Greenfolks Garden is a place for people to come together on common ground. It is a place for children to learn about the food they eat and the natural world around them. It is a space that fosters creativity and nurturing. It is a space for gathering and a space for contemplation. It is our space. It is your space. Greenfolks FAQ’s How and when did the garden begin? Planning for the garden began around the time of June, 2000, with Claire Moore and a few other neighbors. Groundbreaking took place on May 19, 2001, and we had about 50 volunteers over the groundbreaking weekend. Who owns the lot? The garden is actually comprised of two adjacent lots owned by the city and managed under two different departments. We have a short-term lease and permission to use the lots as a community garden. Is there a plan to purchase the property? The possibility of purchase is a definite hope and has been researched. However, this requires extensive negotiations with the city and many other considerations which make it unfeasible at present. Instead, we are pursuing the possibility of a collaborative arrangement with Milwaukee Urban Gardens such as long-term lease agreement with the city. How is the garden organized spatially? The garden has perennial flower beds around the northwest corner surrounding vegetable beds in the shape of the rays of the sun. The vegetable beds are a mixture — communal beds for children and individual plots for adult renters. Our hope is to increase renter involvement this season. The east section of the garden is quite shady and grassy providing an area for community and children’s activities. Who is involved in the garden? Most of the Greenfolks are Riverwest residents who are just organized enough to keep the garden going. The group is intentionally loosely organized to allow for growth through new members and ideas. Other groups that have contributed to the success of Greenfolks are Milwaukee Urban Gardens, UW-extension, Growing Power, Artists Working In Education and Children’s Outing Association. The Greenfolks had their annual kick-off on May 11. For more information or to get involved, call Jen Lyons at 265-4654.