Vegetable Rows

With these sixteen raised vegetable beds, you can get a glimpse of the historical past of the Jay Estate, when the gardens and fields owed their bounty to the labor, strength, expertise and resilience of men and women unjustly enslaved by the Budd and Jay families. We know some of their names - Old Mary, Little Mary, Clarinda and Platt - but research continues so that we can reveal more about their every day lives, their children, their actions, their hopes for freedom and their contributions to society. This land and particularly this garden room bear witness to their existence. Archaeological investigations have uncovered the cinder paths where they walked and fragments of pottery that they may have carried or used themselves.

This room is also a window to a sustainable future incorporating best management practices for using the least amount of water and no pesticides. Our goal is to invite local food pantries to distribute the food grown here in their efforts to address vast food insecurities that sharply rose as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This space will also be the centerpiece of a curriculum designed to teach children the benefits of healthy eating and sustainable agriculture. Some of the vegetables grown here include melons, peppers, herbs and squash.

We are incredibly grateful to our garden volunteers for helping to plant and maintain these beds. Special thanks to the Edwards Family for donating plants, their time and their expertise to install 6 of these bountiful beds!

Please contact our Executive Director Kevin Peraino at peraino.jhc@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer in the gardens or make a donation to support this project!