For immediate release: contact

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:

April 18, 2014 Charmaine Craig

[phone]

[e-mail]

MEDIA ADVISORY/PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Earle Street/Mount Moriah Community Garden Beautification and Dedication
WHAT: See the Earle Street/Mount Moriah Community Garden transformed with the help of a dedicated group of volunteers known as the Greater Hartford Green Team. Spanning 3 acres, the garden provides residents in the northeast neighborhood a space to grow fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits. Volunteers will create garden plots, build raised beds and clean up the area surrounding the garden. KNOX constructed a new high-tunnel greenhouse this winter that will extend the growing season for gardeners at the Earle Street garden. Following the volunteer portion of the day, a dedication ceremony will be held. The dedication marks a milestone in brightening and cheering up the neighborhood. Invited guests include Mayor Pedro Segarra, members of the Court of Common Council, gardeners and neighborhood residents. After the dedication, attendees are invited to celebrate together with food and music.
WHEN: Saturday, April 19, 2014
Clean-up & Beautification – 9 am to 12 Noon
Lunch and Live Music – 12 to 1 pm
Dedication Ceremony and Community Celebration – 1pm

WHERE: Earle Street/Mount Moriah Community Garden – Entrance located on the corner of Barbour & Naugatuck St in Hartford.
WHY: Before the creation of the Earle Street/Mount Moriah Community Garden, the parcel of land was unsightly, overgrown, and strewn with litter and debris. KNOX partnered with Mount Moriah Baptist Church to create KNOX’s largest garden to date. It is now a green community asset and a source of pride to the neighborhood. The newly constructed greenhouse further extends the growing season, allowing gardeners to grow fresh vegetables earlier and continue harvesting after the first frost. KNOX has already planted a small fruit orchard in the garden to harvest fresh fruits and will add a few more fruit trees. With 3 acres, over $100,000 worth of fresh, local produce can be grown to feed the community annually. It provides a safe gathering place for the neighborhood, encouraging residents to spend time outdoors and it reduces crime.

About KNOX

KNOX uses horticulture as a catalyst for community engagement, forging partnerships between residents, businesses, and government to build stronger, greener, healthier and more beautiful neighborhoods in Hartford. Since its founding in 1966, KNOX has been a key partner in improving the city of Hartford and is a nationally recognized leader in the field of community greening. Principal services include neighborhood beautification and reforestation, park improvement efforts, development of greenways, the oversight and maintenance of both community gardens and public green spaces and the successful administration of an AmeriCorps youth development and green jobs training program. More information is available at www.knoxhartford.org.

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