FAQ
Grow Together FAQs
What kinds of work should I do?
Check the information board when you arrive - it will give some guidelines on what needs to be done for the week. Do any of the tasks you would be comfortable with.
Unless you can tell that the plants were just watered, take time to water the greenhouse and raised beds. If you haven’t done that before, check the binder for additional notes and tips.
We would ask that if you don’t recognize a plant in the areas around the garden, please don’t pull them. Many of our plants are great for pollinators, or we are letting them set seed to harvest or self-sow like the cilantro, chamomile, and dill.
Seeds, labels, pens, string, etc are all in the cabinet. Label what you’ve done so others know where and what you’ve planted.
When you’re finishing up, be sure to turn the water off and clean up any supplies you may have used or left out. Take some time to put items back in the cabinet where they belong. Leave it in better shape than you found it, and the season will go smoothly for everyone!
Who is this food for? Can I take some?
We ask that you do work first, and then take some food/herbs for yourself. Take some, enough, but not all; leave some for your fellow volunteers and the larger community. Sometimes you might see a note not to harvest something when we are preparing a bigger harvest for food donation. That being said, many of the summer plants produce better the more they are picked. Much of our yield goes to East End House.
Why do you call it a farm? How is it different than a community garden? Can I bring my own plants/seeds to put here?
In most community gardens, people rent or claim a plot for their personal use. They tend it, water it, bring in seeds and amendments, and can expect to get a harvest from it. These neighborhood farms work a bit differently. Many hands share in the work over the course of the season.
We also operate the garden as a whole, dynamic, living system. The raised beds are all seen as a system of plots, much like the fields in a traditional farm. We have the great advantage of tending them by hand, however, so we can do really interesting things with companion planting and caring for the soil. The annual crops are rotated, which means that plant families are moved to different beds each year. For example, a bed doesn’t grow tomatoes every year. Especially in a raised bed system, growing the same thing in the same place year after year can deplete the soil. That can make the plants more susceptible to diseases, and require lots more pesticides and fertilizers. Around the edges of the Hurley farm (and we hope soon the Riverside Farm) there is a growing perennial food forest made up of fruit trees, medicinal herbs, culinary herbs, and pollinator plants. If there’s something specific you want to plant, please send me a note about it. We may be able to put it in one of the beds or pots. We can’t promise it will be there for your exclusive use and harvest, but you might introduce others to a favorite new plant. Our Hurley location even has a beehive!
Is the Hurley location your yard? Who lives here?
None of the staff of Green Cambridge live in the home that faces Hurley Street. The home’s owners are committed to issues of social justice and liked the idea of having a public space for food-growing in the area behind their home. They get to enjoy the beauty of a tended garden and the knowledge that they are helping create neighborhood food security. Please be respectful in the space they are sharing with the community.
What did Green Cambridge do in the space last year?
We grew over 200 pounds of food (that’s just what we weighed and measured for donation) and hosted hundreds of neighbors of all ages to engage, work, and learn at this educational farm. Thanks to dedicated volunteers and energetic work groups, we were able to grow everything from seed last year in the annual beds.
We do all of this work on a limited budget. Please consider making an in-kind or financial contribution. The donation of your time is also very precious, and we love the community-building that comes with growing food together. Join us, and we look forward to a good season of growing together.
Canopy Crew FAQ
Who is Green Cambridge?
Green Cambridge is a place-based interpretive science 501(c)3 non-profit centered on career exploration programs for youth and young adults, arts-based STEAM activities for school-age children, and creating local environment volunteering experiences for adults. We use the urban forest, urban wilds, and urban agriculture areas as outdoor informal community classrooms. To ensure these opportunities exist and for greater climate resilience, we advocate on behalf of our shared natural systems, the benefits provided for residents, and equitable land use in Cambridge.
What is the Canopy Crew?
The Canopy Crew is an opportunity for teens and young adults to explore ecology-related careers and study while also making a positive environmental impact in Cambridge. With Green Cambridge staff and urban forestry professionals facilitating, participants will be given the opportunity to plant trees and learn about the technicalities of tree planting throughout the process. With our current climate projections, it is essential to educate emerging adults on environmental issues and provide hands-on learning activities that put hands in the soil.
Is it FREE to have a tree planted in my yard?
Yes! This program is made possible by funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, with additional support from the Cambridge Community Foundation and the City of Cambridge.
Why should I plant a tree in my yard?
Since 2009, the city of Cambridge has lost 16.4 acres of canopy coverage every year; that’s the equivalent of more than 9 soccer fields! As of 2019, our canopy coverage was 26%, and projected to decline to about 12% by 2050 if we do not preserve our existing trees while also planting thousands more each year. To make matters worse, by 2050 Cambridge will be much hotter than it is now with more flooding -- two things a robust canopy cover can help mitigate.
But these city-wide numbers do not account for the disparities in canopy coverage between neighborhoods. For example, West Cambridge has three times the coverage of East Cambridge, inequities that also correlate to socio-economic measures. Planting a tree in your yard helps rebuild our shared canopy for the benefit of all.
Will I have to take care of it?
A little. This care mainly consists of making sure the tree receives 25 gallons of water each week which is the equivalent to about 1.5 inches of rain and mulching each season. For more info visit Caseytrees.org. Canopy Crew members will assist you in ensuring the tree is viable for the first year, and working together we know the tree in your yard will live a long healthy life.
What kind of tree can I choose from?
For the spring 2022 season, we’ll have a selection of native trees we’ve developed in collaboration with Cambridge DPW and based on the findings of the Urban Forest Master Plan. Available trees include: