34th Annual GrowTogether 2018
Saturday, March 31 at 8:30 AM - 4 PM-$5-10
Join NYC Parks GreenThumb as we celebrate our 40th Anniversary, where we’ll be “Honoring Our Roots” and kicking-off the community gardening season in New York City! The day will be packed with workshops and kids’ activities.
This year's GrowTogether Conference will feature a keynote address by Karen Washington – a pioneer and advocate for community gardens and food justice, a member of La Familia Verde Community Garden Coalition, and the co-founder of the Black Urban Growers.
Children 12 years old and under are free!
The first 500 people to purchase a ticket in advance will receive a free 40th anniversary gift.
Schedule for the Day
8:15 a.m. - Registration Opens
8:30-9:15 a.m. - Everyone move to theater to be seated
9:25 a.m. - Opening Ceremony begin
9:30 a.m. -Welcome & Speakers
9:50 - Keynote Speaker – Karen Washington
10:25 a.m. - Announce winner of the T- shirt Contest
10:30 a.m. - Performance by Raízes do Brazil
10:45 a.m. - Opening Ceremony Close
11:00-12:15 p.m. - Workshop Session 1
11:00-2:30 p.m. - Exhibits / Networking Area
11:00-2:30 p.m. - T-Shirt Pick Up
12:25-1:25 p.m. - Lunch Session A
12:25-1:25 p.m. - Workshop Session 2A
1:35-2:35 p.m. - Lunch Session B
1:35-2:35 p.m. - Workshop Session 2B
2:45- 4:00 p.m. - Workshop Session 3
Featured Panels
Floods, Bugs, and Dog Days: Gardening in the Age of Climate Change
Mild winters, summer droughts, and heavy storms are impacting growers throughout the region. More garden pests and diseases are surviving the winter and weed issues are changing. As many gardeners know all too well, Superstorm Sandy damaged community gardens and wreaked havoc on our city. Come share what you've been experiencing with the changing climate in your garden and discuss what to do about it with representatives of community gardens and grassroots organizations on the front lines of fighting climate change.
MODERATOR: Aziz Dekhan, NYC Community Garden Coalition and Gardens Rising
Annel Hernandez, NYC Environmental Justice Alliance
Ceci Pineda, GOLES and BK Rot
Genea Foster, UPROSE
Shephali Patel, The Youth Farm
Growing Healing Spaces in Community Gardens with Plants
Gardeners and urban farmers across the city are extending community healing spaces into their gardens. They have been growing and using plant medicines to strengthen the community, reimagine care, reconnect to their ancestors, and reclaim agency of their self-care. Join Karen Rose, Founder of Sacred Vibes Apothecary, for an in-depth panel discussion with growers of herbal medicine from the Bronx to Brooklyn.
MODERATOR: Karen Rose, Sacred Vibes Apothecary
Eric-Michael Rodriguez, Horticulture Coordinator at the High Line, Herbalist and Gardener
Glenda Ullauri, Farm Educator at KCC Urban Farm
Jean Lewis-Maldee, Community Gardener in Canarsie
Lucia Hernandez, Community Gardener at Bryant Hill Community Garden
Nayda Maymi, Community Gardener at Ashford Street Learning Garden
Sheryll Durrant, Farm Manager at New Roots Community Farm and Kelly Street Garden
Garden Legends: Get into the Weeds with the Community Gardeners who helped Shape the Movement
Hear from the community gardeners who were there from the beginning, cleaning up vacant lots and turning them into the community space we know and love today. GreenThumb invites longtime gardeners to share their stories, histories, and what keeps them going.
MODERATOR: Gerard Lordahl, GrowNYC
Abu Talib, Taqwa Community Farm (Bronx)
Eliza Butler, New Vision Community Garden (Brooklyn)
Haja Worley, Joseph Daniel Wilson Memorial Garden (Manhattan)
Jenny Benitez, Riverside Valley Community Garden (Manhattan)
Jon Crow, Brooklyn Bears Pacific Street (Brooklyn)
Karen Washington, Garden of Happiness (Bronx)
Seed Keeping: Storytelling and the Importance of Saving Seeds
Through storytelling, learn how our community farms lift up the importance of our cultural seeds, just as people who move around the world honor and continue their traditions through seed keeping. Gardeners who attend this workshop will receive heirloom seeds grown by community farms for Truelove Seeds to plant in their own community gardens.
Owen Taylor, Truelove Seeds (Philadelphia, PA)
Kendra Ellis, East New York Farms! (Brooklyn)
Rose Nzapa Ayeke, New Roots Community Farm (Bronx)
Sheryll Durrant, International Rescue Committee and New Roots Community Farm (Bronx)
Yiyi Tin, New Roots Community Farm (Bronx)
Youth members, East New York Farms! (Brooklyn)
More than 50 Workshops On:
Cultivating Community Engagement
Financial and Political Support
Food Justice
Gardening and Horticulture
Health and Well-Being
Making Things with Plants and Herbs
Specialized Workshops for Teachers and Garden Educators
Back by Popular Demand!
Soap Making 101
Marcia Denson – Phoenix Community Garden
Make your own soap using an easy melt-and- pour method with herbs and essential oils.
New for 2018: Urban Soaping
Sharon Griffin – CocoaVera and New Roots Community Farm
Join herbal soap maker Sharon Griffin to learn how to make soap from coconut oil, castor oil, and additional natural ingredients, including herbs from her garden.
Stay tune for more exciting workshops to be listed!
