Keeping in the tradition that Carolyn Horowitz began one year ago, Jonathan Cheris, Scott Rosenthal and a host of East Hills residents have continued the Community Vegetable Garden at East Hills. The program was given impetus when Mayor Michael R. Koblenz reserved land at the village hall property for the garden.

But this year the unique effort received even more recognition when it won three First Place Blue Ribbons at the Martin Viette Harvest Day celebration, held on Sept. 6. The awards included "Most Produce Brought in That Day" and "Most Perfect Vegetable," as well as a first place award for the most unique vegetable. Proceeds from the awards will be used to purchase plants and supplies for the 2004 garden.

As reported in recent issues of The Roslyn News, all vegetables grown in the garden are donated to local charities and soup kitchens. This year's crop is expected to approach 800 pounds of fresh vegetables. Each week they are brought to Martin Viette's Nursery in East Norwich, where they are contributed to the "Plant-A-Row" campaign. The vegetables are combined with all other sources and then donated to the Interfaith Nutrition Network's soup kitchen in Hempstead. The organization serves up to 200 people each day.

The East Hills Community Garden originally broke ground in the spring of 2002 when Carolyn Horowitz organized a group to grow vegetables on the grounds of the Village Hall, shortly after it was acquired from the Air National Guard. Mayor Michael Koblenz is credited with the foresight to support the program and set aside property for the effort. Key support provided by village employee Nancy Futeran who was appointed by the mayor to assist the leaders with the program.

"I'm proud of our many residents who contributed their time and energy to help others," Mayor Koblenz recently said of the garden's progress. "This was a heart warming effort, which serves an extremely important and necessary purpose. We hope that other communities will follow our residents' lead and initiate sister programs."

The 2003 effort was a result of the plans that originated at the Fairfield Park Civic Meeting in the spring. The road map for the new program was developed by Scott Rosenthal and Jonathan Cheris. Rosenthal then took the lead in organizing the project by gathering vendors to provide plants and services; and neighbors, initially within Fairfield Park to assist with the effort. As the project developed, other residents of East Hills stepped in to work, including adults and young children to provide harvesting support.

The garden was carefully conceived and planned through consultations with master gardener and resident Susan King. Scott Rosenthal and friends began the harvest with radishes only 21 days after sowing, and an assortment of vegetables came steadily through the summer. Bordered by tall sunflowers and culinary herbs, the garden contains over 100 plants including tomatoes, squash, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, zucchini, and pumpkins.

Support came not just from volunteers digging and weeding, but from generous contributions from local businesses as well. ABC Rental Center (New Hyde Park) donated the use of a large roto-tiller to clear the way; Vigliotti Landscaping and Long Island Compost (Westbury) delivered a mountain of compost; and Hicks Nursery (Westbury), Martin Viette Nursery (East Norwich), and two local Home Depots (Jericho and Hempstead) provided all the starter plants. For more information contact Nancy Futeran, at The Village of East Hills (516) 621-5600.