Rebuilding Brooklyn: Community garden plants its roots in East New York
Success Community Garden on Williams Avenue is hoping to plant its roots in the community.
More Stories
In the concrete jungle of East New York, just steps away from an overhead train track, sits a community garden.
“When you think about East New York, you don’t equate that with gardens," said Melinda Perkins, district manager for Community Board 5.
Success Community Garden on Williams Avenue is hoping to plant its roots in the community.
“We want Community Board 5 to be known as the community garden district because we know that we have the most gardens in the borough," said Perkins.
The garden offers tomatoes, pumpkins and watermelons. It even has chickens. For gardener Kele Nkhereanye, gardening is more than just a hobby - it's a connection to her roots.
“I’m from Africa, so as a teenager, I've learned how a real tomato tastes like. But I have been gardening and eating from Mother Earth for the longest time. I'm 65 now, so it's kind of like part of who I am. And I want that to be instilled in our youth," said Nkhereanye.
Nkhereanye says they don't charge to give the food and serve the community through food drives and resource fairs.
“Not everybody can afford to eat seasonal food. And so this is an opportunity for people to get to taste the real tomato, have access to mint. I mean, when you have to buy these things in the store, it's totally different in terms of taste, affordability," said Nkhereanye.
Gardeners like Zandra Brockman say the most important harvest isn't one you pick from a vine.
“One thing about the garden is we grow as a family. We’re not just coming to do planting in the soil, but we take time in each other's lives," said Brockman.
For more information on Success Community Garden, click here.
