Carroll Gardens CSA Begins 2014 Season

The Carroll Gardens CSA is ready to start its 2014 season and is open to new memberships.  The pick-up place is conveniently located at the corner of 2nd Place and Smith Street, right across from the subway station.

Here is more information:
The Carroll Gardens CSA is happy to announce our 2014 season, which begins June 14 in the Transit Garden, corner of 2nd Place and Smith Street. Membership is still available and open to all on a first-come, first-served basis. Members can purchase weekly or bi-weekly shares of fresh vegetables, fruit, eggs, flowers, and monthly deliveries of meat and cheese.

Along with fresh, seasonal produce that comes directly from Garden of Eve farm, additional, local foodstuffs are available to members. This season, we are coordinating with vendors to bring our CSA members fresh fish, pasta, coffee, kombucha, maple syrup and more.

Subscriptions are available through May 31, 2014, and we encourage those interested to subscribe quickly, as the CSA is 70% full as of May 6 (see following paragraph for how to subscribe).

The CSA is Community Supported Agriculture: members buy shares in Garden of Eve farm, the farm uses that money to finance their operation and distributes seasonal produce back to members on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, depending on type of shares purchased. This year, the full season begins Saturday, June 14 and runs through Saturday, November 22. Shares are purchased directly through the Garden of Eve website at URL http://www.gardenofevefarm.com/csa_carroll.htm. Share-holders each volunteer to work at one of the distributions during the season. The CSA also partners with local charities to share leftover produce at the end of each Saturday’s distribution.

Read more

Transit Garden On Smith Street Looking Mighty Festive

(photo credit Maryann Young)

(photo credit Maryann Young)

(photo credit Maryann Young)

Perhaps you have noticed that the Transit Garden at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place has been aglow in festive holiday lights in the past few days.
Last Saturday, the Transit Garden volunteers who tend to this lovely urban oasis, hosted a tree lighting party.  As in years past, it was a fun event, complete with hot chocolate, baked goods, caroling and holiday cheer.
If you would like to become one of the Transit Garden volunteers or would like to support a great neighborhood group , please contact their web site here.  The Transit Garden is also on Facebook here. Read more

Bake Sale Helps Carroll Gardens 'Transit Garden' Raise Money For Composters

The neighborhood residents who, over the last several years, have turned an unsightly Metropolitan Transit Authority parking lot into a lovely community garden appropriately named The Transit Garden, held a bake sale on Saturday to raise funds. The event was also an opportunity for everyone to stroll through the blooming oasis at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place. In all, the volunteers were able to rase $350, which will be used to buy two composters.

If you’d like to become one of the Transit Gardens' volunteer and sign up for a planter box or if you would like to contribute some funds, please contact Vicki Devor to get all the details.

Read more

Carroll Gardeners Get Together At Transit Garden For Tree Lighting And Holiday Cheer

Sure, it was cold last night, but bundled up in hats and gloves, with a cup of hot chocolate in their hands, a group of Carroll Gardeners attended the annual Christmas Tree lighting in the charming little Transit Garden at the corner of Second Place and Smith Street. Ornaments were hung, Christmas carols were sung and Season's Greetings were exchanged.

The event was hosted by the neighborhood group that took over the former Metropolitan Transit Authority parking lot, turned it into a garden and continues to lovingly plant and care for the little green oasis.

Thank you to the MTA representatives who stopped by. And thank you also to State Senator Daniel Squadron and fellow Carroll Gardener for joining the festivities.

Read more

Reminder! You Are Invited To The Annual Transit Garden Tree Lighting

REMINDER!

Join In Tonight!

Here is a wonderful neighborhood event. The Carroll Gardens neighborhood gardeners who keep the Transit Garden at the corner of 2nd Place and Smith Street blooming for most of the year are hosting their annual tree lighting ceremony on December 16th. Come join them, but dress warmly.

Transit Garden Tree Lighting
Come one, come all.
Thursday, December 16th, 2010
6 PM

Decorate the tree at 6pm, bring your own ornament, if you would like.Tree lighting, performers (names to be announced) and caroling at at 7pm.
Hot chocolate and sweet treats will be supplied in abundance, grown up drinks too.

See you then! the Transit Gardeners

°°°°°°°°°°

Read more

Carroll Gardens/ Gowanus Neighborhood Activists Honored At Transit Garden

I would like to thank Jim and Vicky Devor, as well as Martin Rowe and the wonderful volunteers of the Transit Garden, for honoring the dedicated Carroll Gardens/Gowanus activists who work so tirelessly to protect the neighborhood.

In the last few years, these members of the community have achieved the contextual re-zoning of Carroll Gardens, the protection of the unique Carroll Gardens courtyards and fought Mayor Bloomberg on the Superfund designation for the Gowanus Canal...and won.

The honorees in attendance were:

John Hatheway,

Gary Reilly

Rita Miller

Lucy DeCarlo

Triada Samaras

Elisabeth Lind

Glenn Kelly

Vince Joseph

Maryann Young

Bette Stoltz

Jackie Raque

Laura Edidin

Marlene Donnelly

and, humbly, Ms. Pardon Me

In return, I would like to express my appreciation for the hard work by the members of the Transit Garden. They have turned the corner of Smith Street and Second Place into a wonderful green oasis and by doing so, have shown the true spirit of this great neighborhood.

Home Page

Share

Read more

REMINDER: 2nd Place Transit Garden Group To Honor Carroll Gardens Activists

REMINDER

The great volunteers of the Transit Garden at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place are hosting a gathering to honor Carroll Gardener activists for the work they have done for the community. I am incredibly thrilled to be one of the honorees.

I will certainly be there. Hope you can make it to.

Here is the announcement from the Transit Garden group:

"Come and celebrate your neighbors and friends, who fought the winning campaigns for the creation of the Transit Garden, the wide street Text Amendment, neighborhood rezoning, the Hannah Senesh courtyard kerfuffle, the Super Fund designation and keeping development sane in Carroll Gardens."

May 2nd, 5 - 7 pm. (after Court St. Fair)

Rain date to be determined.

at the Transit Garden,

2nd Place & Smith Street

Share Read more

A Very Merry Holiday Celebration At The Transit Garden

Oh, I won't deny it! It was so, so cold on Friday in the late afternoon, but in the Transit Garden at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place, some little Carroll Gardeners helped to decorate a Christmas tree and more importantly, got to meet Santa.
As night fell, the tree was lit and in its warm glow, Carroll Gardeners gathered around and sang carols. How very festive it was.






For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

Read more

This Friday, Come To The Transit Garden Tree Lighting

The 2009 Holiday Season In Carroll Gardens

***Due to rain last week, this event was rescheduled to Friday***

Nothing puts you in a festive mood like holiday lights, music, hot chocolate, friends and neighbors.
I had a wonderful time at last year's tree lighting at the Transit Garden on the corner of Smith and Second Place. I will definitely make sure to attend this Saturday's event. Hope you do, too. Below is more information:

Transit Garden Christmas Tree Lighting

Friday, December 11th, 4:30-8 pm (Smith Street & 2nd Place)
Bring an ornament for our tree (not required).

Enjoy popcorn, sweet treats and hot cocoa.
and a warm grown-up drink too!

Bake a holiday favorite to share with friends.

Local students to join us performing holiday tunes! Bring YOUR singing voices and a friend. Bundle Up & Join Us!
(Transit Garden,Smith Street & 2nd Place)

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

Read more

New Art Classes In The Carroll Gardens Transit Garden

NEW ART CLASSES in Carroll Gardens!

NEW ART CLASSES forming in the Transit Garden in Carroll Gardens!

Adults, Children and Families!

Where: The lovely Transit Garden at the Corner of Smith Streets and Second Place in Carroll Gardens.

Who: For Would Be Artists of All Ages and taught by Triada Samaras*

Classes:

Adults: Drawing and Pastels Classes using the flowers, shrubs and trees in the garden as our inspiration. $25.00 per 90 min class. Sign-up for a minimum of four. (Art supplies to be purchased by you). Parents: You may bring your child to class to draw with you for the reduced rate of $10.00 per child!

Children ART/SCIENCE class (Ages 3-5): $20.00 per 45 min. class. Sign up for a minimum of four. ($15.00 materials fee). This is a drop class. Parents may attend with three year olds however.

Times:

Adults: 90 min. classes will be offered twice a week beginning June 21, 2009. Sundays 10:15 -11:45 and Thursdays 6:30-8:00.

Children (ages 3-5) 45 min. classes will be offered Sundays at 12:00 and at 1:00 and will begin on June 21, 2009.

Why: Because making art in the open Brooklyn air will feed your heart and soul!

*Bio: Triada Samaras is a visual artist and poet who has lived in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn for the past 15 years. She holds a Diploma and “Fifth Year Certificate” in Studio Art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, MA, and her Masters Degree in Art and Art Education from Teachers College/Columbia University. Triada has been teaching art to students of all ages for the past 17 years in and around the Metro NYC area. She has published an article on wood sculpture for young children in the NAEYC Journal/ National Association for the Education of Young Children.

She is currently an Adjunct Professor of Art at Kean University, Union, NJ, and an Adjunct Professor of Art and Art Education at William Paterson, Wayne, NJ. Triada recently exhibited her art work at the Kentler International Drawing Space in Red Hook, Brooklyn, and at the Nancy Dryfoos Gallery at Kean University. For more info, contact her at: triadasamaras at gmail at com

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

Read more

A Perfect Ceremony To Remember A True Carroll Gardener, Frank Verderame

A photo of Frank in the Transit Garden

The Verderame Family

John Verderame talking about his brother Frank

Mr. and Mrs. Verderame with friends Tony and Dolores DeBella

Many Carroll Gardens residents came to the Transit Garden at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place on Saturday morning to honor friend and co-founder Frank Verderame, who passed away unexpectedly last December.
Frank meant so much to so many people in the neighborhood and it was wonderful to be able to spend some time together in this little garden oasis to remember him.
Frank's family joined friends and neighbors to celebrate his life and his sons helped plant a tree in their father's memory.
It could not have been a more perfect day nor a more perfect ceremony.
I think Frank would have approved.

Below is the wonderful speech given by Jim Devor:

I've been asked to say a few words on this occasion, in my capacity as the semi-official Transit Garden eulogist. I first knew Frank as the man who sold me my house. Thus, in a very real sense, were it not for him, I and my family would not be here today.

That, of course, should hardly define the man. Accordingly, like we all do on occasions like this, I dwelled on the question, “What quality of Frank's most stuck out about him”? Initially, the word “irascible” came to mind. For Frank was not a man who suffered fools gladly. But on further reflection, a more generous and accurate term dawned on me, “service”

Frank spent most of his professional life in the service of his community. For example, as an Assemblyman in the early 1970's and then as a City Hall official, Frank labored hard to insure that government would be responsive to the needs of the people.

Later, during the time that I knew him, I saw him diligently focus on the problems of our immediate neighborhood. Hence, he was a constant presence at our local neighborhood association meetings frequently acting as a liaison between municipal agencies and the community.

From the perspective of this gathering, though, Frank's greatest contribution was the creation of this garden. From the outset and over a period of years, he was instrumental in bringing the Transit Authority to the table and hammering out the details necessary for the Garden to happen at all. He was the one who, without charge nor any grandstanding, went over the picayune issues which resulted in our master lease that begot this oasis.

Likewise, mostly behind the scenes, Frank dealt with the landscape architect and contractors in the implementation of the community's vision in the Garden's actual physical creation.

One of this community's great virtues is that tradition of service. The idea that what happens to this neighborhood matters on a scale divorced from any calculus of personal profit and loss. It is a tradition that long predated the arrival of the “newcomers” in attendance today and one that Frank Verderame personified.

Frank Verderame was as “old school” as you can get. But in an important sense it was because of that quality, rather than in spite of it, that we are gathered here today to celebrate his life. One hopes that his example of service will still inspire all of us in our proud and ongoing commitment to this site as well as in our work to insure that the entire Carroll Gardens community will continue to flourish. Thank you.

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

Read more