A Growing Understanding

In addition to tending to their garden plot, campers from the Ricketts Center are also painting birdhouses and benches the MOSAIC Community Land Trust's community garden on Chestnut Street.

Blogger's Note: The following comes from Sue Repko, Positively Pottstown blogger extraordinaire, and executive director of Pottstown's MOSAIC Community Land Trust.

Campers at the Pottstown branch of the Olivet Boys and Girls Club are learning about fresh, organic vegetables while keeping their creativity humming in a unique summer program at the MOSAIC Community Garden at 423 Chestnut Street in Pottstown.

Every garden needs water.

About twenty campers, aged 10-12 years old, are participating in the six-week program.

One morning each week they walk from the Ricketts Center to the garden, where they spend a couple hours working on an art project and caring for their organization’s two plots as well as the communal plots around the perimeter of the garden.

So far the children have painted benches in whimsical colors, learned how to use binoculars from a birding expert, and painted birdhouses to take home.

They have also taken home collard greens and had the chance to sample blueberries and cherry tomatoes while watering the many plants being grown around the perimeter of the garden.


Funding for the program, which was designed by Pottstown resident Hannah Davis, is being provided by Susquehanna Bank through Genesis Housing Corporation. Ms. Davis is teaching the art classes along with Natalie Cyphers.

The boys got into the act, painting birdhouses as well.

“We’re grateful to Susquehanna and Judy Memberg of Genesis for making it possible for us to offer programming in our first year of operating the garden,” said David Jackson, president of MOSAIC. “We want young people especially to experience the benefits of gardening and the arts.”


The remaining three workshops will focus on the life cycle of butterflies and making butterfly mobiles, creating mosaic tile stepping stones for the garden, and making pizzas at the Ricketts Center with ingredients picked fresh from the garden.


The MOSAIC Community Garden is owned and operated by MOSAIC Community Land Trust, which is seeking additional community garden sites for 2013 in order to expand the supply of fresh vegetables and healthy lifestyle choices for Pottstown residents.

The benches at the garden will be brightly colored.

Support for acquisition and construction of the garden came from the Pottstown School District, Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, National Penn Bank, Genesis Housing Corporation, Susquehanna Bank, Lowes, Borough of Pottstown, Davey Tree Experts, and Andrew Monastra, Esq.

MOSAIC Community Land Trust (CLT) has an office and art gallery at 10 S. Hanover Street in downtown Pottstown.

They welcome donations in support of their mission to increase homeownership, develop community gardens, and support the arts in Pottstown. Membership in the CLT is open to all; details can be found at their website at www.mosaiccommunitylandtrust.org or by calling David Jackson at 484-949-4235.