Bike Springfield! A Garden TourWhat? Bike through neighborhood streets to discover seven beautiful Springfield gardens - starting and ending with the Gardening the Community youth gardens. At each stop, a garden representative will greet bikers, offer garden tours, and serve light refreshments. At the final stop, a garden festival will be held for participants and gardeners. When? The event is held annually on the first or second Saturday of September. Bikers will gather at the Mason Square Farmers' Market at 9:00 - 9:30 am for registration. The ride begins at 9:30 and the garden festival begins as soon as the riders return (around 12:30)! Why? Springfield, like many cities, is dotted with beautiful community, backyard, and youth gardens. Come enjoy them and meet the people who are cultivating them! While you do so, you will be supporting and appreciating the efforts of the gardeners. In addition, the money you raise will be used to employ city youth to bring beauty and productivity to their neighborhoods by caring for vegetable, fruit and flower gardens. How much does it cost? Suggested donation is $50 per biker. This money can be directly donated to Gardening the Community or can be raised by getting sponsors (in the model of a walk-a-thon; in this case, a bike-a-thon). Sponsor sheets will be given in advance and are available on our web page. All of the proceeds from this event go directly into youth garden programming in Springfield. How far is the ride? The ride is a 5 - 6 mile loop (it changes each year!) and visits at least 5 gardens. The map of the route can be found on our website a month before event. What gardens have been on the tour in the past? Central Street Youth Farm, Mr Jarrey, Ida Williams, Upper Hill Neighborhood Council Community Garden, Lebanon Street Youth Garden, Old Hill Neighborhood Council Community Garden, McKnight Community Garden, The Eton Street Garden, The Shell Family Garden, The Williams Family Garden, The Marlborough Street Garden, The Pruit Family Garden and more! Who are we? Gardening the Community, a project of the Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts Chapter, Inc., is a youth program that employs city youth (ages 12-16) to cultivate vegetables, fruits, and flowers on vacant lots in Springfield. While gaining first time job experience, the youth learn about urban gardening, community development, environmental stewardship, and neighborhood involvement. We sell and distribute our vegetables in our neighborhood through a roadside market, at a local senior center, and to food pantries. All of our vegetables are delivered through bicycle in order to reduce the harmful effects of greenhouse gases to the environment. The proceeds from the bike event will go directly to our youth programming. Do something that feels good for your body, recognizes the good existing in Springfield communities, and does good to continue positive youth activity in the city!
This page was last modified on December 08, 2008 at 7:46:41 AM.
Translate this page: |
