Bay View Garden And Yard Society
Encyclopedia
The Bay View Garden And Yard Society (Society) is a nonprofit
501(c)(7) organization based in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
.
Sometimes referred to by the acronym BVGAYS, the membership of the Society consists of gay
, lesbian
, and gay-friendly persons living predominantly in Bay View, who volunteer their time and talents by maintaining public gardens in Bay View. Inherent to the group’s philosophy is the principle that by maintaining one’s own property, others are inspired to follow by example.
Some of the Society’s member events and functions include annual plant exchanges, round robins at member’s homes, monthly group dining out, and tours of local greenhouse
s and botanical gardens. In addition to the development of public garden
s throughout Bay View, the group enjoys a high visibility in the community by presenting gardening demonstrations at the South Shore Farmers' Market
, hosting gardening seminars, contributing to temporary art installations, and participating in local events such as the Bay View Neighborhood Association’s Winter Blast and Chill-on-the-Hill.
and lesbian
social group with an emphasis on gardening
and landscaping
. According to one of the group’s founding members,
Beyond the initial social aspects of the Society, the group became more involved in a variety of community projects: participating in neighborhood cleanups, assisting local schools with rain-garden development, and the installation of several landscaping projects to add to the aesthetics of the neighborhood.
One of the group’s original projects was the Bay View Firehouse garden at Milwaukee Fire Department
Engine 11, located at 2526 S. Kinnickinnic Avenue. In 2002, the group planted and maintained gardens at the Beulah Brinton Community Center, and installed a Liberty Garden at the WWII Memorial on Kinnickinnic & Russell Avenues. In 2004, the group added new park benches and assumed the maintenance of the flower planters at the Pryor Avenue Iron Well
. In 2008, the group teamed up with the Bay View Neighborhood Association and the City of Milwaukee to tear out a concrete island and develop a garden in the median at the intersection of Kinnickinnic, Howell & Lincoln Avenues.
The group continues to maintain and develop most of these sites and has received recognition not only for their efforts in the Bay View community, but also for their contributions to the gay community
in Milwaukee.
located at 1115 E. Otjen Street. On February 20, 2002, the South Community Organization donated the vacant lot to Milwaukee Urban Gardens (MUG), a nonprofit land trust
. The lot became MUG’s first owned property, and the Bay View Garden And Yard Society soon began developing the empty lot into Bay View’s first community garden
. The Society members provided the labor, maintenance, and most of the plants for the site, and the gardens there remain the primary focus of the group.
The core of the site consists of eight 8-foot square raised community garden beds that are rented annually for a nominal fee, and four triangular raised trial-garden beds maintained by the group. Outlining the lot are large beds planted with fruit trees and shrubs to provide shelter and food for birds, and perennial flowerbeds to attract bees and butterflies. To add a decorative element to the garden, there is a large crushed-stone compass feature inter-planted with thyme
, and a grapevine covered cedar pergola
with benches. There are also plantings of asparagus
, strawberries, raspberries
, spring flowering bulbs, and woodland plants. All pathways between the beds are mulched for weed control, and the lawn areas are planted with no-mow grass for ease of maintenance. Renters of the community garden
plots have ready access to all of the tools in the garden shed, and there is also a water source nearby.
A formal dedication ceremony attended by local dignitaries was held at the garden site on June 26, 2005 to commemorate the completion of the Village Roots Garden and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Bay View Garden And Yard Society. In an effort to promote community participation and environmental awareness, the Society continues to sponsor occasional meetings, celebrations, and garden tours at the site. The community garden
is also one of the stops on the annual MUG Fall Community Garden Tour.
, and an annual appreciation dinner is held in November.
Beginning in 2005, the group began hosting the annual Bay View Plant Sale to raise the funds necessary for it’s many gardening and outreach endeavors. In collaboration with the South Shore Farmers' Market and the Milwaukee County Park System
, this annual event is held the first Saturday after Memorial Day, rain or shine, at South Shore Park in Bay View. Local businesses help to sponsor the event, and a number of local, commercial plant vendors are invited to attend. Shoppers are able to make their selections from hundreds of annual and perennial plants, and coffee and bakery are also available for sale.
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
501(c)(7) organization based in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
.
Sometimes referred to by the acronym BVGAYS, the membership of the Society consists of gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, and gay-friendly persons living predominantly in Bay View, who volunteer their time and talents by maintaining public gardens in Bay View. Inherent to the group’s philosophy is the principle that by maintaining one’s own property, others are inspired to follow by example.
Objectives
According to the organization’s by-laws, the purpose of the Bay View Garden And Yard Society is:
- “To have fun while promoting the Bay View community through the beautification of our gardens and yards.”
- “To share gardening information, exchange plants, and share information that is of particular interest to those living in Bay View.”
- “To encourage others in Bay View to maintain their gardens, yards, and homes.”
- “To volunteer our time and talent in maintaining public gardens in Bay View.”
- “To socialize with other gay, lesbian, and gay-friendly persons living in Bay View.”
Some of the Society’s member events and functions include annual plant exchanges, round robins at member’s homes, monthly group dining out, and tours of local greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
s and botanical gardens. In addition to the development of public garden
Public Garden
Public Garden is the second mini-album by Dragon Ash; released in 1997. Realism II was used as the theme for Asahi National Broadcasting Co.'s "Sports Spotters" show.-Track listing:#"Realism II" – 2:55#"Ability → Normal" – 3:05...
s throughout Bay View, the group enjoys a high visibility in the community by presenting gardening demonstrations at the South Shore Farmers' Market
Farmers' market
A farmers' market consists of individual vendors—mostly farmers—who set up booths, tables or stands, outdoors or indoors, to sell produce, meat products, fruits and sometimes prepared foods and beverages...
, hosting gardening seminars, contributing to temporary art installations, and participating in local events such as the Bay View Neighborhood Association’s Winter Blast and Chill-on-the-Hill.
History and accomplishments
Founded in May 1995, the Bay View Garden And Yard Society began as a gayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
and lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
social group with an emphasis on gardening
Gardening
Gardening is the practice of growing and cultivating plants. Ornamental plants are normally grown for their flowers, foliage, or overall appearance; useful plants are grown for consumption , for their dyes, or for medicinal or cosmetic use...
and landscaping
Landscaping
Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including:# living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly referred to as gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal of creating a beautiful environment within the landscape.#...
. According to one of the group’s founding members,
In the ensuing years, the group’s strong community presence helped blur orientation barriers and current membership is now half gay, half straight; all joined by a common interest in gardening and community service.
"We (didn’t start the Garden and Yard Society to say) to say [sic] 'Let’s gay this neighborhood up.' We intend to be part of the community first and we happen to be gay".
Beyond the initial social aspects of the Society, the group became more involved in a variety of community projects: participating in neighborhood cleanups, assisting local schools with rain-garden development, and the installation of several landscaping projects to add to the aesthetics of the neighborhood.
One of the group’s original projects was the Bay View Firehouse garden at Milwaukee Fire Department
Milwaukee Fire Department
The Milwaukee Fire Department has the responsibility for protecting the citizens and property of Milwaukee from fire and fire hazards and providing emergency medical services....
Engine 11, located at 2526 S. Kinnickinnic Avenue. In 2002, the group planted and maintained gardens at the Beulah Brinton Community Center, and installed a Liberty Garden at the WWII Memorial on Kinnickinnic & Russell Avenues. In 2004, the group added new park benches and assumed the maintenance of the flower planters at the Pryor Avenue Iron Well
Pryor Avenue Iron Well
The Pryor Avenue Iron Well, or Iron Well, is an early artesian water well located in the Bay View Historic District of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Built in 1882 and named for its high iron content. Originally water naturally flowed from the pressurized aquifer below. The original hand pump is now...
. In 2008, the group teamed up with the Bay View Neighborhood Association and the City of Milwaukee to tear out a concrete island and develop a garden in the median at the intersection of Kinnickinnic, Howell & Lincoln Avenues.
The group continues to maintain and develop most of these sites and has received recognition not only for their efforts in the Bay View community, but also for their contributions to the gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
in Milwaukee.
Community gardening
Since 2001, the main centerpiece and major focus of the Society’s efforts has been the Village Roots GardenVillage Roots Garden
The Village Roots Garden is a community garden located at 1115 E. Otjen Street in the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.-History and garden development:...
located at 1115 E. Otjen Street. On February 20, 2002, the South Community Organization donated the vacant lot to Milwaukee Urban Gardens (MUG), a nonprofit land trust
Land trust
There are two distinct definitions of a land trust:* a private, nonprofit organization that, as all or part of its mission, actively works to conserve land by undertaking or assisting in land or conservation easement acquisition, or by its stewardship of such land or easements; or* an agreement...
. The lot became MUG’s first owned property, and the Bay View Garden And Yard Society soon began developing the empty lot into Bay View’s first community garden
Community gardening
A community garden is a single piece of land gardened collectively by a group of people.-Purpose:Community gardens provide fresh produce and plants as well as satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment...
. The Society members provided the labor, maintenance, and most of the plants for the site, and the gardens there remain the primary focus of the group.
The core of the site consists of eight 8-foot square raised community garden beds that are rented annually for a nominal fee, and four triangular raised trial-garden beds maintained by the group. Outlining the lot are large beds planted with fruit trees and shrubs to provide shelter and food for birds, and perennial flowerbeds to attract bees and butterflies. To add a decorative element to the garden, there is a large crushed-stone compass feature inter-planted with thyme
Thyme
Thyme is a culinary and medicinal herb of the genus Thymus.-History:Ancient Egyptians used thyme for embalming. The ancient Greeks used it in their baths and burnt it as incense in their temples, believing it was a source of courage...
, and a grapevine covered cedar pergola
Pergola
A pergola, arbor or arbour is a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained...
with benches. There are also plantings of asparagus
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis is a spring vegetable, a flowering perennialplant species in the genus Asparagus. It was once classified in the lily family, like its Allium cousins, onions and garlic, but the Liliaceae have been split and the onion-like plants are now in the family Amaryllidaceae and...
, strawberries, raspberries
Raspberries
Raspberry may refer to:* Raspberry, various fruit-bearing plants in the genus Rubus, especially two commercially grown species, the red-fruited Rubus idaeus and the black-fruited Rubus occidentalis...
, spring flowering bulbs, and woodland plants. All pathways between the beds are mulched for weed control, and the lawn areas are planted with no-mow grass for ease of maintenance. Renters of the community garden
Community gardening
A community garden is a single piece of land gardened collectively by a group of people.-Purpose:Community gardens provide fresh produce and plants as well as satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment...
plots have ready access to all of the tools in the garden shed, and there is also a water source nearby.
A formal dedication ceremony attended by local dignitaries was held at the garden site on June 26, 2005 to commemorate the completion of the Village Roots Garden and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Bay View Garden And Yard Society. In an effort to promote community participation and environmental awareness, the Society continues to sponsor occasional meetings, celebrations, and garden tours at the site. The community garden
Community gardening
A community garden is a single piece of land gardened collectively by a group of people.-Purpose:Community gardens provide fresh produce and plants as well as satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment...
is also one of the stops on the annual MUG Fall Community Garden Tour.
Membership, funding, and the Bay View Plant Sale
Membership dues are collected from members annually and are used to fund the group’s many public service projects and the operating costs of the Society. Group meetings are held the 4th Wednesday of each month from January through October at the historic Beulah Brinton HouseBeulah Brinton House
The Beulah Brinton House is located at 2590 S. Superior Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Located in what is known as the Bay View neighborhood, the Beulah Brinton House is significant for both its history as well as its architecture.- History :...
, and an annual appreciation dinner is held in November.
Beginning in 2005, the group began hosting the annual Bay View Plant Sale to raise the funds necessary for it’s many gardening and outreach endeavors. In collaboration with the South Shore Farmers' Market and the Milwaukee County Park System
Parks of Milwaukee
-List of parks in Milwaukee County park system:The Milwaukee County Park system was awarded the 2009 National Gold Medal Award "for excellence in the field of park and recreation management" by the National Recreation and Park Association.-Other parks:...
, this annual event is held the first Saturday after Memorial Day, rain or shine, at South Shore Park in Bay View. Local businesses help to sponsor the event, and a number of local, commercial plant vendors are invited to attend. Shoppers are able to make their selections from hundreds of annual and perennial plants, and coffee and bakery are also available for sale.