Green City Growers (GCG) hosts its Annual Fall Harvest Party at its Somerville headquarters on October 8th. Fresh off celebrating their 10th year managing Fenway Farms, GCG takes this moment every year to celebrate their partners, friends, neighbors, and all of the food grown in the over 180 garden sites across Boston and beyond. “There’s something so magical about having abundant, beautiful, and successful gardens accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds across the city,” says Green City Growers CEO Christopher Grallert. “We are so grateful to our community of partners and friends, and love welcoming them to our space to celebrate that each year.”
Green City Growers will present their annual Gus Schumacher Award for Advocacy of Agriculture, Farming and Food System Education. The award celebrates the legendary and beloved Gus Schumacher, Massachusetts’ former Commissioner of Food and Agriculture. He was a lifelong advocate for local farm products, promoting farm-to-table access and supporting farms, farmers, food, and families in both Massachusetts and nationwide. Gus Schumacher’s early and enduring advocacy for farmers is a direct link to the ethos that led to innovative farming solutions, such as Green City Growers.
Grallert will present the award to the volunteer organization, Friends of the Boston Schoolyards, for their energy and commitment to ensuring that Boston’s school students have access to green, sustainable, and safe places to play and explore. Since 1995, members of this group have been transforming formerly unused areas of Boston Public Schools into vibrant gardens that they care for themselves. Because of them, thousands of students have learned about the joy of growing their own food.
“Gus Schumacher was one of those extraordinary visionaries who was all about bringing people together and enhancing the local food system,” Grallert says. “I wish I knew him, and I feel he would be so excited about the work of the Friends of the Boston Schoolyards and the future of possibility it presents. His wife describes him as kind, forever positive, and as someone who never gave up on anything he believed in – attributes we can all aspire to embody as we celebrate his legacy through this award.”
For more information:
Friends of the Boston Schoolyards: The Friends of the Boston Schoolyards is a volunteer-led nonprofit dedicated to promoting and supporting outdoor teaching and learning in Boston Public Schools. Founded in 2016 by former supporters of the Boston Schoolyard Initiative, the organization advocates for the use and care of renovated schoolyards as vibrant spaces for education, play, and community engagement. Working closely with BPS departments and community partners, Friends of the Boston Schoolyards helps ensure that outdoor learning remains a valued and supported part of the school experience.
Green City Growers: Based in Somerville, Massachusetts, Green City Growers transforms underutilized spaces into beautiful and productive urban farms. Specializing in sustainable urban food growing systems, such as raised garden beds and hydroponic installations, the company has successfully implemented over 180 gardens throughout Massachusetts and beyond. These installations span various locations, including over 60 Boston Public Schools, the Boston Children’s Museum, multiple corporate offices, multi-family housing properties, and the iconic Fenway Park. In addition to its services, Green City Growers shares gardening expertise with clients and collaborates with schools. This collaborative effort is supported by a dedicated team of educators who seamlessly integrate urban farming into educational curricula.
For More Information about August (Gus) Schumacher Jr.
Both a local and national figure in the world of agriculture and equity for farming families, Gus Schumacher passed away too early in 2017. His legacy continues through the programs he initiated as Commissioner of Agriculture in Massachusetts and as Undersecretary at the USDA during the Clinton administration. Following his departure from the USDA, he went on to found the nonprofit Wholesome Wave Foundation with chef-activist Michel Nischan and create programs that bolstered farmers’ markets, farming families, and healthy eating. In 2008, Gus was selected for the 20th Anniversary Food Arts award for outstanding service to the American food and farming system. In 2013, Schumacher received a Leadership Award from the James Beard Foundation.