inside sand-filled paper bags and distribute them all over the garden. The group would huddle around the fire pit and sing songs to welcome back the sun. Despite the cold weather, I always felt safe and warm surrounded by our garden friends and comforted knowing the days would slowly be getting longer. On the darkest night of the year, I could look out the window and see the candles burning in the garden all night long.
These days, my visits to the garden are less frequent and tinged with nostalgia. But although the neighborhood has changed, the essence of the garden remains the same. Gardeners have come and gone, but the people’s commitment to maintaining a beautiful physical landscape and to creating a welcoming space for all continues. The neighborhood culture is reflected in the cooperative spirit of the Leland Street Community Garden. Peirce F. Lewis wrote: “The man-made landscape—the ordinary run-of-the-mill things that humans have created and put upon the earth—provides strong evidence of the kind of people we are, and were, and are in the process of becoming.” (Peirce F. Lewis, 1979, “Axioms for Reading the Landscape: Some Guides to the American Scene”, p. 15)
Though some may have been skeptical about a garden growing out of an abandoned lot, the neighborhood would not have been the same without it. Kathleen Robinson said it best when she wrote: “Throughout the garden building process there was a sense of empowerment. Time and again we were amazed at how quickly four or five people working together could complete jobs that were overwhelming for one or two working alone.” In the words of J.B. Jackson: “…for it is only when we begin to participate emotionally in a landscape that its uniqueness and beauty are revealed to us” (Jackson, 1980, p. 18). The beauty of Leland Street Garden has certainly been revealed to me.
The author sitting on one of the benches in the garden, July 2010.
Work-play day this Saturday, October 20, 10ish – 3pm, and other fun stuff! [Wednesday, October 17, 2018]
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/?sm=uuix_2FynwnlwiRhfGmEOg5w_3D_3D
Thank You! Meeting this Thursday…and more! [October 8, 2018]
73 Wachussett Unit A
– we have two mini-vans to help us carpool!
from Adam Frost
You can read about the conference and register at
http://Waterlow.computercareandlearning.com
or contact Adam 617-522-1049/adamfrost@computerCareandLearning.com
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
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Sept. 29 – Hoopin’ Along!
Local musicians & Poetry & Art
Kids Face-painting
but not obliged!)Fundraiser
Raffle, BBQ (?) and Art sale
Raffle tickets $2-5. each (sliding scale) You don’t have to be present to win and you can buy them in advance, too!
Please send a check to:
Leland Garden
c/o Deborah Bernard
15 Leland St. #2
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
You can also make arrangements with Alex or I to meet up in person. Reply to this email or find Alex at axk@ppaxk.com
All proceeds directly support the Garden — water bill, tool shed, tools, bed restoration and on and on.
We thank you and look forward to sharing the Harvest Hoopla!
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Harvest Hoopla Fundraiser and much more! (August 27, 2018)
Thank you Lindsay for the above picture of Lyn’s chair overlooking the Memorial/Reflection bed…
Hello all,
The season is starting to wind down and the Harvest has begun! There is much to share in this newsletter…SAVE THE DATES and so we begin…enJoy!
Thursday, September 6, 7-9pm General Meeting
This meeting we will clarify the ‘plan’ for the upcoming Havest Hoopla Fundraiser
Saturday, September 29 (Sunday September 30 – raindate)
This is our annual Garden Celebration/Fundraiser to bring the community together and help pay the water bill, and maybe prune the Birch, build a tool shed, repair the beds and on and on as the Garden is abundant in offering ways to contribute and improve itself, and hopefully, all of us in the process!
So far confirmed we will will have music, food, beverage, and a raffle.
The line up is Beck, Lisa, Carla and Danielle, Emma and Micah, playing music (as separate acts).
Larry will give a bee talk, but tells us there is very little honey to offer.
Pending final confirmation are the watercolors of Bill Himelhoch to be displayed and possibly Katie will share her fine pottery in some variation as well?
Would you like to share a poem, a song, or your art? Please reply to this note before the next meeting, or join us at the meeting!
Bring a snack if you like, but not required. All are welcome…
Stay Tuned for Updates!
Jerry’s Beans, a favorite snack stop from seeds that he has been saving for decades…Thank you Jerry!
The Leland Cooperative Garden, while learning to cooperate is a contributing member of two thriving, visionary organizations that are working to preserve and maintain green space in Boston and the surrounding areas — The Boston Food Forest Coalition (BFFC) and The Trustees.
Dave Jackie
BFFC
Boston Food Forest Coalition welcomes Dave Jackie
September 21 & 22
Gardening Like the ForestFriday, September 21st, Public Lecture:
Lessons from Nature for Edible Ecosystems and Human Societies
RSVP on Eventbrite: https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog#program:sanctuary=21:program_code=62098
pre-registration is required
https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/program-catalog#program:sanctuary=21:program_code=62098
For more info: http://bostonfoodforest.org/events/
Thank you Orion and all at the BFFC!
TRUSTEES
Master Urban Gardener (MUG) Fall classes – applications due August 29!
We’re accepting applications for our fall session of Master Urban Gardener. This class is a great opportunity for coordinators and gardeners to get in-depth training on soil health, pest and disease management, composting, native edibles, organizing a garden, and more. Classes are taught by experts from UMass, UNH, New England Wild Flower Society, and more, as well as by yours truly [Michelle de Lima].
More info: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWN-EtJ7WoBqyWqP05pXKGSLc7lPTXysIGbUol3xpFlkpcwQ/viewform
Harvest Fest & Plant Sale
Saturday, September 8 | 10AM – 2PM
City Natives | 30 Edgewater Drive, Mattapan
At our fall sale, find harvest-season fun for the whole family, including farm animals, a zucchini derby, and more! We’ll also have a great selection of cold-hardy seedlings and native plants well-suited to fall planting. Cover crop seed, soil amendments, season extension supplies, and advice will be on hand too!
More info on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/178303249630187/
Thank you Michelle and all at the Trustees!
A last minute self seeded Butternut Squash…will it make it to fruition before the vine dies..? Go Squash Go!
LOCAL OFFERINGS
Celebrating the extraordinary gifts and talent in our neighborhood…
Thank you Nicole for bringing the Yoga series to the Garden once again this year!
She offers services as a Yoga Instructor and Run Coach year round!
Nicole Pelletier
Emma Claire Gies’ has written and recorded her first solo album for violin and voice, What Is Done In Love.
Here are 2 inspiring videos from the new recording:
For more info and to help her get it printed by pre-ordering it here:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/emma-claire-gies-album-what-is-done-in-love#/
and A GENEROUS HARVEST OF CRABAPPLES
is available to pick up for canning/jelly if you are so inclined. The offer even comes with a loan of the canning tools!
More info please contact Adam 617.522.1049 or adamfrost@computercareandlearning.com
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We hope to see you at these event and thank you for sharing in our Love of the Garden, of the Earth.
All the best until next time,
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
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Come join the Forest Hills Community for FREE Vinyasa Yoga
in the Leland Community Garden to kick-off your weekend!
YOGA SATURDAYS — 4, 11, 18 & 25 @ 11am
This class series is designed to build community in the Forests Hills
Community, as well as physical, mental, and spiritual health. All levels
(including beginners) welcome! Please bring: mat or towel (I will have a few
extra); bug spray; sun screen, sun glasses, water and/or coffee. This is a
community space, so be prepared for dogs and their humans to walk
through the garden.
At this meeting we hope to pick a date in September for our annual end of summer celebration/fundraiser. We want to develop a survey to be shared online and at the summer party inviting all to participate and share the visioning process with us. It’s your garden, too! Also on the list – the Birch tree and possibly pick a few ideas to focus the fundraising on. And there are always a few surprises!
At the last meeting we walked around the Garden with Kathleen and Deborah and listened to them share in brief various details about the early decisions, planning and challenges that began the Leland Garden. There were many people of all ages involved at this stage. It was easy to rally public support because ‘the lots’ as they were called, was a literal dump with trash and abandoned cars to boot. Alex facilitated and we were especially focused and on purpose. It was pointed out how much the neighborhood has changed. Now, most people are only here for a few years; the Garden is learning to adapt to the ever changing visions of the new gardeners that bring their passion and commitment to grow their ideas. It is an ongoing process, just like the maintenance and watering.
All are welcome. Bring a snack if you like, though not required.
Here are a couple Delicata squash looking really good! 🙂 Please visit our Facebook page to see a few more: https://www.facebook.com/LelandCooperativeGarden/
IN THE HOOD
Robin from the garden is looking for a roommate
September, possible August move in just down the hill off of South St. on Anson St
2 bdrm. with a back porch facing the Southwest corridor
She has a dog and is open to age, gender, nationality,
looking to co-create a quiet and tidy haven at home…
1100. + utilities (gas heat)
Cell: 774.312.3123
eMail: robinvpeters@gmail.com
Congratulations Robin…We are so happy you are staying close by! 🙂
Somerville Community Growing Center
“14 Reasons to Shop at Harvest Co-op” film screening with director and member Q&A
This month, Somerville Media Center is hosting “Cinema Somerville: Food Justice Short Films,” a free Thursday evening pop-up outdoor movie series at the Somerville Community Growing Center. The theme for July 26th is “Local Food & Sustainability Heroes”, featuring a selection of films about our local food heroes by local directors. We’ll top off the evening with a screening of “14 Reasons to Shop at Harvest Co-op”, a short documentary directed by Lesley University students Bella Steele and Emily Imbrogna, followed by a post-screening Question & Answer with the directors and Harvest Co-operative Supermarket member/owners. Please join us and share around!
Date: Thursday July 26
BYO Picnic at 7:30 pm
movies begin at 8:30 pm (dusk) and run about one hour
Location: Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave, Somerville (near Union Square)
For weather updates and more information: www.thegrowingcenter.org
The event series is free and is open to everyone.
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General Meeting this Thursday, July 5, 7-9pm
3 bdrm apt. on Weld Hill Street available sept. 1 or sooner in updated vintage triple-decker. Large back porches, yard. Permit parking on street with resident sticker. Shared free washer & dryer in cellar; landlord willing to share WIFI. Quiet convenient neighborhood, 7 minute walk to Orange line train and busses. A short walk to Harvest Coop Market, Leland St. Garden, the Arnold Arboretum, and the lovely Olmstead designed cemetery at Forest Hills. $2400.00 per month. No mammal pets (others are OK), no smoking anything on the premises. Pls. contact me at sarah.buermann@gmail.com for more info, & for photos.
One of my favorite sounds of summer is the song of the Crickets. I found this short little ditty to share…
Song of the Cricket
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A presentation by Claudia Thompson
Founder of Grow Native Massachusetts
I hope this note finds you well as the gardens grow, grow
grow..!
General Meeting Thursday, June 7, 7-9pmIn the Garden, weather permitting.Thank you Alex and Lindsay for being our back up @ 24 Wachusett, #3
We’ll firm up the Solstice event on June 21 and make a plan for transplanting the Willow from the herb beds; continue the table conversation; perhaps visit project and planning ideas plus the unexpected that always shows up! 🙂
Bring a snack if you like, though not required.
Work-Play Day Saturday, June 16, 10ish – 3pm1pm potluck
The workdays are scheduled the 3rd Saturday of every month. As well, we show up spontaneously so if you are interested to join in any other time, please let us know and chances are pretty good someone can meet you.
All are welcome…your presence is always enough. 🙂
Solstice CelebrationJune 21, 7-9pmin the Garden
We will be celebrating the longest day kicking off with our Yoga Guru, Nicole leading us in Sun Salutations and poetry, a yet developing herb walk and Music by our very own Emma and Micah, and Larry, too!
We received another one of those last minute calls requesting a visit to the Garden, this time from Jessica at Service Works who was doing a program with this English High School class. Her work is focuses on introducing kids to give back to the community by volunteering. When she asked them what they wanted to do, they said “plant a tree.” The high school declined their offer, so we found some weeds for them to pull instead. They found us via the websitelelandgarden.wordpress.com…thank you Adam!
Here’s a little Iris Love from the Garden!
We hope to see you soon.
Take care,
DJamil and the Leland Garden team
Hello all,
I hope you are doing well. It is really wet so far, and 3 seasons in a week seems to be the new normal, right?! We have planted a bunch of friends already – Tomatoes, Parsley, Tomatillos for the first time, Turnips, Beans, Greens … with a few more waiting patiently to find their places.
Work-Play day Saturday, May 19
10-3ish, 1pm Potluck
We’ve got herbs to plant, compost to turn, weeds to pull, paths to restore, shrubs to prune, and chairs to sit in and enJoy the garden….Rest is a verb!
All are welcome. Your presence is always enough 🙂
General Meeting in the Garden
Thursday, June 7, 7-9pm
Emmet Schaeffer has a new telephone number. His old number was a casualty of changing his service provider. You can find him at 617.390.5512.
from Adam:May 13, 2018Dear co-opers,We had a Harvest co-op board meeting on Monday, We learned in the
public part of the meeting that the co-op will have to close by August
if we cannot bring in $300,000 in a blend of increased sales, member
equity, and contributions.We decided to increase our emphasis on local, natural and organic
foods; to devote more effort to marketing; and to do more community
organizing. Although we want the co-op to succeed, we recognize that
bringing in a quarter of a million dollars in a couple of months is a
task that seems out of reach.Unless…Please contact Adam to learn more about his vision and solutionsadamfrost@computerCareandLearning.com 617-522-1049 (also a new number)Events Around Town
Saturday, June 16, 10-4pm
mdelima@thetrustees.org
Gardening with Native Plants: It Matters!
A presentation by Claudia Thompson
Founder of Grow Native Massachusetts
Wishing you all the best umbrellas!
Take care,
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
Hello all!
The last newsletter we were preparing for a visit from 40 kids and they came! Kathleen did a fantastic presentation and Lisa was an absolute G-dsend…
Kathleen has this to share about the event:
Although very few plants are up after our long, cold winter, we were able to show them the garlic shoots and the red stems of the rhubarb emerging and to taste the first shoots of the chives. Most of the kids had a very good time.
~Kathleen Robinson
This photo composite offers a bit of the action in the past few weeks. The new sign and bulletin board placed by Jeremy and Jordan, and a HUGE thank you to Tenley and Tim for gifting the Garden with this handsome and sturdy table and chairs… Wow!
While I was out snapping a few of these photos I found the Verizon crew busy at work completing the Peace Garden path restoration that connects Barlow St. to the Leland Garden. They even hauled away some large concrete blocks and left a good bit of wood chips. Many thanks to Alex for handling this so professionally, staying with the communications until the work was complete, and for this great picture of a job well done!
Welcome Laura to Boston Food Forest Coalition! She is making a difference already and we look forward to fruitful collaborations in the future
You can find their upcoming events here on their website:
http://bostonfoodforest.org/events/
or here on their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/BostonFoodForest
From the community
contact Wayne @ 774.417.1272
” Emma Gies and Micah Huang craft original, vocal-harmony driven songs from the heart. After meeting at Pitzer College in 2011 (through Emma’s violin teacher- Micah’s mom!), the two started playing together and haven’t looked back. They’ve played extensively on the West Coast and in Budapest, Hungary, where they lived for a year studying Gypsy/Roma music on a Fulbright grant. Musical influences from their travels blend with American roots music into a sound they uniquely describe as ‘art-folk.’ The two are currently completing masters degrees in Boston at The New England Conservatory and Tufts University respectively. Through their music, Emma and Micah aim to create moments of connection, both big and small.”
Attached, enjoy the Trustees Boston Gardener’s Gazette
TrusteesBostonGardenersGazette – April ’18 Festival Farm flier
In the past few weeks I learned that this community had 3 babies all born within 3 weeks of each other…Welcome Julian, Nyla and Lily Piper! 🙂
In celebration of Daffodil’s and Our Bright Future…until next time!
General Meeting
55 Lamartine St. (4 blocks from Stonybrook T – please see attachment)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Corridor_Park
Hello all,
Where does our food come from? Jennifer from the Thomas M. Menino YMCA in Hyde Park has set her students on a mission to find out…and they are coming to visit the Leland Cooperative Garden – tomorrow – all 40 of them!
If you are available to come help out or just say hi from 10am-1pm, please just show up. You will be a welcome presence as Kathleen and I are preparing a little this and that to help these kids make a good start.
Also, if you live on or very near the garden and are willing to open up your bathroom, that will also be a huge help. Please email us by clicking HERE or give me a ring 617.821.6443.
They will be traveling by public transportation and intending to picnic on tarps, or something that will keep them dry.
It came up late last week and it should be a lot of fun, at least very interesting… 🙂 Wish us luck!
WORKDAY
Saturday, April 21 10ish-3pm
1pm potluck
The compost is ready, there are beds still needing to be raked, and say hello to the new sign and bulletin board that Jeremy and Jordan from the Trustees just installed for us…and a huge thank you to them for pruning the Magnolia that took yet another major hit when the heavy wet snow a few storms back snapped the trunk nearly in half… Many thanks!
Bring a dish to share to the potluck, or just bring yourself. Your presence is always enough…
All are welcome!
Take care until next time,
DJamil and the Leland Garden team
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
3 BDRM apartment available on Wachusett St.
$2400.00
Available now
Please contact Wayne @ 774.417.1272
Sunday, April 1, we are going to get in the dirt! 🙂
Workday, 10ish-3pm
1pm potluck
Easter Egg Hunt – 11am
Thank you Lisa! Story suggested we also wash feet.. Any takers?
All are welcome! Your presence is always enough…
General Meeting – Thursday, April 5, 7-9
Thank you Alex and Lindsay’!
112 Hyde Park Ave. #1
Continuing the exploration of the new plantings; and putting together a memorial for Lyn are on the agenda so far.
Gardeners Gathering – Saturday, March 31
10-5 @ Northeastern
Check out the Boston Gardeners Gazette from the Trustees for more info www.thetrustees.org
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
3 BDRM apartment available on Wachusett St.
$2400.00
Available now
Please contact Wayne @ 774.417.1272
Here’s a developing note on neighbors coming together to help each other..From the previous newsletter, there were 2 listings — Wayne’s apartment and me seeking a room. Adam, our webmaster, gave me a ring and expressed interest in Wayne’s apartment and invited me to take a room if we should be offered it. We were! We are very grateful to be staying in the neighborhood and supporting real people who are long time residents to likewise stay in the neighborhood. It’s a work in progress…I’ll keep you posted!
Looking for a place or a service, have something to offer? Send it along and we’ll be happy to share it with this garden community.
THE LARGER COMMUNITY
The changes in our community are on a lot of peoples mind. Many may be aware of the Community Preservation Act that was voted in last November. Here’s a brief note from their webpage:
“We review spending from the Community Preservation Fund. We also choose members for the Community Preservation Committee.
https://www.boston.gov/departments/city-council/community-preservation-act
April 3, 6pm you are invited to:
“The Community Preservation Act Forum will be on Tuesday, April 3rd at the Anne M. Cole Center (10 Lamartine St. Extension, next to the Jackson Square MBTA station) at 6 pm. A light dinner will be served.
Our community is what we make it. What do we want? If you would like to share your thoughts/ideas/ concerns herein this list, we will be happy to pass them along. We are all in this together!
I hope you all have a great weekend.
Take care,
The Leland Garden Team
Hello all,
I hope you are doing well. For me, it seems that embracing the mystery might be a helpful strategy with these ongoing shifts and changes. When it’s not scary, it is so beautiful to welcome our potential in co-creating a world that we and all Beings can live in…imagine… and, yes it snows here in March ..! 🙂
Workday Postponed to Sunday, April 1
10ish-3
1pm potluck
We are working on preparing the area where the Bees are for new plantings.
Also, we need to make space for this years compost delivery.
All are welcome!
Our Bees survived the winter for the first time in years!
A Special Thank you to Larry, our Beekeeper
General Meeting
Thursday, April 5 7-9
We don’t know where yet. Is it your place? Please RSVP if you would like to host.
UPDATE from the Barlow Street meeting is attached.
Georgia put together a very comprehensive overview of this gathering.
word.BarlowUpdate
Boston Food Forest Coalition Spring Workshop list can be found here:
https://mailchi.mp/5526174bd037/spring-workshops-with-the-boston-food-forest?e=35619944b3
Gardeners Gathering – Saturday, March 31
10-5 @ Northeastern
Check out the attached Boston Gardeners Gazette from the Trustees for more info
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
3 BDRM apartment available on Wachusett St.
$2400.00
Available now
Please contact Wayne @ 774.417.1272
Seeking Room to rent
My take home pay is approx. $1300. working 35 hours/4 days a week.
Partial barter options are available – I have many skills to share
Please contact me at DJamil.Graham@gmail.com or 617.821.6443
Anytime before May 1
THE LARGER COMMUNITY
JP/Rox Transportation Action Plan March Public Meeting
Thursday, March 22, 6-8pm @ English High School
https://www.boston.gov/calendar/jprox-transportation-action-plan-march-public-meeting
Here we go Spring!
Wishing you all the best,
DJamil, Alex and the Leland Garden team
Trustees March Gazette:
TrusteesBostonGardenersGazette – March ’18.compressed
Luminaria Solstice Celebration
Thursday, December 21 6-8
Our annual celebration welcoming the return of the Light…
6-7:30pm – join in placing candles around the garden
7:30-8pm – share n the Universal return of the Light with song and celebration
We’ll be serving hot cider and baked treats.
Feel free to bring something to share – a song, cookie your presence…
Attached is the flyer you are welcome to print and distribute as well.
Hope you can make it! All are welcome.
Cheers with a warm blanket and a hot cuppa tea!
DJamil and the Leland Garden team
Past Events
10-3, 1pm Potluck
Hello all,
I hope you are doing well. No matter the changes, I still love the fall…after we rake the leaves this year, we might enjoy the green grass and even pull a few more weeds! 🙂
Meeting this Thursday, December 8, 7-9
Work-Play day
Saturday, November,18
10-3pm
1pm Potluck
Surely there will leaves to rake, beds to prepare for the ‘winter’. Maybe even a few bulbs to plant. We’ll talk about it at the meeting.
All are welcome…
Alas, a fond farewell to the tomatoes for this growing season. What a year, indeed!
Cheers,
Letter from Djamil and the Leland Garden team:
Workday Saturday October 21st
10 am to 3 pm, with 1 pm potluck lunch
We’ll be deep pruning lots of dead roses, planting garlic and kale, and may put some vegetable beds asleep for the winter. Please come by to get kale plants for your own garden!
Please read below about the wonderful garden party we had on Oct. 1st:
Hello all,
Wow! What a fantastic Garden Party we enjoyed…Many thanks to everyone who shared in the co-creation, including all those who attended. We raised over $600. as well!
If any pictures come my way, or if anyone would like to share their experience with the group, send it along and I’ll include in a newsletter.
This poem kicked off the party and was offered by Deborah, one of the founding matriarchs. It was read in 1990 when the garden was first open and is still so relevant today.
HANDS
stuttering in underdeveloped languages
whose words create an impasse
which only touching hands can break.
Only people
can create, touch, dance,
move in unison to sing,
can act in any other medium but words
to do
to make together
out of nothing but themselves
small acts
small seats of shelter
small playground – parks for all
or yards or rooms or selves –
a city
block by block by block
of hands
~Anonymous
Thanks again,
See you soon!
Past meeting: Thursday, October 5, General garden meeting
7-9pm @ Susan’s 73 Wachusett, Unit A
We’ll be reflecting on the event, looking on to the memorial for Lyn, etc…
All are welcome!
Letter from Djamil and the Leland Garden team:
Hello all,
Ok, yes, picking a date for this years party has been a story unto itself…yet, we have success to report!
Sunday, October 1, 1-4pm is the winner!
Confirmed as of this email are local musicians – Lisa, Emma, and maybe Larry; scavenger hunt for the kids; and an exciting fundraiser-raffle with gifts so far from Brassica, Dogwood, & Tikki Masala; home baked pies, cookies, book donations and Alex suggested we throw in there turning the compost for a month as well..! Why not?! 🙂
RAFFLE TICKETS ON SALE NOW and you don’t have to be present to win.
They cost $3-5 each (sliding scale)
If you would like to purchase a raffle ticket, then email me to make arrangements at lelandgardeninfo@gmail.com
Our wish list includes paying the water bill, new tools and a tool shed to name a few…
If you have ideas, suggestions or can help out at all on the day, please email me at
lelandgardeninfo@gmail.com
We thank you!
Here are a few lovely pics of our garden, Thank you Ellen!
Entering the Garden
The aforementioned tools
Peeking out over the herb beds behind the Crab Apple that was there before the garden…
Here’s an interesting read. Thank you Lindsey!
The mystery of the lost Roman herb
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170907-the-mystery-of-the-lost-roman-herb
And finally,Thank you Vidya and all the staff working on our behalf at the Trustees! The September Gardeners Gazette is attached.
Hope to see you soon!
Take care,
DJamil
Trustees September Gazette:
TrusteesBostonGardenersGazette-Sept’17
========================================================
Letter from Djamil and the Leland Garden team:
Hello all,
The tomatoes and green beans are ready for picking! Come and get them!
This Thursday, September 7, General meeting 6-8pm
in the garden. If it rains, we’ll meet at Susan’s
73 Wachusett, Unit A.
Thank you Susan!
We will be working on the upcoming Garden Party.
Our next workday is Saturday September 16th, 10- am – 3 pm, with a potluck lunch at 1 pm. Pull weeds, harvest veggies, meet your neighbors.
Saturday, September 30 – Garden Party!
Sunday, October 1, raindate
more details to follow.
I hope you are doing well. It continues to be a summer of marvel, sadness and learning to embrace the great unknown, if you will…a full and meaningful summer it is turning out to be! In close is a brief update from Sadie as well.
We have said farewell to Lyn Gaylord on Monday, August 7. She transitioned peacefully with her beloved grandson, Brendan by her side. She was one of the major matriarchs at work in the co-creation of the Leland Garden. She lived a long good life, 91, and we will always be grateful for the time we spent learning and growing with her. All who walk in the garden for as long as the garden exists will share in the love she had of the Earth and gardening…Thank you Lyn!
This pic is from a recent demonstration she attended in Seattle which was her last home. Her furry buddy, Champ, was often close by her. We love you Lyn…
Just a few days before the news of Lyn, the garden started filling up with large Butterflies…first thee were the black ones, then the large yellow ones who turned out to be Swollowtails…and then, over this past weekend the Monarchs passed through in numbers I could not count…Honestly, I lost count as I enjoyed my tea in awe observing the various flowers that they paused on to nurture and nourish themselves on their long journey back to the volcanic mountains of Mexico where they will breed and start all over again… What a balm for the Soul to witness the return of the Monarch…I must offer my whole hearts gratitude for Kathleen’s attention to making sure the Leland Garden offers Milkweed, Queen Anne’s Lace, and many other flowers just for them. The Milkweed has been allowed to grow itself over the past several years and it seems word got out! Thank you Kathleen!
In close I will offer this inspiring note from Sadie that speaks for itself. Attached you will find the recent Gardeners Gazette from Vidya at the Trustees. TrusteesBostonGardenersGazette -Aug’17
Cheers,
Djamil and the Leland Garden Team
from Sadie:
“Thank you so much for the support that you have extended to Otis and me at this deeply difficult time in our lives.
It is humbling, breathtaking, strength-giving to know how much love there is in this community that is banding together to hold us up right now.
A counselor I recently met with at The Children’s Room (a wonderful center for grieving families in Arlington) made the analogy of grief turning one’s life into a braid. Our lives will never be the same, and our pain and grief will not be something we ever move past or overcome. Rather, our memories of Waylon and our life with him will become one part in a braid that continues to get woven together into our life’s complex and beautiful story. You all are also part of our life in this way, pleating together individual strands of love into a strong collective braid.
Thank you from the depths of my broken but beating heart. My cup is both empty and full simultaneously. It is through generosity such as yours that there is hope for the future – not just for our family, but also for the greater world, in which suffering and pain is all too common. I have always believed in the inherent goodness inside of every human being, and the power of altruism and love to prevail over all of the darker tendencies of our species. You are living proof of that, and I love you.
Thank you so very much,
Sadie
========================================================
Garden Workday Saturday, August 19th
10 am to 3 pm, with 1 pm potluck lunch
All are welcome…your presence is always enough!
We’ll be working on laying out woodchips, harvesting collards, cherry tomatoes and whatever herbs are ready. We’ll also be meeting and greeting people who come into the garden and want to learn about Boston’s only co-operative garden.
Anyone passing through the garden is welcome and encouraged to check and help keep the bird bath near the bees full of water (there is a small bucket beside it) and pick up the trash along their way. Many thanks!
Cheers,
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
Thursday, August 3, 2017, 7-9pm
General meeting in the garden (back up location 15 Leland St. #2)
Woodchip Weekend
Great news!
Boston Tree Company will drop off the woodchips around 2pm today (Thursday, July 13). Apparently, they have been helping a lot of community gardens sharing our Tree Ancestors…woodchips! 🙂
And, we have decided to have a Woodchip Weekend!
Saturday, July 15, 2017
9am – Yoga with Nicole and Deborah continues…
10.30am-3pm – Play-Meet-Work
1pm – Potluck
Also, Amanda will come and start some mushroom spores in some of the woodchips on Saturday for those so inclined to the rich world of fungi..!
Sunday, July 16, 2017
10ish until whenever
moving those woodchips!
There will likely be spontaneous celebrations, food sharing, and good people…
… a few of us might start moving them this afternoon after they arrive.
More good news…!
Owner occupied 3 bdrm. apartment available on Weld Hill St.
Contact Sara Buermann 617.524.0685 for more details
Attached is the latest Boston Gardeners Gazette from Vidya at the the Trustees
I hope you can make it, and if you can’t, I hope you have a great weekend all the same.
Thank you Boston Tree Company!
Cheers,
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
Herb Tour of the Garden
Hello all,
A quick invite to join Kathleen and Larry this Saturday, June 24, 10am, to walk through and identify the tremendous wealth of permaculture herbs that already exist and thrive in the Leland Street Cooperative Garden. Larry will be photographing to help make this information more accessible to all.
It will be a rather focused event. All are welcome!
Cheers,
DJamil
Yoga and WorkPlay Day in the Garden
Saturday, June 17, 2017 we have a fine line up!
9am – Yoga in the Garden with Nicole Pelletier and Deborah Schwartz to start our day
10-3pm – Work-playday: lots of weeding and the like. Your presence is always enough…
1pm – Potluck: meet the neighborhood!
The Vinyasa Yoga class is free and open to all ages and levels. To quote their flyer:
“This class series is designed to build community in the Forest Hills neighborhood, as well as physical, mental, and spiritual health. All levels (including beginners) welcome. Please bring mat or towel (we will have a few extra); sun screen, sun glasses, water and/or coffee. This is a community space, so be prepared for dogs and their humans to walk through the garden.”
Visit to Paradise Lot in Holyoke
This past weekend, many Leland gardeners went on a special field trip to Holyoke to visit Paradise Lot, Eric Toensmeier and Jonathan Bates’ 15 year-long experiment in permaculture on a small urban lot. You can read about the garden at https://paradiselotblog.wordpress.com/
Hello all,
I hope you are doing well with our manic weather and all. It’s surely having an impact on the garden. The rain, so welcome, revived a lot of the plants we almost lost in the drought last year, including some of our invasive weeds…look out for the Nettle and the Bishops weed! These are both healing herbs and are most challenging in a community garden setting. The Nettle has little thorns, even the little ones, and the Bishops weed literally takes over and has already claimed two shrubs…If you have any organic (no Monsanto RoundUp here!) suggestions for removing the Bishops Weed, please share.
Planting is underway with the Tomatoes, and a few others in the ground with more awaiting their places.
Saturday, May 27, 11-2 more Planting, Cleaning up and playing in the garden.
The focus will be getting the seedlings situated in the ground, so bring a snack if you like.
Thursday, June 1, 7-8.30
General meeting in the garden. If it rains we’ll move to Deborah’s @ 15 Leland Street #2.
At the last meeting we thoroughly looked into the prospect of growing mushrooms and find we have everything we need. It, like so many ideas, are awaiting the timing and people power to make them happen.
We continue to watch our neighborhood transform with condos selling and new people arriving, or soon to arrive. I have enjoyed meeting kind people and their children and dogs consistently just finding their way around and more people, whom I have not met, sending emails requesting to be added to this list…Welcome all! It seems to me that the Leland Street Cooperative Garden has a Soul of its own and it is a pleasure to be able to help it make this transition for the next generations to love and care for…We are all in this together!
And I saw the first Monarch passing through as well..a big yellow one! Many of you may know that we didn’t have any for a couple of years and they seem to be making their return.
On the tough days, it helps me to remember this amazing Being was once a Caterpillar…
Wishing you all the best,
DJamil and the Leland Garden team
General Garden Meeting Thursday, May 4th 7 pm – 8:30 pm at the Garden– All are Welcome!
A note from Djamil and the Leland Garden team:
Hello all,
I hope you are doing well. Rolling up our sleeves, we are hitting the dirt. Heads up that this is a high tick season so far with many sightings and bitings so please take care…do a tick check each night when you’ve been out in nature during the day
Thursday, May 4, General Meeting
7-8:30 in the Garden (@ 15 Leland St. #2 adjacent the garden if it rains)
We have some fun things to talk about! Dan and Amanda are both interested in bringing mushrooms to the garden and will be there to explore this opportunity. The mushrooms will be cultivated in the Peace Garden which is an area that is yet owned by the city between the garden and Barlow St. It is also currently used as a passive compost.
All are welcome!
Saturday, May 13 – Plant pick up – We Need Drivers!
1. Pick up pre-ordered seedlings @ Revision House in Roxbury
2. City Natives in Mattapan, a Trustees sponsored plant sale featuring City Native cultivated plants, and local farmer offerings – herb, Vegetables etc.
3. Herb Society of New England plant sale at Elmbank in headquarters of Massachusetts Horticulture Society in Wellesley.
If you have a car and would like to share a few hours picking up plants at either of these locations, please let us know ASAP. We’re hoping to get to all, if possible.
Also, if you would like to contribute funds for the new season plantings, our current balance is $52.00. Please call Adam Frost 617-325-9526 to get instructions for donating.
Sunday, May 14, Planting the goodies from the plant sales as determined by the need on Saturday 11-2
That’s it for now. Ready, Steady, Go! 🙂
Many thanks for your interest, love and support of the garden!
All the best,
DJamil and the Leland Garden Team
Workday, Saturday, April 22
Our last workday was Saturday, April 22, 10 am – 3 pm, with a potluck lunch at 1 pm.
All are welcome…your presence is always enough!
We cleaned out the beds, and got ready with the permaculture plans to continue exploring their potential manifestation.
Thank you to the Angels who turned the compost and removed the gravel.
Anyone passing through the garden is welcome and encouraged to check and help keep the bird bath near the bees full of water (there is a small bucket beside it) and pick up the trash along their way. Many thanks!
We’ll be celebrating Earth Day, by doing Spring cleaning in the garden. We’ll prune, meet the plants that are sprouting, and prepare for planting. All are welcome– you don’t need any gardening experience to join us, and we promise you’ll get lots of experience your first day! People of all ages will find good work to do.
Please call Adam Frost at 617-325-9526 if you have any questions about the workday or the garden.
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Garden Steering Committee Meeting was held Thursday, April 6, 7-9
Welcome Bees!
The first hive has arrived and we wish them all the best! Thank you Larry.
Here is a link to the Spring Events with Boston Food Forest Coalition:
http://us8.campaign-archive2.com/?u=8c2faccf3a584c37155225523&id=83c8425023&e=2cc1cb5863
Three cheers to New Beginnings….
We look forward to meeting you all in the garden real soon.
Take care,
DJamil
From Djamil:
A heartfelt thanks to Vidya Tikku, General Manager, Boston Community Gardens and the team from the Trustees for pulling off a truly inspiring Gardener’s Gathering. I learned a lot and enjoyed some familiar faces as well. Ladonna Redmond spoke the truth in her keynote pointing out what a revolutionary act a community garden is, especially in the time of #45, as she put it…The Earth belongs to all and we have a right and a responsibility to show up as never before.
Soup Night / Birthday bash – Judy, Emmett and all February birthdays
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
6.30 – 9pm
Please call Adam at 617-325-9526 for location.
Potluck – bring soup or appropriate accompaniments. All are welcome.
Also, there will be a donation hat available if you would like to contribute. The seed order will be placed the following Friday (see Kathleen’s message on the home page).
We had a garden steering committee meeting Thursday, February 2nd from 7 pm to 9 pm.
The meeting was quite spirited. Though we never rolled out the plans in full, we did decide to focus on the compost and the welcome/entrance to the garden. Also, in the picture 
you can see on the ground to the right one of the sandwich boards that Deborah contributed to the garden. We hope to reach more of our immediate community who are likely not receiving this email… Now, of course, they are all under snow….patience is the gift of patience I’ve heard it said. And the garden is absolutely stunning today draped in white. I can only send you my awe …
Solstice Celebration
In December, lots of people joined in the Luminaria Solstice Celebration at Leland St. Cooperative Garden, where we welcomed the Return of the Light by putting candles all around the garden!
Long Term Future Visioning Meeting this past November 2016:
Recently, the Leland Garden was chosen as a site for in-depth exploration of permaculture possibilities by a local permaculture class. There have been several plans created and at this meeting we looked at them together to explore the possibilities. To learn more about this process, go to Planning For the Future
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From DJamil and the Leland Street team
June 10, 2017
Hello all,
I hope you are doing well with our manic weather and all. It’s surely having an impact on the garden. The rain, so welcome, revived a lot of the plants we almost lost in the drought last year, including some of our invasive weeds…look out for the Nettle and the Bishops weed! These are both healing herbs and are most challenging in a community garden setting. The Nettle has little thorns, even the little ones, and the Bishops weed literally takes over and has already claimed two shrubs…If you have any organic (no Monsanto RoundUp here!) suggestions for removing the Bishops Weed, please share.
Planting is underway with the Tomatoes, and a few others in the ground with more awaiting their places.
At the last general meeting we thoroughly looked into the prospect of growing mushrooms and find we have everything we need. It, like so many ideas, are awaiting the timing and people power to make them happen.
We continue to watch our neighborhood transform with condos selling and new people arriving, or soon to arrive. I have enjoyed meeting kind people and their children and dogs consistently just finding their way around and more people, whom I have not met, sending emails requesting to be added to this list…Welcome all! It seems to me that the Leland Street Cooperative Garden has a Soul of its own and it is a pleasure to be able to help it make this transition for the next generations to love and care for…We are all in this together!
And I saw the first Monarch passing through as well..a big yellow one! Many of you may know that we didn’t have any for a couple of years and they seem to be making their return.
On the tough days, it helps me to remember this amazing Being was once a Caterpillar…
Wishing you all the best,
DJamil and the Leland Garden team
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From DJamil and the Leland Street team
April 17, 2017
Hello all,
I hope you are doing well This spring is springing into action on what seems to me, an entirely new clock, if you will. Just a few years ago, about 20, when I arrived in New England, there was a specific order to the blooms, thus, the hallmarks of the season were easy enough to observe if one were so inclined. However, now the once famous first bloomers, the Snowdrops and the Crocuses, are appearing along with the Daffodils and even the Tulips – in April – an 80 degree day in April at that! WOW! Bless us all… 🙂
Welcome new neighbors! We have been enjoying a substantial increase in children in the garden, along with casual readers and various forms of yoga. They are new faces and though we may not be formerly introduced, it is so inspiring to see the next generation arriving to care for and celebrate the Leland Street Cooperative Garden.
Workday, Saturday, April 22
10 – 3, 1 pm potluck,
All are welcome…your presence is always enough!
We’ll be cleaning out the beds, and ready with the permaculture plans to continue exploring their potential manifestation.
Thank you to the Angels who turned the compost and removed the gravel.
Anyone passing through the garden is welcome and encouraged to check and help keep the bird bath near the bees full of water (there is a small bucket beside it) and pick up the trash along their way. Many thanks!
With the changing clock, we also have a changing age and means of communication. While the foundation of the garden was laid in neighbors talking face to face, we now have digital options that have already brought people to the garden. While we, the current team, are truly grateful, we are not the webmasters/social media people who can maximize the potential of this option. Are you?
Adam Frost has championed this effort and is ready to help the next generation get on board. From Adam:
“The Garden needs a digital gardener to tend our website for about 15 minutes per week. We’ll provide the training in editing our free WordPress site https://lelandgarden.wordpress.com. If you’d like to try it out, please call Adam Frost, our interim web manager, at 617-325-9526 adamfrost@computerCareandLearning.com.
Thank you Adam!
Finally, for those of you who may be interested in the history of the garden, I have attached a PDF of an essay that Kathleen Robinson, one of the founders, has offered. After my close, you will find the Leland Garden History postscript she just finished.
Attached, as well, is the most recent Gardeners Gazetter from the Trustees.
This is such an exciting year. We look forward to sharing the journey, celebrating the Earth together.
Take care,
DJamil and the Leland Street team
Please click here to read the newsletter from our sponsor, The Trustees:
Trustees Boston Gardeners Gazette-April17
Leland Garden History postscript by Kathleen Robinson:
Please click here to read Kathleen’s history of the garden through 2008:
Kathleen Robinson Leland History 1982-2008
A lot of wonderful things have happened in the garden since 2008. We have changed our name from Leland Street Community Garden to Leland Street Cooperative Garden to reflect the fact that the space continues to be maintained and used by the Forest Hills community as a whole, rather than by individual plot holders.
We now have work days once a month rather than bi-weekly, and every workday includes a potluck picnic. Many neighbors enjoyed these days in 2016 – maybe we should call them play days! Every one is welcome at the picnic lunch whether or not they work in the garden. All the flowers, herbs and vegetables continue to be available to any neighbors who can make use of them.
Although there have been fewer events organized in recent years, a number of very memorable occassions have happened. These include a concert and poetry reading by talented neighbors of the garden; a film showing on a warm summer evening, complete with popcorn and drinks; two weeks of nature learning for kids in a local church summer program and a weekend design project in our garden by a permaculture design class which resulted in practical proposals to move our garden in the direction of a sustainable food forest. All the while, the winter solstice Luminaria Celebration has continued unbroken and, though our bee colonies have not always provided ample honey, we have continued to celebrate the bees the weekend before Labor day with a garden event.
We look forward to Leland Street Cooperative garden being shared by the Forest Hills neighborhood in old ways and new in the coming years. Come join us and bring your ideas!
~Kathleen Robinson
Hello all,
From Kathleen:
Every February for many hears the Leland Street Cooperative Garden (LSCG) has been ordering vegetable and flower seedlings for our raised beds from Revision Urban Farm. This wonderful farm is a project of Revision House, a shelter for women and children just a few miles from our Garden in Roxbury. Revision House started their farm on vacant land across from the shelter 9 or 10 years ago to provide healthy sustainable food for themselves — and it has grown to be a major source of local healthy food for the Roxbury and Dorcester communities selling at farmers markets and through their own CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). The farm now has a large greenhouse and sells annual vegetable and flower seedlings to keep themselves afloat financially.
LSCG is glad to be able to support this Farm and get seedlings for our annual beds at the same time. We often spend around $150.00. This year, however, our funds to start the new growing season are lower than usual. The main reason for this shortage is a very high water bill we had to pay this winter after last summer’s drought. A couple of long-time Leland Gardeners are planning to front the money for our seedling order from Revision Urban Farm this month.
If you would like to contribute to our Cooperative Garden in time to help with this month’s seedling order, please call Adam to make arrangements 617-325-9526
If you would like to participate in choosing which vegetables to grow, call Adam to make arrangement 617-325-9526. We have discovered over the years that greens, cherry tomatoes, beans and squash are what grows best in our space.
A message from Deborah:
No Hotdogs in the Compost 🙂
Welcome all compost participants new and old. Leland Street Cooperative Garden values your contributions. Our goal is to reduce food waste and turn it into ‘black gold’ for the garden. We see this as a neighborhood project, a great way to learn about recycling and promote community involvement.
This is a free service, but we need your help to keep it going. Presently the seniors here are providing the labor to keep the compost turned and keep the operation running smoothly.
We really need your help. Volunteering is vital to maintaining the garden and a great way to meet your neighbors. We will be announcing the next compost work sessions soon. Stay tuned!
The Senior Compost Committee [left to right] Judy, Emmett,Kathleen, and Deborah. [The ‘hot dog’ in the compost is Kitsey and Dawson, our white four legged friend.]
Notes from the February steering committee meeting:
The meeting was quite spirited. Though we never rolled out the plans in full, we did decide to focus on the compost and the welcome/entrance to the garden. Also, in the picture above you can see on the ground to the right one of the sandwich boards that Deborah contributed to the garden. We hope to reach more of our immediate community who are likely not receiving this email… Now, of course, they are all under snow….patience is the gift of patience I’ve heard it said. And the garden is absolutely stunning today draped in white. I can only send you my awe …
Take care until next time. We hope you make it to the soup night!
Hot chocolate and a hearty cheers,
DJamil
Recent comments from our team:
Compost
It is awesome that so many people have suddenly started putting their compost in the bin, yet we need more people to help maintain this increased volume. Please consider coming to the workday to learn about the process, or email and we can set up a good time for you.
Also, PLEASE do not put any plastic bags or otherwise in the compost, even if they claim they are recyclable. We want to believe them, however, we are not sure in what century this transformation may manifest! 🙂
Here are some general guidelines that may be helpful. We are working on new signs. If you’d like to help, let us know.
Yes – vegetables, fruits, cut flowers, healthy plants, ideally if you put large whole items like watermelon please cut it up a bit, coffee, teas, shredded newspaper or brown bags, leaves, grass clippings, wood burning stove ash, egg shells
No – plastic of any kind, corn cobs (attract rodents and take a very long time to break down), meat products including bones, oily foods, ‘weeds’, diseased plants, kitty litter,
Please tell your friends and thank you for contributing to the ‘green gold’ of the garden!
Our Bee Man, Larry, is still looking for a new garden that he can set up new hives.
Local Beekeeper Seeks Happy Home for Bees
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o -Will share honey production.o -Will mentor if interested in establishing your own hive
Leland Street Co-operative Garden 