​Westchester Farm Gets Nursery-Starting Grant

YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY — Hilltop Hanover Farm in Yorktown Heights received a $4,375 grant from the Bedford Garden Club to start a volunteer-run native plant nursery. According to Westchester County, the farm will use the funds to cultivate plants native to the county, including swamp milkweed, New York ironweed and bee balm.

These plants are low maintenance, naturally adapted to thrive in the area and support its ecosystems, experts said.

“This grant will strengthen the ecosystems of Westchester County as we move towards our goal of increasing availability of native plants, and sharing knowledge of their use, maintenance and propagation,” said Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

Volunteers will be trained by botanists, in a series of six classes, on plant culture and the collection, cleaning and propagation of seeds. Workshop leaders include New England Wild Flower Society Propagator Dan Jaffe, Highstead Operations Manager Geordie Elkins and Mid-Atlantic Regional Seed Bank Consulting Botanist Molly Marquand.

“The seeds collected in this program will be used to plant founder plots that can be harvested for seeds subsequent years so the nursery can continue to grow eco-regional native plants without over-harvesting from wild populations,” said Hilltop Hanover Farm Director Shanyn Siegel.

The nursery will start production in June. The plants will be ready in the fall for use in civic and local conservation projects and to be sold to residents for ecological landscaping.

The program will support Executive Order No. 10 of 2018, which aims to preserve the natural heritage and restore biodiversity in the county. Additionally, it will support the many environmental organizations and initiatives in Westchester, including the Pollinator Pathway, Healthy Yards and pollinator-friendly solar.

Hilltop Hanover Farm will launch the volunteer program at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 16. The New York Botanical Garden Director of the Thain Family Forest Jessica Schuler will discuss lessons learned from the New York Botanical Garden’s 120 years of garden management and share tips to use in your own garden with a focus on native plants.

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