Summer Pre-College Fair at Columbia Secondary School

We had the pleasure of attending the Summer Pre-College Fair at Columbia Secondary School and got to meet some great kids!

- Hannah Sklar 

Food Justice Summer 2013

Food Justice Summer 2013

This summer was another success, while we traveled down to New Orleans to learn about food justice and work hard on the farm! We were taught how to perform a number of tasks on the farm, like how to cultivate arugula with Evan (the volunteer farmer). We were also exposed to great lessons in the class room, taught by our fellow organizers.

Here are some great moments from both trips:

Taking a levee tour with Turner and the crew

Celebrating Mila's 15th Birthday

Jackson cooking a killer July 4th dinner

So much eggplant seeding!

OSBG received it first pig, Rupert!!!!! 

We created a success guide to farming at OSBG

Chloe being a boss and taking out the trash

Sana happily prepares dinner

Griffin doing a great job on compost chore

Marly trying to do some weed whacking

The till team

Matt and Eldrich suit up to weed around the bee hives

On the last day, the tractor that Turner and Rob built arrived! 

For our last meal in New Orleans we were treated to some undercooked chicken, courtesy of Pablo
- Hannah Sklar 

GYO Projects: March 19th-24th, 2013

This has been a very exciting week for NY2NO! We mainly focused on the planning and execution of our newly created Backyard Farm. On Tuesday, the Backyard Farm Resource Committee met and helped plan out this season's harvest.

Vera, Em, Danielle G, Sana, Pablo, and Greg researching plants that grow well together in the New York spring climate.

On Saturday, some GYO participants attended the 29th Annual Green Thumb GrowTogether Event. We attended workshops on pest management, trellising, permaculture, grant writing, and many other skills necessary to the success of our backyard farm!

 Danielle G. searching through the pile of free seeds for insect repelling flowers.

 Sana, Jenny, Danielle R., and Em showing off their free t-shirts, workshop materials, and sandwiches!

Em and Mila and their water bottle hydroponic systems! 

After the event, a bunch of us headed back to Brooklyn to work on the farm. 

Some of our seeds!  

NY2NOers placing the beds in the ground above the weed-block  

Jenny and Danielle R. posin' with the beds!

Lastly, Danielle R., Danielle G., and Em met with Steve Pampinella today in order to discuss GYO/99Rise's involvement with NY's Fair Elections. There will be a training to learn more on April 27th, 2013 and a direct action shortly after! Check out our blog for more information on NY2NO's current projects and future aspirations!

-Em Hirsch

GYO and our new farm!

Hey y'all, the last time you heard from us we were on our February Brigade in New Orleans. Don't worry though, now that we're back in NYC we're still working. Today was our first Growing Youth Organizers (GYO) meeting since our trip. The purpose of GYO is to create a safe space for us to meet and discuss our goals and projects. Basically, we are bringing back what we learned in New Orleans and applying it to our own community in New York.

Our latest project is our new GYO backyard farm being built at Danielle Gamady's house. This farm is the embodiment of youth empowerment, growth and learning. As we take on the responsibility of running our own small-scale farm, we are learning how to become self-sufficient leaders and creating a productive outlet from everyday distractions.

Thanks to the peeps, Sean and Jesse, at Home Depot for the lumber

starting to build beds for our soon to be growing plants 

gettin' work done with the hammer.

Are you excited? 'Cause Haley is!

We triumph the success of our first few days working on our farm!

Wish us luck!

-Alicia Russo

February Trip 2013- Day 2

February Trip 2013- Day 2

Workin' hard or hardly working? Guess!

Where else are a bunch of New York City teens learning about farming by getting our hands dirty? That's not all we've learnt today- thanks to Turner we can safely say we know about the plethora of injustices and the stagnant local economy pre and post Katrina- and how Our School at Blair Grocery is working for and within it. Excitedly tired- the oxymoron to describe most of us reflecting while showering the dirt off our shoulders ;)

Vasco bonding with ShiShi, our beloved goat.

American Gothic Meets Hercules

 View of Bayou Swamp- Used to be thriving with fish and people

 Classroom in Front of Previously-Cracked Levee

Classroom on the Steps in Front of Bayou Swamp

- Danielle Gamady 

February Trip 2013- Day 1

February Trip 2013- Day 1

Today took a tour and learned about the history of OSBG. We picked clovers filled with nitrogen to spread over dead soil in order to replenish it with nutrients. We also picked blighted citrus leaves! It was a super productive day here at OSBG!

Sam explaining the history of OSBG and NY2NO to the rest of the group.

Fanny and Francesca pick clovers to cover the dry soil!

Armen wheel barreling some branches.