Blog

Victory Garden Update!

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We are grateful to our farmer-friends, The Kokas family of Upstate Farms, which is located in Tivoli, NY – https://upstatefarmsny.com/ – for their generous donations of local eggs, fruits, and vegetables. Their kindness has allowed us to increase our selections of offerings, and to reach a greater number of our neighbors as we fulfill our mission to grow and distribute extra produce to help our community members who are facing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.


On Sunday, October 11, 2020, we celebrated our 12th week of Victory Garden harvest and distribution. From our member plots, we harvested a variety of crops: Callaloo, assorted Bush & Pole Beans, Cabbage, Ground Cherries, Mustard & Radish Greens, Tomatoes, Chili, Frying & Poblano Peppers, French Sorrel, Okra, Bronze Fennel, and Mini-pumpkins. Since July 5th, we have grown & distributed over 220 pounds of our home-grown PHCF produce. Can’t get more local than that!


If you would like to volunteer to help with the Victory Garden please contact us at contact@phcfarm.com. 

Compost is Saved (again)!

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After losing our overflow site last week, PHCF has started a new relationship, working in collaboration with the NYC Compost Project to fill the void left by the City’s 90% cut in funding to citywide compost services.


IT’S ON! Bring us your food scraps on Sundays from 10 – 12 in October (and HEADS UP… soon to be shifting to 12 – 2 in November!).  


Reminders of what to and what not to compost here.

Changes to Food Scrap Drop Off at The PHarm

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Starting next Sunday, October 11, 2020, while our 10-12 pm drop off is still operational, the off-site operation that has accepted our overflow is no longer available. Until we find a replacement, the PHarm will need to limit our intake (roughly 25 people or 200 lbs). Please check back here, phcfarm.com, or visit our social media for updates.

Where else can you take your food scraps?   ➤ http://bit.ly/NYCdropofftracker

While NYC cut it’s composting budget by over 90%, there is a growing number of citizen lead and community based organizations who have stepped up to fill the gap.
Visit the bit.ly link above for FAQs, Food Scrap Drop Off Sites & Residential Pick Up Services.  

Expanded Open Hours

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After being closed for much of the spring and summer due to Covid and following a successful trial opening in early September, the garden has now expanded Open Hours through the end of October. We look forward to seeing you in the garden!

Tuesday: 4:30 – 6:30 pm  
Wed: 10 – 12 noon 
Friday: 2 – 4 pm 
Saturday: 12 – 2pm and 2 – 4 pm  

Trial Open Hours in September

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As you may know, the garden has been closed to visitors during the pandemic for safety reasons, following the guidelines of NYS on pause. Beginning in September, we will begin offering a limited number of trial Open Hours on Wednesday mornings and Friday afternoons with hopes of offering an expanded schedule soon. During the times listed below, we will welcome a limited number of visitors to enjoy the garden. Face coverings will be required. We look forward to seeing you!

The hours will be:

  • Wednesdays, Sep 2 and 9, 10 am – 12 noon
  • Fridays, Sep 4 & 11, 2  – 4 pm

Visitor Guidelines

  • Stay home if you are sick.
  • Wear a face covering at all times.
  • No eating or drinking allowed.
  • Maintain at least a 6 foot separation between you and other parties at all times.
  • Leave only footprints.

 – The Farm

First Victory Garden Distribution

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produce on table

On Sunday, July 5, 2020, we conducted our first Victory Garden distribution.  From our greenhouse and member plots, we harvested a variety of crops: kale, Swiss chard, herbs, radish greens, purslane, lettuce, and tomatoes , collecting 12.28 pounds of food to feed four families.

Since then we have harvested each Sunday collecting a total of 49.46 pounds of food and served 23 households! The next harvest and distribution will be tomorrow (August 2nd)

Prospect Heights Victory Garden

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harvest

Recognizing the pandemic could result in food insecurity, PHCFarm organized a team to grow veggies for our community! Several members have offered up space in their boxes and members are tending to them to help fulfill our Victory Garden mission to grow and distribute extra produce to help our community members who are facing food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Compost Capacity Expanded!

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Wondering where to compost? Bring it to the Farm!

Now with the generous support of NatureBased, we are able to significantly expand the amount of food scraps we accept on Sundays. So, bring us your Food Scraps, Sundays 10 – 12 noon. 

composting

Compost Limit

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Due to the overwhelming demand for community composting services, our  relatively small, volunteer-run compost system has been overwhelmed. We must therefore reduce the amount of compost we can accept from community members on Sundays from 10-12.
We can accept a total of 150 pounds of compost from the community and will have to end our collections when we reach that amount.
We are currently advocating with other community gardens to open up similar no-contact community compost collection and will post the locations of any other gardens accepting compost as they get set up.
Thank you for your understanding!
PHCF compost team

Face Covering Required Garden hours

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Starting Friday, May 1 a few periods of time each week will be set aside as “Face Covering Required” hours, meaning that during those times everyone in the garden is required to wear a covering over their mouth and nose the entire time they are in the garden, even if no one else is there. 

The covering must be on and in use, not simply around one’s neck or in one’s pocket.

We hope that this will allow members wishing to take additional precautions to stop the spread of Covid-19 to feel safe spending time in the garden. These times are not age-restricted.

We are adopting this on a trial basis, and the board welcomes your feedback.

In an effort to provide at least one time each week for a variety of schedules, these hours will be in effect on:

  • Saturdays 10:00 am – Noon
  • Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 am
  • Wednesdays 5:00 – 7:00 pm, and 
  • Thursdays Noon – 2:00

Please continue to maintain a 6-foot distance between yourself and other gardeners, even during these “face-covering required” hours, and use personal gloves when handling shared tools.