Last year, Buffalo ReUse and Grassroots Garden were awarded with a collaborative grant to create community gardens throughout the city. After acquiring some of the necessities, the gardens are ready for action — but they need your participation. That’s why Buffalo ReUse is sending out an open invitation to help in growing the community gardens. Grab your gardening gloves and start planting!
One project Buffalo ReUse invites you to participate in is the Patchwork Garden located on Northampton Street. The garden is composed of a series of interlocking, raised 4’x8′ beds, each with its own color, pattern, and history, resembling an intricate quilt. Volunteers can reserve their own bed and plant the vegetables and plants of their liking, tending to it on their own free time or scheduled work days.
For those who are unsure of beginning their own garden, Buffalo ReUse has another project that functions a little differently. Managed by volunteer Dan Ash, the Southampton/Masten Garden runs more like a “cooperative farm” where everyone is encouraged to complete various tasks and then share the finished product. Currently, the garden grows over twenty different fruits and vegetables. Ash says the garden has received “a very positive response from the community. By harvest time, the volunteers will head home with fistfulls of squash or buckets of strawberries!”
Buffalo ReUse is also building a childen’s vinery called Tanglers, Danglers, and Creatures. The garden will have hanging baskets, arbors, a teepee, and a jungle motif. Buffalo ReUse hopes that Tanglers, Danglers, and Creatures will be a space for young people to develop their talents and skills and provide a center for learning.
Even if you aren’t really sure where to begin with gardening, Buffalo ReUse can help. During the month of July, Buffalo ReUse will be holding free workshops to develop your abilities. Their dedicated Greenspace Coordinators provide classes that include all aspects of gardening such as building rain barrels, eliminating pests, and making strawberry jam. Be sure to check out their calendar for more information.
Buffalo ReUse understands that gardens are a catalyst for revitalizing the neighborhood and encouraging a sense of community. They believe that gardening is good for not only the individual but the community’s body and soul. So roll up your sleeves, have some fun, and happy gardening!