2024 marks the first year that the 610 Gifford St Community Garden is fully transitioned to all perennial species, making it officially our second forest garden here in Syracuse (along with the Rahma Food Forest Garden at 3100 South Salina St). As projects, people, time and commitments and resources have changed over the years, so has the participation, goals, and vision – as it is, we don’t have regular gardeners to work with annuals as we did at the start, and so instead we now have understories of herbs, wild flowers, and strawberries, shrubs layers of raspberries and currants and elderberry and highbush cranberry, mid-story of peaches, apples, and dogwood and redbud, and overstory of willow, horse chestnut, and maple.

Today, the currants are flourishing, and ready for harvest. In 15 minutes this morning, I picked a whole quart of red currants – we have champagne and black varieties too. It might take you longer if you’re not experienced, but the trick is to know that the berry droops hang underneath the leaves, so lift the branches and pick from below.

I want to thank two new volunteers this year – Ian, who is a student at ESF who has been coming regularly on Saturday mornings to help out in every which way, and Jim who mows our borders and pathways every other week or so. Susan is our most regular, picking trash and weeding the strawberry beds almost weekly. Today I also spent time bagging trash from our trash can, and what has been dumped around it unfortunately. A lot of it is food waste from the convenience and fast food stores nearby, and it can kick up a big stink in this heat. The Little Free Library was not being restocked because ants were getting into it from the trash can below, so I also transitioned it to a new location across the sidewalk. Also, thanks to others who have helped out this year including Carrie, Kathy, Ursula, Antonio, Grace, Sayward, Spencer and Karysa, and anyone else I missed.

We have loads of compost and wood chips on site that would love an extra hand getting spread around, to fertilize and mulch our plants. New gardeners are always welcome, we have a default Saturday morning meet-up time at 9 am if you want to perhaps come out when someone else is around, or you can contact us to check. The garden is always open otherwise, and fruits and berries and herbs are free for anyone to harvest. Please only take what you can use, and give back if you can with volunteer time.

Other special projects for anyone interested in getting active includes finishing tool “shed” build out of pallets so we can store some tools on site, compost bins management, and signage needs.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, we hope to see you out at the garden. If you ant to help out with a very special project near the garden, on Sunday July 21st, starting at 9 am, we will be working on the Community Streets installation in the neighborhood, which will include native perennials tire planter installations, crosswalk painting, and bump-outs painting to slow traffic at the intersection of Ontario st and Gifford St right at the garden’s corner. For more info and to sign-up to volunteer (we need RSVPs sine so much prep is going into the planning of the day and we really need to know who can commit to being there), please visit – http://bit.ly/NWS_CommunityStreets_Volunteer

In Stewardship ~ Frank

The Alchemical Nursery Project hosted 4 students from the Upstate Master of Public Health program for their Applied Practice Experience over the last academic year. The results of the studies from three of them, related to the 12-year old Rahma Food Forest Garden at 3100 South Salina St in Syracuse, have been published as the initial contributions to the Alchemical Nursery’s Public Knowledge Base on the Notion platform.

The initial information includes:

• Edible Tree Leaf Species in Syracuse, NY
• Nutritional Values of Rahma Forest Garden Species in Syracuse, NY
• Propagation of Rahma Forest Garden Species in Syracuse, NY

Congratulations to Morgan, Bhumika, and, Adeenah oh your work!

To contribute your research or project knowledge to the Public Knowledge Base relating to permaculture, food systems, Syracuse, Foodways, gardening, and more, send an email to info@alchemicalnursery.org.

We’ll have Facebook events for each Open Shop at:
https://www.facebook.com/713MarcellusStBikeDepot/

and also appreciate you letting us know if you are coming to volunteer or ask for help with your bike by filling out this form:
https://forms.gle/Q5dLjmmFFbCsJU4HA

Open most Tuesdays at 5-7 pm and most Saturdays at 1-3 pm between mid-May and late-September. “??” in the “OPEN?” column means we do not yet have Shop Steward volunteers identified to open, check back later to see if we’ll be open those dates.

Corner of Oswego and Shonnard Streets
(231-233 Shonnard St, Ward Bakery Park)

The black currant bushes at this community site are in danger of being lost to overgrowth and lack of proper care. What was once two long rows of black currants are now one short row, and the cleavers, garlic mustard, and bindweed are relentlessly making short work of the rest of the fruiting bushes. W e need to refresh this planting! Please RSVP at https://forms.gle/VJ4GmY4Tgr3WiKuS9

Our goal is to weed, mulch, divide, propagate, and plant to expand the black currant patch and save it from being lost. For you help, the Alchemical Nursery’s Frank Cetera will lead a free 30-minute plant walk identifying other edible species in the immediate vicinity and discussing what could be done to install additional food plants at this site.

Arrive at 6 pm. Introduction to the project at 6:05 pm. Black currant rescue project starting at 6:10 pm for 30 minutes. Followed by mini edible plant identification walk for 30 minutes where we will identify another 20+ species you can harvest and eat.

We will have gloves and some tools, but bring your own if you have them. Dress for the weather, we will be out rain or shine. There are no restroom facilities on site at this park.

Please RSVP at the following link so we know to expect you and can be properly prepared as hosts and facilitators – https://forms.gle/VJ4GmY4Tgr3WiKuS9

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Host Your Own Plant Walk
Interested in a future foraging and plant walk?  You could host one at your home, field, forest, neighborhood, local park, or block conducted by the Alchemical Nursery Project’s Frank Cetera by contacting us.  We ask that you commit to a $100 minimum donation to the Alchemical Nursery for a 60-minute event with up to 12 people, which you can contribute yourself or collect from friends and family who would attend.  Email info@alchemicalnursery.org or text 315-308-1372 for more details and for scheduling.

Our next foraging walk is taking place on Monday May 4th from 5:30-6:30 PM at 3100 South Salina St – the Rahma Edible Forest Garden in Syracuse. Please RSVP at https://forms.gle/LVPuJ6AASegadoFZ7

Community forest garden walk and foraging to learn and share about the bounty of free and nutritious edible greens that are growing in Syracuse and Central New York. We’ll identify over 20 edible plants in just one hour! 

Please RSVP! Dress for the weather, we are out rain or shine.

FREE. Suggested donation $5-15 to benefit the Alchemical Nursery.

Please RSVP at this link!

Volunteer Opportunity: Forest Garden Openings and Resource Day Saturday April 20th, 2024 610 Gifford St Community Garden from 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM https://www.facebook.com/610GiffordStreetCommunityGarden 3100 S. Salina St Rahma Forest Garden from 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM   https://www.facebook.com/rahmaforestgarden > Syracuse Grows Resource Drive compost and mulch truck unloading. > Trash pick-up and garden organizing. > Pruning and weeding. > Dividing, propagating and potting up for the Alchemical Nursery 9th annual plant sale that will take place on Saturday May 11th. Join the Alchemical Nursery to open up our community garden sites for 2024, come to one or both. These community gardens are unique in Syracuse in that they are mini-forests, fully planted and tended with perennial species, both native and naturalized. Participate in food access and ecological stewardship together.Dress for the weather. Bring tools and gloves if you have them. Please RSVP at https://forms.gle/UUH8MpisQSfEuhK39

Bicycle Depot Work Day on Sunday, May 5 and Bike Month Activities!    The Bike Depot is a labor of love and a space where we share bike repair skills and aim to make riding and maintenance accessible to Syracuse cyclists, especially folks who might not have the resources to take their bike to a commercial bicycle shop. We invite new and ongoing volunteers and friends of the Bike Depot for our first 2024 Work Day on Sunday May 5 from 2-4PM.  Please RSVP via this form if you can help on May 5. May is Bike Month (!!) Mark your calendars for Bike Depot Activities in May 2024:  Spring Work Day – Sunday, May 5th 2:00PM-4:00PM – Tasks and projects TBD as we get closer to Sunday, May 5th but activities may include: tool and bike part organizing, painting, litter pickup and weeding, and more. Please let us know in the RSVP know if you have special skills you want to shareBike Depot Open House – Tuesday, May 14th 5:30PM – 6:30PM Meet volunteers and community members to learn about resources, opportunities, and activities happening at the Bike Depot. Refreshments served.New Volunteer Orientation – Saturday May 18th – 1-3PM Volunteers are needed to help in a variety of ways: Outreach and Flyering, Graphics Design, and Volunteer Mechanics to help co-host free open shop hours in June, July and August. This orientation is for anyone who wants to volunteer at the Bike Depot during Summer 2024. After the orientation, we’ll make a volunteer schedule for the Summer. Open Shop hours will most likely take place Tuesday evenings and Saturday afternoons in June through September.  Thank you for being part of our Bike Depot community! We hope to have more exciting announcements to share as we receive applications for the bike depot mural and schedule Bike Depot Open Shop and workshops. If you are into group rides, check out the Syracuse Bike Party each last Saturday of the month!

9th Annual Spring Fundraiser PLANT SALE Our annual plant sale will take place on Saturday May 11th, Pre-orders are open now!  Find instructions and inventory at this link.  Become a Patreon monthly supporting member (see below) before you place your order and get a $10 credit to the sale, scroll down!  Get updates and info also at the Facebook Event page –https://www.facebook.com/events/405336265470809

And Lastly, BECOME A PATRON OF $1 FOR PERMACULTUREpatreon.com/alchemicalnursery Our team is 100% volunteer, help us spend more time in the garden and with the land, and less time on the computer and with fundraising, by becoming a supporting monthly member at our Patreon account.   Give as little as $1 a month.   CURRENT PERKS for all donation levels: MERCH: Alchemical Nursery Project water bottle; a Paper Copy of all newly published organizational Zines. PROMOS: 50% off purchase of garden art signs; $10 credit to each Spring’s annual plant sale;  Promotional Specials on Plant Sale Gift Card Orders. PDC CREDIT: Permaculture Design Certificate credit for completion of ANP PDC sessions.

711 Otisco Commons Lot Clean-up Hearty thanks to Lindsay, Abby, Kathy, and Antonio for joining Frank and bearing the rainy and windy weather to clean up the 711 Otisco Commons lot and the street corridor on Saturday!

Very excited to share that the 713 Marcellus Street Bike Depot is seeking a muralist to develop and create a mural at 713 Marcellus Street during the summer of 2024!

Using funds from CNY Arts, we are seeking a local artist to design and create an educational and decorative mural (approximately 8-feet high by 13-feet long) on the outside of our building. Total budget for this project is $2000, including compensation and supplies.

More details here on the application form:

bit.ly/depotmuralapply

Opening Up our Gardens for the Spring on Syracuse Grows Resource Drive Day Join us on Saturday April 20th to open up the 610 Gifford St Community Garden (9 AM-11 AM) and the Rahma Edible Food Forest Garden at 3100 S. Salina St (11:30 AM-1:30 PM) for the Spring season!  Help us unload and shovel compost and mulch, do a litter pick-up, divide and propagate plants, and do general maintenance of the beds and stewardship of the site.  Please RSVP if you intend to join us at https://forms.gle/nzp34Xriv59B5rDNA

SAVE-THE-DATE Our annual plant sale will take place on Saturday May 11th, look for pre-order information soon!  Become a Patreon monthly supporting member for a $10 credit to the sale, scroll down!

Custom Perennial Polyculture Design Sale Extended We’re extending the sale on our Custom Perennial Polyculture Design to $40 until March 15th to help you get ready for your spring plantings! (Regular Value $50.00).  Order at https://the-alchemical-nursery-project-inc.square.site/   This item is offered as part of our fundraising for Alchemical Nursery permaculture and land stewardship sites, as well as the Depot community bicycle workshop.  Proceeds will directly benefit the budget of these programs, and you’ll be getting or giving a gift that you can’t find anywhere else! The design fee value of $50 includes research, design services, a digital print-quality image and a written narrative description. Give that special person in your life, which might just be yourself, their very own custom designed polyculture plan based upon their personal preferences and interests regarding purpose, species, and environment. 14-21 days required for delivery once the worksheet has been returned – see at the following link: https://bit.ly/Polyculture_Worksheet Check out an example design at  https://bit.ly/Polyculture_Item_Description_Example

And Lastly, BECOME A PATRON OF $1 FOR PERMACULTUREpatreon.com/alchemicalnurseryOur team is 100% volunteer, help us spend more time in the garden and with the land, and less time on the computer and with fundraising, by becoming a supporting monthly member at our Patreon account.  Give as little as $1 a month.   CURRENT PERKS for all donation levels: MERCH: Alchemical Nursery Project water bottle; a Paper Copy of all newly published organizational Zines. PROMOS: 50% off purchase of garden art signs; $10 credit to each Spring’s annual plant sale;  Promotional Specials on Plant Sale Gift Card Orders. PDC CREDIT: Permaculture Design Certificate credit for completion of ANP PDC sessions.

CURRENT BENEFITS at https://www.patreon.com/alchemicalnursery
MERCH: 1) Alchemical Nursery Project water bottle; 2) a Paper Copy of all newly published organizational Zines.
PROMOS: 3) 50% off purchase of garden art signs; 4) $10 credit to each Spring’s annual plant sale;  5) Promotional Specials on Plant Sale Gift Card Orders.
PDC CREDIT: 6) Permaculture Design Certificate credit for completion of ANP PDC sessions.

The Green Bottle chart below expands our understanding of financial privilege and experience. All member tiers provide the same benefits, so please use sliding scale green bottle chart to determine the level you’re able to contribute.