First College Garden Interns Strengthen Community Garden Programs in 2025
Our St Nicholas Miracle Garden welcomed its first college garden interns this year. They brought hands-on support and innovative ideas to enhance garden and greenhouse programs in Harlem. Their work strengthened our infrastructure, expanded programming, and created valuable learning opportunities for students and the community.
Compost Project
This summer, we upgraded our compost program to process organic waste efficiently. Alondra Mendoza Pineda, intern, led the compost project, organizing, and Big Reuse installed the rat-proof metal compost cubes in the garden. These bins, designed by Daniel Wendlek, Gil Lopez, and Boyce Tech employees Brandon Ye and Areyck Catipon, have been used at Big Reuse since October 2021. Big Reuse developed the layered composting process and provided hands-on installation guidance, helping us implement it successfully at St. Nicholas Miracle Garden.
Colin LeGore, an intern, and community volunteers demonstrated the old compost bins, making the transition seamless. This upgrade allows the garden to sort food scraps and waste more efficiently, improving soil health, reducing organic waste, and creating a sustainable nutrient cycle for the garden. It elevates our composting program to the next level.
Community Garden
Alondra Mendoza Pineda also managed and maintained the community garden space. They coordinated garden events, including Corporate Volunteer Day and live music sessions, keeping the space vibrant and accessible for all. We partnered with the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation GreenThumb, which helped coordinate corporate and community volunteers to continue our garden beautification efforts.
One season highlight was Live In The Garden, hosted by Jeremy Collins at St. Nicholas Miracle Garden. The evening brought the community together for live music, food, and connection. Performances from Precious Jewel, Joey Bricks, Sa’Miya, Daloren, Whos Day, Cousin Tito, and Arkadiusz the Lover lit the stage, with Daniel Ross hosting.
Greenhouse and Microgreens Project
Isaac Amos, our second intern, focused on greenhouse operations and piloted our microgreens project. He supported the exterior irrigation system, monitored growing conditions, and tested innovative methods to maximize seedling production. The hands-on experience taught him about plant growth cycles, environmental controls, and efficient resource use in urban agriculture.
To ensure the microgreens project succeeded, the intern partnered with Jude Vallon, a Civic Engineer, gaining practical guidance in infrastructure planning and system maintenance. They also collaborated with Mi Oh My Hydroponic Farms and Center for Agricultural Development and Entrepreneurship (CADE) for professional consultation, helping refine the microgreens pilot to meet high-quality production standards.
The microgreens project provides fresh, locally-grown produce to the community, supplements our farmers market offerings, and is an educational tool for youth and adults alike. Participants in our Kids Club and community programs can see how seeds grow into nutrient-rich microgreens, gaining hands-on knowledge about sustainable food production.
The greenhouse combination operations with microgreens cultivation, this project demonstrates how urban agriculture can provide healthy food, educational opportunities, and community engagement, all within a compact, year-round growing space.
Impact of College Interns
The interns strengthened our urban agriculture programs, improved garden infrastructure, and provided hands-on learning opportunities for students and community members. Their work demonstrated the impact of college internships in urban gardening, connecting education, community service, and sustainable food production.
We look forward to expanding the internship program in the coming years, continuing to provide meaningful experiences for students, and supporting local food and community garden initiatives.
