Gardening

When my workday has ended, and I have carefully put to bed my small spicy accomplices, I look forward to at least a light snack and a footrest in recognition of my achievement. It would be a shame if this did not happen. I am sorry to say, this is the case with many hardworking beings—nimble industrious laborers who endlessly whirl about finding food, making babies and cultivating crops only to return to, well, an empty snack bowl and an unfurnished apartment.  more »

Almost two years ago, with the support of an Irvington Educational Foundation grant, I was among a group of parents, students, teachers and administrators who helped establish a vegetable garden at Dows Lane School. We designed and installed a fenced garden with rectangular wood-framed beds and an underground high-efficiency drip irrigation system.  more »

Your fall leaves are a valuable resource that most homeowners let go to waste by having them blown into piles on the street, or perhaps raked into brown landscaping bags stacked curb-side, left for eventual town pickup. Often these vast piles spread out, washing into the storm drains and potentially clogging them. Ugh! What a mess!

So as a homeowner, are there options? What approach to dealing with fall’s bounty of leaves is close enough to the “norm” that both homeowner and lawn care crews can embrace a greener methodology? Answer: Leave ‘em in place!

Mulching (shredding) in-place is the best solution. It is easy to learn, easy to implement, gets great “green” points, and best yet: actually saves time & money!  more »

If you are feeling hesitant about picking up a dozen eggs, you might feel more comfortable heading over to your local farmer’s market. The closest local farmers’ markets (Tarrytown, Irvington, Stone Barn Center for Food and Agriculture) offer a variety of locally grown food products—from honey to nuts, bread to desserts, prepared foods, fresh produce, herbs, wine, meat, fish, flowers, etc. One of the benefits of shopping “locally grown” is becoming familiar with the conditions under which the food is grown.  more »

Peppers growing in Tarrytown? Yes indeed. Habaneros, jalapenos, anchos, poblanos and the more common bell pepper. Lots of peppers.

Where is this all happening? At the newly constructed community gardens at Tarrytown Hall Care Center, a 120-bed residential care facility located at 20 Wood Court. The brainchild of the Tarrytown Environmental Council (TEAC), this garden has been in the planning stages for several years and just came to “fruition” two weeks ago.  more »

When the Morse Elementary School opens this September, students and parents will see the beginnings of a park fronting the school on Beekman Avenue. And, in that tree-shaded spot, replete with tables, benches and native plants, will be a vegetable garden. On Saturday, September 25, from 4 to 5:50 p.m., Morse students, teachers and parents will be planting seedlings in their garden--- seedlings started in each classroom during the first school days. The event is called DIG IN and DIG IT!, and will be planned in conjunction with Slow Food events occurring throughout the country on that day.  more »

The new organic vegetable garden at the White House may be only 1,100 square feet in size, but this small plot has fast become the “shot heard round the country.” It is awakening Americans to the benefits of adding fruits and vegetables to their diets, eliminating processed and sugary foods, and seeing immediate results.  more »

Applying pesticides to residential lawns and landscapes has become a seasonal ritual for many American homeowners, as common as pruning the hedges or raking leaves. But, according to Patty Wood, of Grassroots Environmental Education, “in light of the ever-growing body of scientific literature linking pesticide exposures to a myriad of human health problems and environmental degradation, it’s time to take a serious look at the unintended damage we are doing,” Wood spoke a few months ago to a packed Parish Hall at St. Barnabas Church in Irvington. The event was sponsored by the Garden Clubs of Irvington, Dobbs Ferry, Philipse Manor and Sleepy Hollow, along with Sustainable Hastings.  more »

Hiding in plain sight, in the courtyard surrounding the Visitor Center of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve, is a cacophony of colors ranging from pure white to lipstick pink to a deep red mahogany. This delightful treasure is the meticulously maintained peony garden – Japanese Tree Peonies to be exact. To the hikers, equestriennes, birders and nature lovers visiting the park this magnificent display might seem a bit odd and out of place. But their placement in the Preserve is a symbol of international solidarity and compassion.  more »

With Michelle Obama starting an organic garden at the White House, shouldn’t we all care about being eco-friendly in our own gardening practices? Why? In order to protect the health of our families, friends and future generations; to safeguard our native plants and animals by protecting their habitat and food supply; to improve the overall quality of our local environment by preventing excessive soil erosion, ensuring a healthy tree canopy to combat global warming, and reducing the risk of water contamination by fertilizer and pesticide runoff.  more »