Using hay to build gardens in Harlem

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I spent many summers on a farm with my family and cousins. We watched large machines pulled by tractors turn fields of waving tan coloured plants into sturdy bales of hay.

So it was with great fondness that I read in the New York Times about a movement to use bales of hay to grow gardens in places like Harlem New York City where concrete reigns or soil is not otherwise available or suitable. http://nyti.ms/WJFOmD

I was even more pleased to read that Harlem (specifically East Harlem) is once again at the forefront of something new: one of our very own local businesses has bales for sale!

According the New York Times: “The Urban Garden Center on Park Avenue in East Harlem charges $12 for a bale, with a $25 delivery fee to the street. Dimitri Gatanas, whose family owns the store, reported that last fall, “we sold more than we have in 50 years.” When straw is a hot commodity in Manhattan, something strange is blossoming.”

If you are in Harlem and a part of this movement we would love to hear from you and and help share pictures of and promote your efforts.

Author: HarlemGuy