A Rosie On The House Replay w/ Jenny Beasley
Jenny Beasley of Heart for the City shares how a barren dirt lot in Glendale, Arizona, became a thriving community garden serving families, schools, volunteers, and gardeners from eight different cultures. She explains how partnerships, raised beds, shared food, and educational programs helped transform the space into much more than a place to grow vegetables. The conversation explores how community gardens create belonging, purpose, friendships, healthier neighborhoods, and stronger connections between people. Jenny also offers practical advice for anyone interested in starting a community garden of their own.
Key Topics & Entities
- Heart for the City Garden
- Jenny Beasley
- Community gardens
- Glendale, Arizona
- Raised garden beds
- Community partnerships
- City of Glendale
- School garden partnerships
- Eight different cultures
- Cucuzza squash
- Urban gardening in the desert
- Gardening education
- Food access
- Community building
Key Questions Answered
How did Heart for the City Garden begin?
Jenny Beasley was challenged to transform a barren, partly asphalt-covered dirt lot into a community garden. The City of Glendale provided the property, while a community development grant helped fund the initial development.
What made the raised beds such a game changer?
The raised beds gave individual families and gardeners a sense of ownership. They also allowed people from different cultures to grow vegetables they remembered from childhood or from their home countries.
How does the garden bring different cultures together?
Gardeners from places including Jordan, Trinidad, China, Mexico, Hungary, and Peru grow alongside one another, sharing vegetables, recipes, gardening knowledge, and traditions.
What is the biggest lesson Jenny learned about building community?
People want to feel connected and be part of something. Growing side by side gives people a natural way to participate, contribute, and build relationships.
How can someone begin creating a community garden?
First determine what type of community garden you want to create, then visit and learn from gardens with similar goals. Jenny says learning from people who have already developed successful gardens can save enormous amounts of time.
How does the garden operate in the Arizona heat?
Heart for the City Garden grows year-round. During the hottest part of the year, peppers, okra, herbs, and other crops are growing, while tomatoes can be more challenging.
How does the garden create purpose for people?
Jenny describes a woman who unexpectedly retired and found purpose, friendships, activity, and a new routine through spending time at the garden.
What happens beyond gardening at Heart for the City?
The garden hosts cooking events, recipe sharing, educational activities, guest speakers, celebrations, and even weddings. Visitors may leave with seeds, plants, or planting calendars.
How does the surrounding neighborhood participate?
Neighbors walk to the garden with their children, donate gardening supplies, volunteer, and help one another. The garden has become a close-knit neighborhood resource rather than simply a place to grow food.
What does Jenny consider the garden's greatest accomplishment?
She is most proud of how the gardeners connect, help one another, care for their garden spaces, celebrate life's milestones, and continue learning. As another gardener put it, they are “growing people also.”
Episode Highlights
- A barren dirt lot becomes a thriving community garden and food forest over roughly 12 years.
- Raised beds become a “game changer,” giving families ownership and encouraging participation from multiple cultures.
- Partnerships with the City of Glendale, schools, businesses, and volunteers help sustain the garden.
- The garden's cucuzza squash inspires a club, a giant trellis, shared recipes, and plenty of fun.
- Gardeners support one another with rides, meals, home check-ins, and friendship—creating what Jenny calls a “big garden family.”
- Cooking and food-sharing events help people learn what to do with the vegetables they grow.
- The garden welcomes people from throughout the area who want to learn about gardening or simply connect with others.
- Jenny's central message: community gardens don't just grow vegetables—they grow people and relationships.
Calls to Action & Resources
Heart for the City Garden — heartforthecityaz.org
Contact Jenny Beasley — [email protected]
Visit Heart for the City Garden — 69th Avenue, north of Bethany Home, behind the fire station in Glendale, Arizona.
Support the Garden — Donations and community support help with ongoing expenses, including water and garden operations.
In this episode we explore the concept of wicking bed gardens, hosted by Romey Romero & Farmer Greg, our guest is .
Visit www.UrbanFarm.org/1003 for the show notes and links on this episode!
Need a little bit of advice or just a feedback on your design for your yard or garden?The Urban Farm Team is offering consults over the phone or zoom. Get the benefits of a personalized garden and yard space analysis without the cost of trip charges.You can chat with Greg, Janis or Ray to get permaculture based feedback.Click HERE to learn more!
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