Borough President Helps Launch Vegetable Gardening Season

Posted in Uncategorized on May 13 2009, by Plant Talk

Bronx Officials Open Children’s Nutrition and Urban Farming Programs

Nick Leshi is Associate Director of Public Relations and Electronic Media.

New Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. spoke last week at The New York Botanical Garden’s Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden to officially open the vegetable gardening season. He recognized the Botanical Garden’s role in educating kids and the public about the importance of nutrition and healthy eating in combating obesity and other health issues and how community gardens help generate “green-collar” jobs in the city. Vegetable gardening and healthy eating will be showcased in The Edible Garden, a summer-long celebration of growing great food, June 27–September 13, at the Botanical Garden.

One of Bronx Green-Up’s community gardens, the Garden of Happiness on Prospect Avenue between East 181st and 182nd Streets in the Bronx, was abuzz with activity for the start of the gardening season. Among those on hand were, from left to right, Judge Dianne T. Renwick, City Councilman Joel Rivera, Community Gardener Karen Washington, City Councilman Larry B. Seabrook, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., New York Botanical Garden President Gregory Long, Bronx school children, and NYBG’s Director of Bronx Green-Up & Community Horticulture Ursula Chance (far right in purple shirt).

Photos by Jason Green