Rodale Pleasant Park Community Garden in Spanish Harlem
I think that Pleasant Avenue in Spanish Harlem (El Barrio) (and the Pleasant Avenue area is also called “Italian Harlem”) has more community gardens per square foot than any other place I’ve ever seen. At least three. Plus at least one major park abuts it. Very impressive.
This is the third of the gardens that I’ve covered. Like all community gardens, the size isn’t large and the entrance is relatively nondescript.
Entering, the area is mostly unremarkable, except perhaps for the structure. And of course for the very nice shade. It was hot and the shade was pleasant. That was very welcome to me and I should note that saying is was “mostly unremarkable” shouldn’t be taken as “boring” or other negative. It is a very functional community garden.
When I first saw the building, I thought it was just a storage shed. Now that I’ve been introduced to the concept of the “casita”, I wonder if it was so much more.
There was a lot of growing going on. And, despite the lack of people in the pictures, I think that it was this garden that was the most actively tended that I ran into that day. I probably saw eight people working away on their personal plots. Or, at least what I think was their own little garden areas.
-H
Explore posts in the same categories: Harlem, Manhattan, Wanderings
Famous Ankles 
August 28, 2013 at 7:19 am
I LOVE John Piper. This is such a good reminder to be open with fndires and really allow them to care for you. I can too easily put up a facade and pretend that everything is alright, answering the how are you doing questions without even thinking. I get to work with one of my very best fndires one of the few people I can really cry in front of. Unfortunately those moments usually happen at work when I’m supposed to be baking bread or running a register. Yeah, it makes for some funny situations.
August 30, 2013 at 4:09 am
Tom:As someone who has been a long-time pod-listener/lurker and has heard every Wired Jesus podcast and every Napkin Scribble, let me comment: I like Napkin Scribbles but have thought to myself many times that it would be so much better if Len would do it the Wired Jesus way. I get that the idea behind Napkin Scribbles is to be spontaneous and fresh, but I can only listen to NS on earbuds – he mumbles too much for computer speakers. It’s OK with this long-time listener if you go mobile from time to time, but please keep your crisp, easy to listen to, matter-of-fact style. Stay as Lyberg as possible. I have read much of Leonard Sweet’s work and will buy your first book when you get around to it (or in your case you’ll probably do an audiobook or DVD) but until then, I’ll wait for the next Wired Jesus podcast. So many times I’ve thought about posting or contacting you, letting you know I’m out here agreeing, disagreeing, or just thinking, but always listening. Continue fighting the pod-fade and being fearless, bro.
October 18, 2013 at 2:58 am
Architecture is a 3D expression for me. The sort here makes me think of the set for a cowboy movie, the fronts of buildings, but behind is just bracing and two by fours holding up the facade. Anyway, there was no depth to it, so it didn’t appeal to me, but there is a definite charm to walking along the canals and listening to the chime of bike bells.I did have fun in Amsterdam, which is sort of the point of the place, and I liked the natives, I just wouldn’t describe it as pretty. Although the garbage definitely didn’t help, and I’m not judging, I’ve lived through garbage strikes too, but with such a concentration of tourists it went from dirty to obscenely disgusting in the blink of an eye.