What’s Going On in the Family Garden

Posted in Around the Garden on June 20 2012, by Ann Rafalko

The Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden is a New York City treasure. No hyperbole–just ask anyone who has spent 10 minutes in this verdant acre. The Howell Family Garden has been the backyard garden for generations of New Yorkers. In the mornings it plays host to hundreds of schoolkids on a daily basis, and in the afternoons it is open to everyone. Just drop in, slow down, and enjoy. Pick a pea. Pull a weed. Plant a seed. It’s a bucolic oasis!

So I wanted to let you know about two opportunities available in July that will allow you to more fully enjoy the Family Garden in the height of summer.

First up, one of the best deals in town, the Children’s Gardening Program returns beginning July 10, and spots are still available! In this hands-on gardening program, kids get outside and get their hands dirty. Guided by instructors, kids plant, tend, and harvest fresh produce that they take home; prepare and taste the fruits of their labor; and enjoy the beautiful natural setting of the Family Garden.

– Kids aged 3-5 (and a parent!) participate in the Garden Sprouts, which meets on Tuesdays (July 10 – August 14) or Thursdays (July 12 – August 16), 9:30-11 a.m.

– Kids aged 6-12 participate solo in the Garden Crafters, which meets Tuesday and Thursday, July 10 – August 16, 9-11:30 a.m.

Garden Sprouts costs $135 for Members, and $150 for non-Members. Garden Crafters costs $165 for Members, and $180 for non-Members. Scholarships based on financial need are available to cover part of the cost of these programs on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more, signup, or apply for a scholarship, visit the Children’s Gardening Program page.

If signing on to a summer camp-style gardening program is too much of a commitment, why not come to one of our Family Dinners with Mario Batali’s Chefs, beginning July 15 in the Family Garden! These dining experiences for families in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden will feature a three-course family-style menu designed by one of Mario Batali’s chefs.

Before dinner, explore ‘Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens’ in the Family Garden, a robust and interactive space filled with beds of vegetables and herbs used at Mario’s restaurant kitchens; if you have a baby don’t forget to check out the best baby swings specifically for these type of trips, also participate in hands-on gardening and craft activities; and then sit back and enjoy live cooking demonstrations by Mario’s top chefs in the outdoor Whole Foods Market Family Garden Kitchen featuring recipes with fresh, seasonal ingredients like those grown in ‘Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens.’ The entire family is sure to enjoy this special evening together. Programming is geared for kids 4-12.

Chef appearances
July 15
Casa Mono – Chef Anthony Sasso
Tarry Lodge – Chef Andy Nusser

July 26
Lupa – Chef Cruz Goler
Babbo – Chef Frank Langello

August 2
Eataly – Chef Alex Pilas
Otto – Chef Dan Drohan

August 12
Del Posto – Chef Mark Ladner
Esca – Chef Dave Pasternack

And if you want to just want to visit this beautiful space, just stop by 1:30-6 p.m. on weekdays, and all day on weekends. Admission is included in your All-Garden Pass. Hands on gardening activities, cooking demonstrations, themed activities, and so much more are the order of the day, and playing in the dirt is highly encouraged!

What do you think? Do you love the Family Garden? Have your kids participated in the Children’s Gardening Program? Are you excited to come taste the wares out of ‘Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens?’ We would love to hear your opinions in the comments below!