By Kuwame Kinsel, Green Zone and Public Safety Specialist
Hello, my name is Kuwame and I am the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation’s Green Zone & Public Safety Specialist and Co-Lead and Head of Construction, Design & Education at Kincaid Street Garden. I had the honor of attending the 36th Annual Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, Wisc. The conference provided invaluable insights and practical strategies that are directly applicable to the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation’s work at Healcrest Green and the Kincaid Street Garden, a fiscally-sponsored project of the BGC in Garfield. These two community-based gardens are central to our efforts to strengthen and expand our programming, ensuring that both gardens continue to thrive and serve the community for years to come.
At the conference, I learned about building self-sustaining community steward groups; financial planning and securing long-term growth; program extensions and community engagement; and food forestry and revitalizing garfield’s tree canopy “” all initiatives within the scope of the Garfield Green Zone Initiative.
1. Building self-sustaining community steward groups. The conference emphasized the importance of creating self-sustaining steward groups, which directly ties into the vision for both Healcrest Green and Kincaid Street Garden. These gardens are more than just places to grow plants; they are community hubs where local residents come together to care for the land, learn new skills, and build a stronger sense of community. By utilizing the training manuals, certifications, and workshops shared at the conference, we can provide our community stewards with the tools and knowledge to take ownership of these spaces, ensuring long-term sustainability and growth.
2. Financial planning and securing long-term growth. One of the key takeaways from the conference was learning how to track, analyze, budget, and present farming operations to potential capital investors. For gardens like Healcrest Green and Kincaid Street Garden, securing funding for expansion and programming is essential. With the knowledge gained, we can better present our gardens’ impact and potential to investors, local businesses, and philanthropic organizations. These partnerships will enable us to secure funding for future growth, implement more programs, and expand our capacity to serve the community.
3. Program extensions and community engagement. The idea of program extensions involving shared kitchens, community cooking classes, and internships for youth is something we can adapt for both Healcrest Green and Kincaid Street Garden. These initiatives are an exciting opportunity to engage more deeply with the community. Offering cooking classes and youth internships will provide both educational opportunities and hands-on experiences for the next generation of community leaders. The conference helped us envision how we can implement these ideas, creating even more opportunities for residents to connect with food production, nutrition, and sustainable agriculture.
4. Food forestry and revitalizing Garfield’s tree canopy. A key takeaway from the conference was the concept of food forestry, which can play a crucial role in healing urban tree canopies. We see a direct application of this practice in Garfield, where there is an opportunity to create food forests that provide both ecological benefits and food sources for the community. These food forests, in addition to healing the tree canopy, can support biodiversity and create green spaces where residents can learn about sustainable practices and food production. Furthermore, vacant parcels in the neighborhood can be transformed into valuable community assets””such as pocket parks, gardens, and gathering spaces””that bring people together, enhance local resilience, and improve overall well-being.
The purpose of the Garfield Green Zone Initiative is to create a good quality pedestrian environment, increase public open space, create a framework that promotes preservation of ecological systems and overall sustainability for the benefit of the neighbors and neighborhood of Garfield.
Kincaid Street Garden is a fiscally-sponsored project of the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation. The garden is dedicated to transforming vacant and underutilized land into a thriving, safe, and interactive greenspace for the Garfield community. Our mission is to enhance public spaces, promote civic engagement, support local projects and individuals, and strengthen community connections. By fostering a hands-on placemaking approach, we aim to cultivate a shared space where neighbors can connect, learn, and grow together.
Both the Kincaid Street Garden and the Garfield Green Zone Initiative are in need of volunteers, You can make a lasting impact, connect with fellow residents, and help shape the future of our neighborhood. Together, we empower our community through action, fostering a stronger, greener, and more connected Garfield. Join us in growing something great! There are Volunteer Days for Kincaid Street Garden, 5409 Kincaid St. from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 4, 11, 18, and 25.