Members of the St. Bernard Community Garden are rejoicing today after the City stepped in at the last second to save a piece of their garden.

The plot of land at 1010 S. Saint Bernard St. went up for Sheriff’s sale today, meaning a developer could have snatched up the plot and evicted the gardeners. Gardeners and their supporters have been frantically raising money to buy the land in case the City, which had pledged to help the gardeners if it could, was outbid. The City and the gardeners could not combine on a bid.

Auction bidding today on the property started at $10,000 and rose to $50,000, more than the gardeners could pay. No one from the City had bid, leading some to shout complaints. According to a report on the Saint Bernard Community Garden website, the bidding was put on hold. When it resumed the City bid $71,500 and the sale was closed.

The City’s purchase is the first in a number of steps that could ensure the long-term viability of the garden.

“Our goal is to see it eventually transferred to a land trust and remain a community green space and asset for decades to come,” the website reads.

Gardeners began turning soil at 1010 St. Bernard soon after burned-out buildings on the plot were removed in 1997, about the same time the plot’s owner stopped paying property taxes.

Though today’s bid was a victory for the gardeners, the story doesn’t end there. The garden is spread across two plots – 1010 and 1008 S. St. Bernard. Back taxes are also owed on 1008 and gardeners say will likely come up for sale next year. The money they have raised so far will be saved – and more will be raised – for that auction.

Photo courtesy of the St. Bernard Community Garden website.

A plot of land that dozens of gardeners have worked for over 15 years to convert from burned-out homes to a thriving community garden is going on the auction block.

Some 50 local residents garden at the St. Bernard Community Garden, which is now facing an obstacle that has ended many community gardens in the city. The land at 1010 S. St. Bernard (see map below), where many of the garden plots are, is privately owned and the owner stopped paying taxes in 1997, soon after fire destroyed homes on the plot.

On December 19, the property will go to sheriff’s sale. So the gardeners, with the help of some pro bono legal work, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and other community organizations, are trying to make sure the land remains a community garden. The city could step in and bid on the plot on behalf of the gardeners, but folks associated with the St. Bernard Community Garden say the city has a maximum bid it can’t exceed. So the gardeners are trying to raise more money to buy the land. So far they have raised more than $10,000. This is where you can help out.

There will be a fundraiser at Dock Street Brewery on December 15 that will include pizza, beer and a silent auction. 10 bucks at the door gets you a pint and a slice and there will be tons of items to bid on (can you say “holiday gifts”?) from a bunch of different local artists, artisans, restaurants and businesses.

Here is a Facebook page where you can RSVP.
 

View St. Bernard Community Garden in a larger map

Despite the recent run of warm weather, leaves are still falling across West Philly. The City’s curbside bagged leaf collection program continues for another two weeks, wrapping up on December 14.

If you have some leaves you want to get rid of, here’s some advice from the Streets Department:

• Leaves will only be collected in biodegradable paper bags. These bags can be processed for recycling along with the leaves. This reduces contamination in the recycling process, and allows crews to work more efficiently and more easily identify your bags as leaves. Leaves set out in other bags or containers may be collected as trash.

• Set leaf bags curbside next to trash and recycling on your trash day.

• Leaves placed in plastic bags will be collected as trash, not recycling.

• Do not mix trash or other recyclable materials with bagged leaves. This contaminates leaves and makes them unfit for recycling purposes.

• The Streets Department does not provide biodegradable bags. Residents may purchase them at their local home improvement stores. Monarch Hardware at 45th and Walnut, for example, sells them in packs of five for $3.59.

• Bagged leaves may also be taken to any of the three Sanitation Convenience Centers:

3033 S. 63rd Street (63rd & Passyunk Ave.)
Domino Lane and Umbria Street
State Road and Ashburner Street

OK. Here’s a way to help neighborhood kids without getting out of your chair. Neighborhood Foods is a food growing and distribution run by kids and overseen by Urban Tree Connection. You might have seen these kids selling their produce near the 46th Street El stop or elsewhere in West Philly.

The folks from this great program have a chance to speak on a very large stage. They are among the five finalists in the TEDxManhattan Challenge. The winner gets to speak about their organization at TEDxManhattan, which this year will focus on “Changing the Way We Eat.”

Here is more about Neighborhood Foods from their entry:

“This dynamic model empowers disadvantaged youth from low-income neighborhoods to run an array of food-focused programs, from urban farming production, to value-added food product development, to distribution and retail through farm stands, farmers markets and a low-income CSA program. The result is a complete local food system that drives revitalization of high-need neighborhoods by 1) increasing access to fresh and healthy foods in designated food deserts and 2) developing a local food economy that accelerates small food businesses and retains food dollars in the immediate region.”

To vote for them, go here. To see other entrants, go here.

Here’s a great campaign that helps improve our neighborhoods. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation’s tree planting initiate, TreePhilly, engages property owners, business and community residents to improve their communities by planting and maintaining trees. The fall campaign is underway now and residents can sign up until October 19 to receive their free trees.

This fall, residents are eligible to receive up to two free trees per address. Last spring, West Philly residents ordered hundreds of trees, per information provided by Parks & Rec.

To register for your free tree, please go to www.treephilly.org, or contact Erica Smith,
Tree Philly manager, at 215-683-0217 or email: erica.smith@phila.gov with your request.

Note: You have to be a property owner in order to be eligible and plant the trees in the ground in your private yard space, not in the sidewalk outside of your property.

Update: The event has been rescheduled for Saturday, Sept. 8 due to rain.

Chester Avenue Community Garden (4715 Chester Ave) is hosting a plant/seed swap, bake sale, and an overwintering workshop from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Community members are invited to participate. This is a fundraising event for a new front gate and kiwi tree supports. Here’s what you can bring to trade at the plant swap:

-Winter hardy vegetable starts
-Fast-growing cold season seeds
-Heirloom garlic
-Berry bushes
-Perennials including flowers and bulbs

You can also purchase plants available for sale at the garden. Suggested entry donation for this event is $5. For more information visit the event’s Facebook page.