Celebrating the Ninth Season at the Land Alliance Roosevelt Community Garden
Nine years of planting seeds have grown into something far beyond soil and harvests. Our Community Garden has become a vibrant place for learning, growing fresh, locally grown food, building community and caring for people, land and wildlife. The Garden gets better every year because of the support and engagement of our members and the surrounding community.
The season has started with incredible momentum. We reached full capacity early, welcoming 12 new members, one new group and 28 veteran gardeners into our growing community. This level of enthusiasm reflects more than just an interest in gardening—it speaks to commitment, the resilience of our program and the strong desire of the community to connect with the land.
Highlights of our 2026 spring activities :
Theta Iota Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® Seed-starting workshop
On Saturday, March 28th, we welcomed the Theta Iota Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® to the Garden for the first time. Their Enhance Our Environment, Home & Community Garden Committee, led by Co-Chair Tyra Abrahams, kicked off the season with a seed-starting workshop. They used upcycled materials such as egg cartons and takeout containers. The seedlings are being nurtured at home and will soon be transplanted into their plot.
Earth Week Activities
On Tuesday, April 14th, the Land Alliance, alongside Valley Stream Community Garden and Succotash Garden, participated in a panel discussion at Hofstra University titled “The Civic Benefits of Community Gardens”. The discussion highlighted how community gardens address food insecurity, build community resilience, connect neighbors and support wildlife and the environment. We are grateful to Professor J. Bennington and Hofstra University for recognizing the value and impact of community gardens and for hosting such an inspiring event.
On Tuesday, April 22nd (Earth Day), volunteers Stacey, Jim and Mark spent the day enriching the soil in our donation plots—an important step in preparing for our planting day in May. We also extended our impact beyond the Garden by supporting hands-on learning and gardening activities for children at the Roosevelt Public Library by sharing seeds, soil and gardening tools.
On Friday, April 24th, members of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County worked side by side to help prepare and care for their plot. Their energy and teamwork made a meaningful impact and reminded us how the Garden brings people together.
We wrapped up our Earth Week celebration on Saturday, April 25th with our 9th Annual Earth Day Event and Season Kickoff at the Garden. Despite the threats of rain, approximately 50 participants helped steward the Garden plots. It was a wonderful way to close out the week.
Annual “Big Planting Day” and Master Gardener Workshop
On Saturday, May 16th, approximately 70 participants attended our vegetable gardening workshop led by Master Gardener Dr. Kathy Gaffney, and to help plant during our “Big Planting Day
Thank you to everyone who participated and helped to make each event a success, and special thanks to the following organizations for their support:
Atlantic Nursery (Freeport)
Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau County
Cornell Cooperative Extension Nassau
Hofstra University and Professor J. Bennington
Lutheran Church of the Epiphany of Hempstead
Roosevelt Historical Society
Roosevelt Public Library
Theta Iota Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
Valley Stream Community Garden
To register for an upcoming event at the Garden, visit www.northshorelandalliance.org/events.
