BACG's Tomato Races - 1987-1993

 BACG History Post #65

Burlington Parks and Recreation partnered with Gardener's Supply to host the inaugural Tomato 2-Miler race on May 9, 1987. 

The race took place in conjunction with the grand opening of Gardener's Supply's new garden center on Intervale Road. 

Participating runners received a free tomato plant. Proceeds benefited Burlington Area Community Gardens.

The 1988 race moved to July 9. Free t-shirts were offered to the first 50 entries. The 1989-1991 Tomato 2-Miler Races were held in May.

Listed below are the top finishers in the 1988 Tomato 2-Miler. 

Here are the 1990 results:

The two-mile race continued through 1991. See listing to the right for the 1991 race.

The 1992 and 1993 races were 5k (3.1 miles). See results below for the 1993 race:

Randy Sightler, a runner who also gardened in the Intervale, shared memories of the Tomato 2-mile and Tomato 5k:

"The only course I remember clearly went up Intervale Rd. to Riverside, then to the right into the ONE (I believe lollipopping along Manhattan Dr. near the old dump road) and then back down to Gardeners," wrote Sightler.

"The hill up and down in a short race like that is unforgettable. Novel, too. I don’t know if Gordon MacFarland was race director or whether he was just helping out, but I remember him being there and quite involved. 

Gordon was either on a bike just ahead of the runners or maybe gave himself a bit of a lead up the hill. I remember him relishing the idea of racers pushing as hard as they could up that steep hill and maybe managing around 6 minute pace only to return and charge down that last section at something under 5 minute pace. It was either this race or another that I remember running the mile back down in something around 4:25 or 4:30."

In 1994, Gardener's Supply hosted a Tomato 5k/10k cross country run in the Intervale. The Tomato 5k reappeared on September 11, 1999 as a part of the Intervale Festival. The course started and finished at Ethan Allen Homestead. The calendar listing below was published in the Burlington Free Press.  

Burlington Parks and Recreation and politics - 1987-1988

 BACG History Post #64

Appointed by Mayor Gordon Paquette in 1967 to head the Burlington Parks department, Sid Baker worked for two decades to expand city parks and recreation opportunities.

Under Baker's leadership, the number of park properties owned and maintained by the City of Burlington doubled. New recreation programs were established, including the adoption of Burlington Area Community Gardens in 1987. In 1975, a city charter change created the Burlington Parks and Recreation department. 

A Burlington Free Press story published on September 16, 1987 reported that Baker would ask not to be reappointed in 1988 as superintendent of Burlington Parks and Recreation. 

Department heads are appointed annually by the mayor. City commissions, composed of appointed volunteers, oversee the operations of city departments and deal with each department’s current issues, general operations, budget, and personnel matters. Commission chairs report to the Mayor before making any final decisions.

According to the Burlington Free Press story, Baker, 50, found himself at odds with the Commission chairperson, Roxane Leopold and other commissioners over the maintenance of city parks. In his letter to the commission, Baker felt that it was time for a new department head to be appointed.

Baker's contributions to the landscape of Burlington were significant. After Dutch elm disease ravaged the city's elm-lined streets, Baker spurred the planting of 7,000 trees. 

A staunch supporter of community gardening, Baker initiated a partnership with Gardens for All in 1972 that established  the first modern-era community garden in Burlington, located at Oakledge Park. Fifteen years later, Baker approved Burlington Area Community Gardens becoming a city-sponsored program.

Don Bessler, 30, replaced Baker as superintendent during the summer of 1988. Bessler pledged to improve youth and adult activities, athletics, health and fitness activities, and special events.  

National Gardening Association grows its business - 1987

BACG History Post #63

At 180 Flynn Avenue, the National Gardening Association continued to grow from its Gardens for All roots.

The nonprofit's flagship publication, National Gardening Magazine, expanded by 16 pages and began to accept advertising.

NGA continued its educational mission by focusing on school and youth gardening via the GrowLab program and the National Youth Garden Grants program.

For public education, National Gardening Magazine's former editor, Ruth Page, launched NGA's gardening journal on Vermont Public Radio. 

Gardener's Supply moves to the Intervale - 1987

 BACG History Post #62

By 1987, Gardener's Supply had become one of the nation's major mail-order purveyors of gardening supplies and equipment. Founded in 1983 by Will Raap and seven investors, Gardener's Supply was an offshoot of Gardens for All, the nonprofit organization started by Lyman Wood in 1972.

From 1983 to 1986, Gardener's Supply operated from a warehouse at 133 Elm Street in Winooski. In 1986, GSC built a 22,000 square foot warehouse at 128 Intervale Road, on the site of the former John McKenzie Packing Company slaughterhouse.

The new building was financed with a $660,000 loan from the City of Burlington. Raap arranged with the City to set aside an acre of Intervale land to establish a compost project to process leaves and food waste into organic fertilizer. The joint goal was to promote urban gardening and resource conservation.

Burlington Parks and Recreation adopts BACG - 1987

 BACG History Post #61

Maggie Leugers wasted no time digging into her new role as the Burlington Parks and Recreation liaison for Burlington Area Community Gardens.

"Maggie was competent, fun, and she got things done," remembered Charlie Nardozzi, who served on the BACG advisory board.

"I loved recreation, from infancy through seniors," said Leugers. "I learned by doing how to run solid programs."

Leugers administered summer recreation programs reaching underserved groups and neighborhoods, as illustrated by a Rutland Herald article published on June 29, 1987.

BACG was one of many recreation offerings that Leugers took under her wing, from summer camps to after school programs to athletics. A consummate networker, she made connections with people and organizations across the city. 

"There was a learning curve for me with community gardens," said Leugers. "Thank heavens for the BACG board, which helped the transition to go smoothly."

Former BACG administrative assistant Megan Humphrey also pitched in to offer assistance.

"Megan worked with the city after school program as an artist," remembered Leugers. "I later found out that she was involved with community gardening. I used to meet with Megan at her home to do the layout and design for the BACG registration brochure."

Leugers worked with volunteer site coordinators on site logistics. Burlington Parks and Recreation contracted with Cornelius Reed, Jr. of Essex Junction to do spring tilling and fall plowing of garden sites. Leugers provided site maps to Reed. Site coordinators called Reed when they felt that their site was ready.

Burlington Parks division staff turned on the water at garden sites in the spring and blew out the water lines at the end of the season. Leugers worked closely with Bill Rasch, who was a master plumber, to make sure that water lines were maintained and to quickly fix occasional leaks.

"As the community gardens became more respected, they became part of the the fabric of the Parks and Recreation Department," said Leugers. "Everyone knew the timelines."

BACG board transitions to Parks and Recreation - 1987

BACG History Post #60

Following its final annual meeting on December 3, 1986, BACG's board of directors drafted a proposal for the City of Burlington to run the community garden program. 

Ike Isley volunteered to approach Sid Baker, the superintendent of Burlington Parks and Recreation. Baker was a staunch supporter of community gardening.

"Things were not going well for BACG," remembered Charlie Nardozzi, who joined the board in January, 1986. "Community gardens in other cities were run by Parks and Recreation departments. There was a sense of relief when Burlington Parks and Recreation offered to take the gardens in."

Nardozzi worked with Gardens for All from 1980 to 1982, first as a summer intern during his senior year at UVM, then as staff horticulturist. From 1982 to 1985, he served in the Peace Corps. 

Nardozzi returned to Vermont in the spring of 1985. He worked at the Four Seasons Garden Center in Williston for a year. In the fall of 1985, he was offered a teaching assistantship at UVM. He earned a Masters of Extension Education degree in 1987.

Lisa Halvorsen joined the BACG board in the fall of 1986. She was recruited by Nancy Crane to serve as board secretary. Crane, who served as a reference librarian at UVM, helped to preserve BACG archives as part of Special Collections at the UVM Library.   

Halvorsen moved to Burlington in 1975. She worked as a news editor and media specialist with UVM Extension. She enrolled in graduate courses, earning a Masters degree in Extension Education. Halverson began community gardening at the UVM Jughandle in 1976, during its final season.

"There were 200 gardens on a slope," remembered Halvorsen. My first garden plot was under water. The coordinator helped me relocate to an abandoned plot. We all shared a water spigot on the old Ag Engineering building. UVM was cranky about the water usage. They closed the Jughandle site after one year, saying it was too distracting for drivers."

Halvorsen relocated to the Orchard Community Garden off East Avenue. The soil was rocky, with gardens in between the rows of old apple trees. Gardeners watered their plants by dipping jugs into an underground stream covered by a manhole. UVM students occasionally foraged in the community plots when they returned to campus in August, to the dismay of the gardeners.

Barbara Prine served on the BACG board as a representative for Chittenden Community Action, where she was employed. By going through Community Action, limited income gardeners were able to qualify for reduced garden plot fees.

Isley, Nardozzi, Halverson, Crane, and Prine formed a core volunteer team to transition BACG from an independent nonprofit organization to a recreation program under Burlington Parks and Recreation. There were just a few weeks to get new registration forms ready for the 1987 community gardening season. 

Ray Tanguay headed the recreational services division of Burlington Parks and Recreation. He turned to a new city employee, Maggie Leugers, who was hired in 1986. Leugers coordinated after school programs for the City.

"I put a new proposal on your desk," Tanguay said to Leugers. "You've done some gardening, haven't you?"

Leugers came to Vermont in 1979 from Cincinnati, Ohio. Her bachelor's degree was in Community Urban Recreation. She and her husband, Mike Leugers, worked as dorm parents at Pine Ridge School from 1979 to 1986. She also served as a physical education teacher and summer program leader at Pine Ridge.

While working with the summer program in 1980, Leugers contacted Tommy Thompson at Gardens for All.

"Horticulture was an extracurricular activity at Pine Ridge," said Leugers. "We planted flowers on campus with the students. Tommy was lovely and helpful in giving us advice."

Nardozzi helped to facilitate the BACG board's transition to an advisory board under Burlington Parks and Recreation. The advisory board met monthly with Leugers at the Leddy Park office for Parks and Recreation.

Halvorsen took on the editor role for BACG's newsletter, Weed 'em and Reap, which continued under Burlington Parks and Recreation. Crane served on the BACG advisory board until 1992. Nardozzi and Halverson stayed on the board through 1994 and 1997, respectively.

BACG reaches out to the City of Burlington - 1987

 BACG History Post #59

Burlington Area Community Gardens existed as an independent nonprofit organization from 1983 through 1986. When funds ran out at the end of the 1986 season, the BACG board of directors reached out to the City of Burlington for help.

Board member Ike Isley was a physical trainer at the University of Vermont. He grew up on a 400-acre farm in North Dakota and was active civically in Burlington. Isley contacted Sid Baker, Superintendent of the Burlington Parks and Recreation Department. 

Baker's appointment as Superintendent of the Burlington Parks Department was announced in December, 1966. He previously worked as a reporter for WCAX television, covering the Burlington City Hall beat. Baker studied forestry at the University of Vermont.  

Baker was 29 when he became superintendent in 1967. He was a visionary leader who doubled the size of the Burlington Parks system, including the acquisition of Oakledge Park in 1971. A year later, Burlington Parks partnered with the nonprofit Gardens for All to establish the Cliffside Community Garden at Oakledge Park.

In 1973, a year-round recreation program was established under the management of the Burlington Parks Department. Leddy arena was built in 1974. A city charter change in 1975 created the Burlington Parks and Recreation Department. Urban forestry, which Baker had championed, also became part of the expanded city department. 

Ray Tanguay was hired in 1973 as the City's director of recreational services. He had a degree in recreational services from the University of Connecticut. Tanguay was a champion of providing a wide range of lifelong recreational activities for people of all ages and abilities. He saw a shift toward a neighborhood emphasis as "the wave of the recreational future."

A wartime legacy of community gardens in Burlington

BACG History Post #58

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The modern era of community gardening in Burlington began in 1972, when the Cliffside Community Garden was established at Oakledge Park. The half-acre community garden was a partnership between the Burlington Parks Department and Gardens for All, a nonprofit initiative based in Charlotte, Vermont.

The United States was still heavily involved in the Vietnam War during 1972. On the home front, the war contributed to higher prices for food, energy, and commodities. Worldwide, a decline in grain production led to food shortages and price spikes. 

The Cliffside Community Garden was not the first community garden site in Burlington. Historically, community gardens emerged in Burlington during periods of war and economic uncertainty. Making garden plots available to the public served as a response to food shortages during World War I, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and World War II.

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In spring 1943, land was lined up to create more than 300 Victory Garden plots. A Burlington Free Press story reported that garden plots ranging from 25 ft. x 50 ft. to 100 ft. x 50 ft. were planned.

Victory Gardens were located at Mt. St. Mary's Academy off Mansfield Avenue, the Flynn Estate land off Shelburne Road and Flynn Avenue, and the Walter Edlund property off Spear Street.

The Burlington Street Department used sidewalk plow tractors to prepare the land for gardens. Street Department employees were among the Victory Gardeners. 

In Burlington's South End, South Park and land around the Baird School were Victory Garden sites. Along North Avenue, the Parks Department leased ten acres of the Arthur Property for Victory Gardens.

The Arthur property was also used for "community war garden plots" during WWI. One hundred and thirty garden plots were created after the meadow was plowed and harrowed.

Community gardeners worked diligently to overcome the crop of witch grass which sprouted in the virgin soil. An infestation of rose bugs swept the city in July, nearly wiping out the garden crops.

A Burlington Free Press article on July 4, 1918 (see below) reported that the city garden committee applied "gallons of poisonous spray" to defeat the swarms of rose bugs which defoliated plants. "A spirit of congeniality and good fellowship" was noted as a "remarkable feature of the entire project."

The article noted that "everybody helps everybody else, and in that way happiness and contentment reign supreme. The gardens are worked from as early as five o'clock in the morning to after dark each night."

No funds in the bank accounts - December, 1986

 BACG History Post #57

Burlington Area Community Gardens held its annual meeting on December 3, 1986. Board members present were Charlie Nardozzi, Barbara Prine, Barry Deliduka, Lisa Halvorsen, Nancy Crane, Neil Stout and Ike Isley. 

BACG's financial situation was dire. No funds remained in the checking account or savings account. Outstanding bills totaled $467.32 plus an estimated $500 water bill. Fundraising was discussed as an option, with no resolution. Negotiations were in progress with the City of Burlington to take responsibility for the community garden program. 

Work and fun in the community gardens -1986

 BACG History Post #56

From May to November, a group of 22 Burlington teens, participated in the Youth Employment Garden Project. Maureen Cannon supervised the teens as they tilled, planted, hoed, and harvested vegetables from an acre of land at the north end of the Intervale Community Garden. 

The Burlington Youth Employment Program was founded by Mayor Bernie Sanders in 1982. The story below was published in the Burlington Free Press on August 15, 1986.    

BACG and the Burlington Farmers Market co-sponsored the Second Annual Zucchini Festival on August 23, 1986. The event for all ages was held at City Hall Park.

From Gardens for All to the National Gardening Association -1986

 BACG History Post #55

At 180 Flynn Avenue in Burlington's South End, the nonprofit started in 1972 by Lyman Wood was evolving. Membership in the National Gardening Association, formerly Gardens for All, grew to 250,000 subscribers. NGA published a monthly glossy magazine and released a 432-page guide for growing fruits and vegetables. The story below appeared in the Burlington Free Press on March 23, 1986.

National Gardening Association's staff had expanded to 28 employees by March, 1986. 

Larry Sommers used his organizing skills and experience to help Cleveland develop a city-wide community gardening program. Vacant lots were transformed from eyesores to a force for neighborhood pride. NGA's goal was to create a community garden master plan to serve as a model for other cities.

Bruce Butterfield continued to work with the Gallup Organization to conduct the annual National Gardening Survey. The 1985-1986 survey indicated that  44% of American households were active in food and/or flower gardening.

Laura Carlsmith coordinated the production of Gardening, The Complete Guide to Growing America's Favorite Fruits and Vegetables. Carlson later worked on the NGA team that received a National Science Foundation grant to use gardening to teach hands-on science in schools.

Kit Anderson and George Thabault served as editors for the guidebook. Anderson later became editor in chief for National Gardening Magazine. Thabault went on from NGA to work in the Mayor's office at City Hall. 

BACG registers member gardeners -1986

BACG History Post #54

The 1986 gardening season began with a newly elected board of directors. BACG's administrative assistant, Megan Humphrey, crafted a beautifully designed membership packet. The packet provided information about each garden site and the names of the site coordinators. A separate registration form for garden plots accompanied the membership packet. A total of 273 plots were listed at eight different BACG sites. 

Intervale Community Garden 20-year lease -1985

BACG History Post #53

Burlington Area Community Gardens held its annual meeting on December 11, 1985 at the Fletcher Free Library. Agenda items including the election of board members and the approval of a 20-year lease with the Burlington Electric Department for the Intervale Community Garden site. The involvement of city government with the community gardens was also discussed.

Established in 1983 as an independent nonprofit, BACG was governed by a board of directors who held financial responsibility for the organization. Each BACG gardener attending the annual meeting had a vote in the decision-making process. Board chair Don Miller wrote the letter below to BACG members in late November, 1985, inviting and encouraging member participation.   

Clean up deposits and garden awards - 1985

 BACG History Post #52

Printed and mailed newsletters were the mainstay of communications for 20th century nonprofit organizations. Each newsletter article had a job to do, whether it be to inform, acknowledge volunteers, or call gardeners to action.

With limited pages, words were chosen carefully. Effective use of white space created a sense of structure and organization. Hand drawn artwork set a grassroots tone. The weed 'em and reap theme celebrated the rewards of gardening know-how coupled with timely effort.

The October 1985 Weed 'em & reap newsletter was released just in time for the annual cleanup of individual garden plots. The closing date was set for October 12. After cleaning up their plot, gardeners were given the opportunity to carry over their $5 deposit to the next gardening season or receive a refund by mail.

The fall newsletter acknowledged the Zucchini Festival volunteers, along with three community garden sites which won group awards. The Intervale and Catholic Charities sites received honorable mention in the American Community Garden Association's contest. The Orchard site was a prize winner for its community garden table display at the Champlain Valley Fair.

Zucchini Festival in City Hall Park -1985

 BACG History Post #51

Megan Humphrey brought energy and creativity to her work as BACG's Administrative Assistant. The Zucchini Festival debuted on the Saturday after Labor Day, in City Hall Park. The event was a partnership between BACG and the Burlington Farmers Market.

"There were prizes for Best Dressed Zucchini, Zucchini Toss, and Largest Zucchini," said Humphrey. "Kids came with dressed up zucchinis and adults came wearing silly zucchini earrings. Governor Madeleine Kunin judged the zucchinis and gave out the prizes. I had Ben & Jerry’s make zucchini ice cream for us."

Graphic design and garden coordination - 1985

 BACG History Post #50

The BACG board hired Megan Humphrey early in 1985 to coordinate the community garden program. 

"I LOVED running BACG," reflected Humphrey about her two years of service as BACG's administrative assistant. 

"I was able to organize garden site sign-ups, plan events, do marketing, connect people with resources, use my graphic design skills, and do administrative tasks.

"The BACG office was upstairs next door to what is now Penny Cluse Café, then Ben & Jerry’s," Humphrey said. 

"I shared attic office space with Ron and Arnie Koss as they began their Earth’s Best baby food business. They had lots of energy and I enjoyed the vibe." 

"We had wonderful board members, site coordinators, and local resources for things like hay bales, plants, etc. The smell of the B & J’s waffle cones wafted up constantly, though—I still can’t stand the smell of those cones after all these years."

Humphrey applied her organizational and graphic design skills to the BACG newsletter, "Weed 'em and Reap." The newsletter helped to draw the eight BACG community garden sites into a more cohesive program. 

Gardening interests trend toward leisure - 1984

 BACG History Post #49

Doug Routley was a plant science professor for the University of New Hampshire. During the 1970s and 1980s, he wrote a newspaper column called The Yankee Gardener. The column reprinted below appeared in the Brattleboro Reformer on July 28, 1984. 

Routley wrote about the changing home and community gardening trends between 1974 and 1984. The growth of farmers markets made high quality local produce more readily available. Fewer people were interested in fighting weeds and insects to grow their own vegetables.

"Backyards which once grew potatoes, tomatoes, and corn now grow grass, and in many places, swimming pools occupy what once was gardening space," he wrote. "Stability in the price of gas, more energy efficient vehicles, and high employment have stimulated the buying of recreational vehicles and boats. People have become mobile again."

Routley identified a declining interest in horticulture among young people. Careers in engineering, computers, and biotechnology were on the upswing. Fewer older adults grew vegetables, in part due to the improving economy. Recreational gardening and ornamental plants became more popular. While there were exceptions to these trends, interest in renting community garden plots was waning in some areas.

Gardening remained the number one leisure activity in America, according to the 1984 Gallup Poll. Eight of ten Americans participated in some type of indoor or outdoor gardening (which included growing a lawn). Four in ten or 34 million households were involved in vegetable gardening. 

Interest in food gardening was highest among married couples and people over age 50. The article below was published in the Brattleboro Reformer on October 13, 1984. Gardens for All and the Gallup organization cooperated on the annual National Gardening Survey.

Gardening with the Youth Employment Program - 1984

 BACG History Post #48

Bernie Sanders created the Mayor's Youth Office during his first term as mayor of Burlington. The city department teamed up with the state Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) to sponsor the Burlington Youth Employment Program, which started in 1983. The program is described in an article published in the Rutland Herald on August 8, 1983.

During the spring and summer of 1983, a cooperative community garden was established on an experimental basis at the Intervale Community Garden site. A total of 37 youths rotated through 20 slots in the garden program, which was funded through the Comprehensive Employment Training Administration (CETA).

The Cooperative Garden Project continued in 1984. Funded by public and private sources, the Garden Project provided youth with the opportunity to grow vegetables, flowers and herbs on more than an acre of fertile land. 

The youths learned plant identification, transplanting, harvesting, and marketing. Produce was sold to local grocers, restaurants, and through local Farmers Markets. 

Ten percent of the produce grown was donated to the Food Shelf. A quarter of the youths involved in the Garden Project were able to work off community service hours assigned through the court diversion program.

The Burlington Free Press story below, published on July 22, 1984, describes the garden component of the Youth Employment Program.

Community Garden Book published in Burlington - 1984

 BACG History Post #47 

Larry Sommers followed in the footsteps of Tommy Thompson, the founding director of Gardens for All. Like Thompson, Sommers worked tirelessly to help groups and individuals to start and sustain community food gardens. 

Thompson's death in January 1983 spurred Sommers to create The Community Garden Book, New Directions for Creating and Managing Neighborhood Food Gardens in Your Town. 

Sommers collected community gardening management strategies and photos from across America. He tapped the knowledge banks of fellow organizers from the American Community Garden Association, a nonprofit organization founded in Chicago in 1979. Sommers served as an ACGA board member.

Copy for the book was produced by typewriter. Black and white glossy photos were cut and pasted into the layout. 

Lynn Severance, a graphic artist who created many of Ben & Jerry's iconic designs, did the artwork for the cover and graphics for interior pages. George Thabault of Gardens for All edited the book.

Published on January 1, 1984 by Gardens for All, The Community Garden Book was dedicated in memory of Tommy Thompson. Sommers' guide was the go-to resource for countless community garden organizers from 1984 through the dawn of the digital age.

Community gardens and tree planting - 1984

 BACG History Post #46

Burlington Area Community Gardens stood on its own in 1984. The fledgling nonprofit organization was overseen by a volunteer board of directors. 

BACG moved into a shared upstairs office space on Cherry Street at the corner with North Winooski Avenue.  Ben & Jerry's occupied the first floor of the building.  

BACG maintained seven community gardens in Burlington and one community garden in Winooski. A total of 349 plots were available for new and returning gardeners.

Craig Fuller was hired as BACG's part-time director. He took over the role from Don Miller, who remained on the BACG board. Fuller was an experienced community organizer from Texas. 

"My primary qualifications were that I was a gardener, I owned a truck, and I knew how to plow," said Fuller.

Classified ads were placed in the Burlington Free Press to attract new gardeners and solicit donations of materials.

In addition to his work directing BACG, Fuller (center left in photo below) served as volunteer coordinator for the City of Burlington's tree-planting program.