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The 2025 Season Has Begun at Our Community Garden
The 2025 growing season began long before the first signs of spring. In February, residents from throughout Nassau County began registering for raised-garden plots for the upcoming season (April – November). We are thrilled to see that many of last year’s garden members have returned, joined by some exciting new participants. We’re also proud to announce that all garden plots have been sold, setting the stage for a vibrant and productive season ahead. On March 28th, under the leadership of Darcy McDowell, Associate Director of Stewardship, and Carter Rogan, Volunteer Coordinator, volunteers and staff gathered at the Wawapek greenhouse to assist with starting seedlings. Crops such as tomatoes, collard greens, peppers and thyme were planted and will be transferred to the Garden during our Annual Planting Day in May. On April 25th, after rescheduling due to rain, we officially welcomed the season with our annual Earth Day event in the Garden. 30 dedicated volunteers joined us for a successful garden cleanup. From weeding to tidying up garden beds, the hard work and enthusiasm of the volunteers were instrumental in getting our community garden ready for the growing season. A heartfelt thank you goes out to everyone who contributed their time and energy—your support makes all the difference in the continued success of our garden! We hosted our Annual Square Foot Gardening demonstration and Annual Planting Day on May 10th. Led by Master Gardener Reese Michaels from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County, participants learned how to divide their garden space into 1-foot by 1-foot squares, each dedicated to a specific plant. This method is ideal for maximizing space, conserving water and minimizing weeding. After the demonstration, garden members dug in by planting the seedlings started in our greenhouse. We’re looking forward to another bountiful season of food, learning and community, never forgetting the vital connection between protecting land and our food sources.
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Enhancements at the Roosevelt Community Garden
Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant We are incredibly grateful to the Whole Kids Foundation for their generous $3,000 donation to support our efforts at the Roosevelt Community Garden. This funding has allowed us to create a sensory and vegetable gardening area for children ages 2-11, where they can plant, explore and pick freely. This new area features child-sized raised beds for easy access to plants, along with gardening tools and toys and materials for educational programs and other gardening resources. Next spring, we look forward to enhancing this area with native plants that offer different textures, colors and scents, further engaging children in the garden. The enthusiasm we’ve witnessed from the kids is inspiring. Thank you again to the Whole Kids Foundation for supporting our mission to cultivate the next generation of gardeners! NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets Grant With the support of a $13,000 grant from NYS Ag and Markets Program, we purchased solar-powered equipment for the Roosevelt Community Garden. The solar-powered lighting extends our operational hours from 6 am to 9 pm, while a solar generator allows us to expand our programming and power electronic devices like gardening tools, cell phones and audio-visual equipment for workshops. This addition significantly enhances the garden, creating a more welcoming atmosphere for all visitors. Families can now gather for evening activities, such as our recent multicultural potluck supper on September 21st. This initiative reflects our commitment to fostering a vibrant, safe and inclusive community space where everyone can connect with nature and one another. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed to this project, ensuring that our garden continues to thrive as a central hub for learning and collaboration.
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Expanded Programming at the Roosevelt Community Garden
Roosevelt Community Garden Back to School Wellness Nature Walk On September 12th, the Land Alliance hosted a successful Back to School Wellness Nature Walk in partnership with Dr. Suanne Kowal-Connelly, MD, FAAP, Director of Pediatric Clinical Quality at Harmony Healthcare LI. Twenty attendees, including 10 enthusiastic youth from the Roosevelt and Freeport areas, gathered at the Norman J. Levy Preserve. Led by dedicated Land Alliance volunteers Wendy and Peter Martin, participants explored the trails, learning about various plants and wildlife, along with the benefits of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. On November 16th, we will host a wellness event at the Roosevelt Public Library. This event will equip parents with practical solutions for a healthier lifestyle as the holiday season approaches. Attendees can look forward to a panel discussion led by nutrition and health experts, as well as engaging in cooking and planting activities for kids. The primary goal of these events is to engage more youth in outdoor activities while highlighting the importance of healthy eating, staying active and understanding the value of a healthy lifestyle for overall well-being.
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Growing Healthy Communities Through Food and Gardening
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County (CCE-Nassau) and the Land Alliance have teamed up to provide health and wellness programs in partnership with the Land Alliance Roosevelt Community Garden. “We are really excited about this partnership. There is a mountain of research supporting the positive impact that community gardens can have on health and well-being,” says Gregory Sandor, Executive Director of CCE-Nassau. In fact, several studies have shown that engaging with community gardens increases the availability and overall consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables among participants. CCE-Nassau’s Master Gardener, Audrey Thomas, of Roosevelt elaborates, “If you want to eat healthy, you should know the benefits of having fresh vegetables and know how to grow them.” When paired with nutrition education and programming, the impact increases dramatically. Beth Labelson, Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Educator with CCE-Nassau explains, “We see real behavior change among participants in our health and wellness programs. Not only does fruit and vegetable consumption increase among participants, but we also see improved healthy food choices, a willingness to try new foods and an improved awareness about the connections between good health and food.” Teen wellness program in Roosevelt Community Garden called Fuel for Success led by medical students from Hofstra University To this end, CCE-Nassau and the Land Alliance launched a teen wellness program in Roosevelt Community Garden called Fuel for Success. CCE-Nassau’s summer interns, pre-med students from Hofstra University, designed and developed a curriculum geared towards nutrition and fitness as a foundation for health. The students not only engaged participants in fun activities but also incorporated the garden in a recipe demonstration and tasting. “We cannot overstate the impact that community garden-based programs can have on obesity prevention among kids,” continues Labelson. “As we move into the winter months, we hope the partnership will shift to indoor spaces so we don’t lose the momentum we have created.” In fact, the partnership will move indoors to Roosevelt Public Library in October with the launch of Dining With Diabetes. This program pairs education about diabetes self-management with hands-on cooking demonstrations and recipe tasting. The incorporation of culinary skills and recipe tasting into the series has shown an impact beyond that of traditional diabetes education programs. Furthermore, information about participating in community and/or home gardening is woven into the fabric of the curriculum. Conserving our land and connecting people to it is fundamental in supporting the health and well-being of our communities. The interconnection among creating sustainable food systems, promoting land conservation, being stewards of the environment and using nature as an intervention strategy is increasingly being recognized as vital to improving social, emotional, and physical health and well-being. Dining with Diabetes Program in Partnership with CCE-Nassau, Roosevelt Public Library, Roosevelt PTSARecipe Tastings and Vegetable giveawayCooking Demonstrations
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6th Annual Earth Day at the Roosevelt Community Garden
Nearly 100 volunteers gathered at the Roosevelt Community Garden on Saturday, April 22nd to take part in our 6th Annual Earth Day event. We want to express our sincere thanks to all those who joined us in this year’s celebration. Your involvement had a remarkable effect on our community garden and surroundings, and it helped us prepare for our annual planting day in May. We are grateful for Senator Kevin Thomas’s presence at our garden and his willingness to learn more about us.
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