The Kingston Land Trust is pleased to have been a partner for a second year  at the organic vegetable garden located on the grounds of Kingston’s City Hall.  Thanks to City Hall Garden Manager (and Farmer) Jesica Clark and the many volunteers who did a terrific job this season.

As always, a very special thanks to Mayor James Sottile, the City of Kingston’s Clerks office and the janitorial staff who helped to make 2010 a success.  We look forward to our continued collaboration in 2011 and beyond.

Below is a brief note from Jesica to share the year’s harvest news. Join her on November 6th when she will plant Garlic and retire the garden for the 2010 season.

Warm Regards,

Rebecca Martin
Executive Director
The Kingston Land Trust

“The Kingston city hall garden thrived this year with mixed crops grown in a square foot garden plan. The big successes were the sugar snap peas, lettuce and mesclun mixes, and tomatoes which provided us with great yields throughout the season. Overall, approximately 50 pounds of produce were donated to the Queen’s Galley from the 8’ x 8’ space. The trellis on the north end of the garden help peas and cucumbers grow vertically and increased the garden’s productivity. Garden manager Jesica Clark and volunteer Renee Vaughn had a fun time maintaining the space with the help of several other harvest volunteers in the fall. The garden was also host to a couple of workshops on how to plan and plant a square foot garden.

Next year the garden will again be planted square foot style, but with different crops highlighted, including medicinal herbs and flowers. Mrs. Clark also hopes to grow garlic from “seed cloves” which are actually cloves from large, well formed heads of garlic. The garlic cloves are planted in the fall to ensure proper growth the next year. We will be a small garlic planting and info session at the garden on Saturday, November 6th at 3pm”.

The City Hall Victory Garden was an incredible experience….and experiment.  With the support of Mayor James Sottile, our garden committee was granted the opportunity to place an organic garden in a most visible spot in Kingston.  Taking a chance like that might seem like a no brainer. But it was very progressive of City Hall and has helped us to begin a real garden movement in Kingston. Continue reading City Hall Victory Garden – A Successful 2009 Season

I took a few photos of the Kingston City Hall Victory Garden this afternoon. It is so beautiful. There is a mixed variety of beans that have been planted – and one of which has the most unique flower buds that are a scarlet color (hence, Scarlet Runner Beans!). I’ve never seen anything like it before.

We’ve got squash and corn fruit now. I expect it to really be hopping in the next few weeks.

Thanks.

Rebecca

The Kingston City Hall Victory Garden is rocking now. My son Charlie and I visit almost every day on his way to school – and in the last week, the plants have really come up. I’m looking forward to the Kingston High School students to see it when they return in the late summer.

We will be doing a bit of fertilizing this week. Anyone interested in joining me, just give me a hollar at: info@kingstoncitizens.org

Thanks.

Rebecca Martin

Kingston City Hall Victory Garden. Great signage thanks to the boys and girls club!

The next Henry Hudson?

The Kingston High School students finished planting the Victory Garden at City Hall last week. Everything is coming up nicely – though we could certainly use a little more sunshine for the Corn! The beans are catching up (even though they were planted only two weeks ago. Corn went in five weeks ago!) Continue reading June Update: City Hall Victory Garden

Joann Dayton’s Ecology students had a great ‘planting-out’ session last Friday at noontime where they continued the process of sowing seeds for the City Hall Victory Garden. The corn is now in completely, as is our pumpkin squash.  Beans will be put in this Friday.   Continue reading KHS Students 'Planting-Out' Squash and Corn at City Hall

Here are some photos of the planting out of corn at the City Hall Victory Garden this past Friday, May 14. Thank you all for helping out and especially to Allyson Levy of Hortus Conclusus who helped the students and volunteers have a successful first planting!

Allyson Levy of Hortus Conclusus

Chalking Up

Hands in the dirt!

Using the Rain Barrel

Watering the crops

A student journalist from the Kingston High School sent us her story printed in their school publication. Thanks Emily:

Emily Mance, Victory Garden

April 22^nd. Earth Day. Second period. The majority of the students at KHS are sitting in Algebra or Spanish or Global. Some, though, are across the street at City Hall, celebrating the Kingston Victory Garden, learning how it came to be and what they can do to help. Continue reading Kingston High School Newspaper Reports on Victory Garden at City Hall

Here is the text version of a speech by Rebecca Martin, chair of the garden committee, given during the April 22, 2009 Victory Garden at City Hall ceremony:

Good morning and thank you for joining us to share this historic moment on a most appropriate day – Earth Day, April 22nd 2009, for the groundbreaking of Kingston City Hall’s Victory Garden.

Almost three years ago, community gardens in the City of Kingston became a mission of a group of citizens living in the active Ward 9 district. Through their research and hard work, a path was forged and an idea set in motion that would help to create a higher quality of life for those living here through the work of community gardens. Continue reading Groundbreaking Speech