VICTORY GARDEN BREAKS GROUND AT KINGSTON CITY HALL ON EARTH DAY WITH ‘THREE SISTERS’: Planting to involve residents and students with nod toward city’s colonial and Native America roots.
KINGSTON – The Garden Committee of the Kingston Land Trust is teaming up with the Mayor’s Office of the City of Kingston and the Kingston Public Schools to create a Victory Garden at City Hall, which will be a “Three Sistersâ€â€” themed garden.
The garden breaks ground on Earth Day, April 22, at 9 a.m. at City Hall, which is located 420 Broadway in Kingston. The project involves master gardeners from the Cornell Cooperative Extension and over 50 students at the Kingston High School. A “Three Sisters†garden is one that features the three main agricultural crops of some Native American groups in early North America: squash, maize (corn), and climbing beans. In the Esopus River basin area, these vegetables were staples for Native Americans.
“A Victory Garden at City Hall is significant as it will set the tone and be a positive example for gardens of all sorts in the city of Kingston,†said Rebecca Martin, chair of the Kingston Land Trust’s Garden Committee and founder of KingstonCitizens.org.
Martin said this is the first project in a series, which will involve home gardens for people in the midtown area of Kingston, Victory Gardens for residents and community and school garden projects. “Given current economic realities, helping families feed themselves by creating gardens is as empowering as it is positive,†Martin added.
The choice of a “Three Sisters†garden for the City Hall site was done to recognize the region’s historical attributes as well as in recognition of the anniversary of Henry Hudson’s journey up his namesake river 400 years ago.
The project involves the development of a year-long curriculum with 50 students of the Kingston High School’s ecology and biology departments. The project is also done in collaboration with city officials, master gardeners, local farmers and volunteers.
Sponsors include: Kingston’s City Hall, Ken Greene from the Hudson Valley Seed Library, Allyson Levy and Scott Serrano from Hortus Conclusus, Adam’s Fairacre Farms, Jesica Pasqual from Phillies Bridge Farm and The Boys and Girls Club of Kingston, NY.
About The Kingston Land Trust: The Kingston Land Trust protects and preserves open space, scenic and natural areas and historic sites in the Greater Kingston Area via acquisitions, conservation easements, education, research and advocacy. The Kingston Land Trust is committed to fostering civic participation and encouraging neighborhood revitalizations while preserving open space. Email the land trust at kingstonlandtrust@yahoo.com or visit the website at KingstonLandTrust.org.
About KingstonCitizens.org: KingstonCitizens.org is a community-based organization that is charged with improving the quality of life of Kingston residents through the development of community gardens, community visioning sessions, clean-up projects, neighborhood meetings and more. The organization also works to foster clarity and transparency between citizens and local government. For more information visit KingstonCitizens.org, which includes discussion groups for each ward as well as blog.
For more information on this exciting Earth Day event in the city of Kingston, contact Rebecca Martin at: 845/750-7295 or info@kingstoncitizens.org
KINGSTON CITY HALL VICTORY GARDEN
Schedule of Presentations
Sunday, April 19th Noon – 3:00pm Presentation: Installing raised bed and rain barrel, adding soil mixture and ‘chalking-up’ (Chalking Up is a term that means marking the garden for seed/plant preparation, to be done in May).
Monday, April 20th 2:00pm – 5:00pm Rain Date for the above.
Wednesday, April 22nd, 9:00am – Groundbreaking: City Hall Victory Garden
Friday, May 15th, 4-5:00pm – ‘Planting Out’: CORN (Planting Out is a term for putting the seeds into the soil. We will be guided by expert gardeners and perhaps a farmer or two)
Friday, May 22nd, 4 – 5:00pm – ‘Planting Out’: SQUASH
Friday, May 29th, 4 – 5:00pm – ‘Planting Out’: BEANS
Friday, June 5th, 4 – 5:00pm – ‘Planting Out’: VARIOUS (this session will be used to check on seeds already planted – and to add more in the case that we have some stubborn seeds).
