Over the past 10 years, houses of worship in Connecticut have accelerated in creating community organic gardens, producing high-quality fruits and vegetables and herbs which are then donated to community groups. This past summer, IREJN Board Member Letty Naigles traveled around to visit and photograph some of these, which are all sources of great abundance and blessing. This writeup was co-authored by Jameelah Muhammad, Letty Naigles, and Virginia Army, with input from all of the gardeners!
Grand Street Garden, Hartford, CT
In 2017, this community group built and planted their community garden with the generous support from The Inter-religious Eco Justice Network, Muhammad Islamic Center of Greater Hartford, Bilalian Boy Scouts, Community Activist Charmaine Craig, community volunteers and KNOX inc. They envisioned a space, a green space, breaking through the surrounding concrete and being a safe space, a space of retreat, a space of community and abundance. With just four raised beds, the garden has now seen several vegetable and herb plantings, many of the plants returning year after year as well as new ones that are harvested and eaten for community members to share for free. The idea for the garden came together after many conversations of what the first garden might look like being hosted at an Islamic institution in the Greater Hartford area. It was decided that Frog Hollow neighborhood would be an ideal location (across the street from Charter Oak Health Center) to build such an important meeting space. The garden is dedicated to and in loving Memory of many previous community members who shared this vision, including Sister Mary X, a dedicated and long-time community activist and garden educator who passed away from Cancer in December 2018.
Fast forward 2 years—now with 2 grants in hand (City of Hartford Love Your Block, New England Grassroots Fund) and numerous hours of digging (Qadriyyah, 5 year old aspiring gardener and farmer especially), planting (thank you, sisters), hauling water (yay, scouts!), and weeding (everyone, with Jameelah teaching which are really weeds), these visions are becoming reality: They’ve had a highly productive summer of vegetables and herbs, partnered with local organizations for a community health fair and harvest give-away in August, and sponsored workshops on food growing as medicine and healing for our bodies and hearts.
The land currently being used is owned by the Muhammad Islamic Center of Greater Hartford, but the group holds that the garden itself is open to the public and is free for all to use regardless of race, religion, creed, etc. They hope that many faith congregations will utilize the space, and that many neighborhood participants will also feel comfortable eating the food produced and exploring the different plants that are growing.
Standout vegetables and herbs this summer: Carrots, multiple kinds of beans, kale, borage, lavender, peppers, onions, spinach, mint, snow peas, cilantro, radishes, collards.
Flowers: Gladiolous, Hostas, Tulips, Aster, Sunflower
Plans for the immediate future: inspiring art projects (Garden Sign Project is currently underway), expanding to edible native plants, and installing some rain barrels because this garden doesn’t have its own water source yet! We plan to pick up Rain Barrels at the end of September from the City of Hartford Rain Barrel program.
For tips to plant your own community garden, please download our guide.
How to Plant a Community Garden 2.18
