Saturdays at Harlem Grown How One Big Idea Transformed a Neighborhood

In this companion to the bestselling nonfiction picture book Harlem Grown about the real-life urban community farm featured on Humans of New York, it’s harvest time for the employees and volunteers that tend the lush garden.

Mr. Tony and Nevaeh, a student, planted a farm. And then the word got out. Every Saturday people came to help: moms, dads, neighbors, shopkeepers. Everyone pitched in and raked, tiled, dug, and planted. It was beautiful in spring and summer, and when the weather turned to fall, it was time to harvest so everyone could experience the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor. Together they composted, recycled, and enjoyed. They built a garden. They built a community, too.

Take the story even further with an author’s note, a recipe for vegetable soup, and instructions for recycling, composting, and tending to a garden.

Tony Hillery is the founder and executive director of Harlem Grown. In 2011, he began volunteering at a public elementary school in Harlem. It was then that he noticed the vacant lot across from the street and had a big idea. The rest is history. Tony lives in New York, New York. He is the author of picture books Harlem Grown and Saturdays at Harlem Grown.

Jessie Hartland is the author and illustrator of many nonfiction titles for young readers, including Our Flag Was Still There, which was named a Bank Street Best Book of the Year. The New York Times praised her “joyful folk-art illustrations” in Harlem Grown, written by Tony Hillery. She has painted murals at a Japanese amusement park, designed Christmas windows for Bloomingdale’s, and put her mark on ceramics, watches, and all sorts of other things. She has done drawings for many magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, Travel and Leisure Family Club, Martha Stewart Kids, and Bon Appétit. She lives in New York City. Visit her at JessieHartland.com.