Abilis Ventures to Bible St Community Gardens, Christens Universal Access Beds

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Screen Shot 2014-07-09 at 5.00.04 PMBy Leslie Yager

A group led by Chris Hadin from Abilis traveled from Glenville to the Bible Street Community Gardens on Wednesday to work in the brand new ‘universal access beds.’

The extra-tall raised garden beds are accessible by wheelchair and those with mobility issues.

The Abilis crew unloaded tomato plants and wire tomato cages in a rainbow of colors, and, under Hadin’s supervision, started planting.

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Along the way, Hadin shared his joy for soil, squid juice and vegetables. Patty Sechi of Greenwich Community Gardens coordinated the visit, which coincided with a morning of work from the teens in Greenwich Youth Conservation Project.

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At the Bible Street Community Gardens, Patty Sechi of Greenwich Community Gardens with Christina Nappi of Greenwich Social Services. Nappi was overseeing the work of teens fro the Greenwich Youth Conservation Project. Credit: Leslie Yager

Hadin works with adults at the Abilis greenhouse in Glenville, which is home to Glenville Greens, the thriving microgreen and specialty herb farm. That program provides area restaurants with culinary greens and herbs year-round, grown organically and delivered usually within a few hours of harvest. The idea is to link the Abilis community to meaningful job training and work experiences.

On Wednesday morning at the Bible Street Community Garden, the group from Abilis learned from Hadin that there is a difference between soil and dirt.

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“Dirt is what gets on your clothes before you do laundry. Soil is what you plant with,” Hadin said with a smile. Describing a jumbo bag of the latter, he described it as ‘Life Giving Black Gold,’ before scooping out handfuls for the newly planted tomato plants.

Patty Sechi of Greenwich Community Gardens said there are plans in the works for a shaded gathering area with benches and the extra wide pathway will extend to the gathering spot, “because want to make sure everybody can use it.”

Sechi coordinated visits to Bible Street of both the Greenwich Youth Conservation Program students and the Abilis group.

Abilis is located at 50 Glenville Street in Glenville.

Related Story:

Bible Street Garden Offering Universal Access Garden Beds

Screen Shot 2014-07-09 at 5.22.06 PMMore information on Greenwich Community Gardens is available on the group’s website.

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