Fairgate Farms is a one acre community garden on Stillwater Avenue where local residents as well as the Boys and Girls Club grow a variety of garden to table vegetables and plants.  This year, Eastern Land Management’s one day of community service was dedicated to this city garden oasis on the city’s West Side.  Bruce Moore, Sr. and Bruce Moore Jr. worked closely with Farm Manager Bill Callion to develop a plan of action for the day to improve the garden.

Last Tuesday morning the team, equipment and materials rolled in for an early start.  Backhoes, trenchers and rototillers along with irrigation experts and experienced operators and laborers had a long list of to do’s.  First up, spreading, grading and rototilling 80 cubic yards of compost.  Next gravel and 4 inch flex pipe into trenches to alleviate water in low, soggy areas.  Jose Igartua and his talented water management team renovated and reinstalled a full irrigation system to setup for drip irrigation throughout the garden.

From Farm Manager’s Bill Callion thank you letter—“a heartfelt thank you for improving the Farm by an order of magnitude”.  Bill continues ” the professionalism, thoroughness of project completion and can-do attitude of all involved led to dramatic positive change in the Farm’s ability to produce vegetables and flowers as we continue to teach nutrition and health as well as be a learning laboratory for the community, especially our youth.”

After surveying the improvements, Michael Cotela, the Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford stated, “Bruce Moore and his team did an amazing job and performed an incredibly generous service to Stamford and to the residents in or near the Vita Health District on the West Side of Stamford”.

How does this garden grow?  Very well thanks to the ELM team and their commitment to the Farm and The Boys and Girls Club.  We will be stopping by this summer to admire the community’s hard work and maybe pick up a few farm fresh tomatoes.

 

 

 

After a brutal New England winter, spring is finally here!  Temperatures at last are in the 50’s and 60’s and thankfully, it won’t be long until landscapes start to green up and bulbs start to pop.  Make no mistake though, after a record long cold snap and nearly twice the average long term annual snowfall, commercial properties in Westchester and Fairfield counties need help.

With these mild temperatures in place, it’s time to walk your property with your landscape professional and assess winter’s impact.  Start with the turf.  Which areas will respond to fertilization, or a gypsum conditioner treatment and which areas should be removed and either re-sodded or seeded?  In a similar fashion, inspect the shrubs and groundcover areas.  Will a few plants need replacement?  Even plants, particularly evergreens, away from snow plowing damage may need a liquid fertilization to offset winter windburn.

Spring flowers can add some real visual excitement to your site.  If your site did not have a spring bulb planting installed last fall, pansies are cold tolerant and are available in several great colors.  Whether at your signage or in containers at main entries, a blast of color will bring compliments from tenants and employees.

During this walkthrough, it is a great time to discuss site enhancements for the upcoming year.  Not unlike new carpeting or paint inside, renovating key areas of your landscape will create a fresh look to showcase your facility.  Curb appeal is often the first impression of tenants, employees and most important, prospective tenants.

Been waiting for a nice spring walk for too long?  Now is the time to schedule an assessment of your property with your landscape professional.