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SMALL TOWN FRIENDLY...CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN PITTSBURGH
MILLVALE, PENNSYLVANIA
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GARDENS
OF
MILLVALE
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buy a rain barrel
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VOLUNTEER HERE
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| friends |
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| ALLEGEHNY GROWS |
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| we offer |
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classes
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vegies for the market
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alternative fuel options
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garden of millvale sites
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| Grant Avenue Pocket Park |
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| Butler Street Urban Farm and Garden (2 lots) |
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| Butler Street Community Orchard |
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| Maryland Avenue Urban Farm
Project (PRIVATE)
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| Maryland Avenue vacant land corridor |
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| Library Community Garden
Parcels
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| Stanton Avenue (PRIVATE) |
| press |
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WDUQ Interview 2
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WDUQ Interview 1
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Post-Gazette Article
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Trib Article
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Pop City Article
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City Farmer Article
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| gardeners & farmers |
| Amy Rappa |
Coordinator |
| Marisa Manhiem |
Grow PGH |
| Eddie Figas |
Main Street Manager |
| Linda Lang |
Millvale Garden Club |
| Brian Wolovich |
Library Garden |
| Tina and Tom Walker |
Maryland Ave. urban farm |
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Jackie Geis
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Volunteer |
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| what is the gardens of Millvale? |
The Gardens of Millvale is a network of residents, business owners and friends of Millvale working to make greening and growing projects happen, while teaching Millvale residents to grow plants - both edible and non edible.
The Gardens of Millvale is run as an auxiliary program of the Millvale Borough Development Corporation, organized through the Focus Group, Clean, Safe and Green committee.
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| why? |
“Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow.”
From the ancient olive groves of Rome to the Victory Gardens of WWII, gardens have inspired hope and beauty within humanity; as well, a sense of purpose for everyday living. Today, urban farming is making a comeback in our own city and neighborhoods. In early June Millvale is welcoming six garden plots to the neighborhood. The “Gardens of Millvale” project is opening its doors to the community and asking for the helping hands of those who are interested and willing. Why create more green space in Millvale? The purpose of these urban gardens is to create a place where people can learn about and grow their own food and flowers. These community gardens are a great way to implement stewardship of the neighborhood, bring people together outdoors, provide education for youth, and restore the soil in vacant and unused lots. Not to the mention the outlet for creative expression and the aesthetic improvement of the neighborhood. These gardens are a creative attempt at moving Millvale away from an industrialized flood zone, and move toward the attractive neighborhood with opportunity and growth that Millvale is. - Amy Rappa
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To create and operate public and private agricultural sites which will involve the Millvale community in the process of designing and operating gardening areas;
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To demonstrate and educate the general public about sustainable and ecologically-sound agriculture, agricultural ecosystems, and socially and ecologically appropriate agricultural techniques and technologies;
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To encourage and provide guidance to residents and businesses in creating their own garden / farm space;
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To provide an opportunity for Millvalian to enjoy nature and interact with the earth;
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To help our gardeners learn about the natural world, new gardening techniques, and ways to garden in an organic or environmentally friendly manner;
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To create spaces community members can interact, learn from each other, and share in the creation of an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly space.
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| rivertowne |
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River town I
Outdoor kitchen thermometer 60°. Clear blue sky. Begin my daily morning trip through the garden. I know there’s produce to harvest from my nightly trip through the garden—a ritual I perform for six months out of the year. Produce is best picked in the morning. The garden has recovered overnight from the heat of the day and the bounty is freshest and most nutritious. Pole beans overhead picked in their prime and yellow squash at my ankles ten inches long—perfect. Red, ripe Roma tomatoes at my chest and broccoli at my knees. Sunflowers half in seed heads being frisked by goldfinches and about half in flower being frisked by bees. My bees. The ladies complete the cycle. An abandoned lot becomes a tended lot. Tended lot produces pollen for my ladies. My ladies pollinate the vegetables flowers for my family. And hopefully, by next fall, honey for us all. Back to the kitchen and kiss wife goodbye. “See ya. I’m gonna paddle to work.“
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Rivertown II
Firm believer in wind and solar power. To dry clothes. Fresh smell. No static cling. Just like a dryer sheet without the dryer sheet. Could put the dryer sheet industry out of business. Takes more time than flopping the laundry in the dryer but look at all the advantages. You’re outside. You can feel the sun and the breeze. The clouds roll by. Boy is that sky clear today. You exercise. Carry the weighty laundry basket outside. Bend over and grab an item from the basket. Stretch to reach the line. Pin the item. Bend, stretch, reach, pin. Bend, stretch, reach, pin. Over and over until there’s an empty basket. You walk. You don’t sit there and watch the clothes dry. You garden. Go check the clothes. You work on the truck. Go check the clothes. You paint that birdhouse you made. Go check the clothes. Just like cooking except the clothes won’t burn. They’re dry. More exercise. Stretch, reach, unpin, fold, bend to put item back in the basket. Stretch, reach, unpin, fold, bend. Stretch, reach, unpin, fold, bend. Line is empty and the basket is full. Done. No fossil fuels. No noise. No artificial fragrance. “Gotta go. Startin’ to rain.”
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Rivertown III
I’ve been invited to a colleague’s wedding. Mid forties and getting married. Wedding gift? Think. He—soon to be they thanks to marriage—have a 1987 Porsche Carrera. Wedding gift? Think. My friend Cindy is a dietician in a Johnstown hospital. Two doctors in their mid forties were married. Wedding gift? Think. Toaster. I mean toasters. The word got around the hospital. All 100 guests gave a toaster. The gift was humor. I could try that. Na—too late. Think, Think. I got it! A CSA (Community Sustainable Agriculture) subscription that will be fulfilled by me and wife. Our first CSA. Produce and products from Rivertown and the farm. Fall is waxing and the garden is waning. First delivery? Garlic of course. Organic as well. Harvested in July, it is curing in the barn on racks we made from recycled Rivertown lumber. The onions are there too. We’ll add some of those. Next delivery? Forty heads of Dutch flat head nearing maturity. Heads should be 5 pounders, easy. Couple of frosts to sweeten ’em up, then they’ll be sauerkraut—our next delivery. Cauliflower startin’ to head up in Rivertown. Hope they beat the winter. Beets, carrots, squash, onions, garlic and potatoes through the winter. And to end the winter and begin the spring…maple syrup. Good luck Todd and Laura.
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