Saving the Community Gardens
by Mary Wallis Gutmann (was Whiting in 1968)
I’m not very Web-savvy, but every now and then someone who is calls to say, “Mary, listen to what I read on Facebook. . .” This time it was my son, Paul, reporting that Wendy Waczek was writing about the [Zinsser] gardens. So thank you, Wendy – your post made me remember with pleasure all your 4-H kids and working to save the Zinsser Gardens. -Mary Wallis Gutmann
Arthur Langmuir’s 1933 photo showing the site of
World War I and II Victory Gardens.
Owned by Colonel Frederick Zinsser.
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“Sort of,” Charlie said. “That garden belonged to the Zinsser family. The village bought it and the land next to it,” pointing above at a larger area along the Aqueduct. “The gardens have been here since the Zinsser Chemical Company decided to give their workers garden plots years ago. During the war they were Victory Gardens. Hastings had many Russian escapees [refugees]. They mostly grew cabbages, onions and tomatoes. Some still do,” he said, pointing out rows of neatly lined up plantings with onion tops tramped over in classic fashion.
4-H Club:
Dawn Taylor tending her garden c.1974
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We never put in the bocce court, but somebody assembled logs for a sort-of playground that is probably now humus. Carol and I liked the idea of a 4-H Club. Both our daughters were more or less enthusiastic and both sons not wild about it, but they all did some work every now and then. At the end of the first summer, we piled the kids in Carol’s big station wagon to take part in the Yorktown Heights Grange Fair. Our kids won prizes; Wendy Waczek remembers hers with delight and Paul won for the biggest tomato.
After it was over, I said to Pat, “I am exhausted. How can we manage that again next year?”
He said, “We won’t. We’ll hold it every other year.”
No one caught on. We had six or seven fairs over 12 or 14 years. (to read more on the fairs hastingshistoricalsociety.blogspot.com) Pat really understood people; that’s how he survived in a demanding little village. He used to say under his breath, no matter how mad they were at him for something he would or wouldn’t do, “Keep those cards and letters coming. . .” And they did.
Three girls, one in a Girl Scout uniform,
standing in front of the sheep pen at the Country Fair. One of the events of fair was a sheep shearing exhibition.
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Mrs. Ravinsky showing her garden to her great grandson Patrick. c.1975 |
Everyone loved to pass on seeds and advice, and whatever kind of garden keeper you were didn’t matter – a bit seedy or pristine, all were okay. I hear all the garden plots are fully tilled now and that’s great.
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Other write-ups on the Zinsser Gardens:
REGARDING THE PHOTO ABOVE where it says: “Six women examining the preserve table a the Country Fair on September 15,1979. The fair was part of Hastings Centennial, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the incorporation of the village. From the Left: 2nd is Mary Callas, the former Village Clerk, Polly Carpenter, Carolyn Armour, Emmy Crosby, flatly on the right, Blanche Marchetti, the original owner of Food for Thought.”
The woman holding a jar and standing next to Blanche is MaryAnn Kingston. She still lives in Hastings at La Barranca (465 Bway). She won first place awards in pie baking competitions here in Hastings. And she was an expert vegetable gardener on a big, lovely plot at Zinsser community gardens.