The Beach 91st Street Community Garden is organizing a Food Drive again this holiday season. 100% of donated food andmonetary gifts will go directly to the St. Rose of Lima Food Pantry. Here are the important details:
What the pantry needs most:
Non-perishables and canned goods with self-opening tabs
• Microwaveable/boil-water meals (soups, instant noodles, oatmeal, Chef Boyardee), baby food, small bottle beverages, instant coffee, protein drinks
• Travel-sized toiletries: hand warmers, band-aids, hand sanitizer, hand cream, wipes, gum, chapstick, feminine products, tissues, combs, etc.
Drop-off before Nov. 17: There is a bin on the porch at 125 Beach 91st St., Rockaway Beach, NY 11693 (across from the Beach 91st Street Community Garden).
Additionally, consider making a donation through Venmo (scan the QR code). Checks can be made payable to: Beach 91st Street Community Garden, Inc. (tax-deductible).
All contributions will be delivered to the St. Rose of Lima Food Pantry to support our neighbors for Thanksgiving and into the New Year. Food insecurity spikes during the holidays, and many in Rockaway are feeling it.
And with the government shutdown, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) ends Nov. 1 – its future is unclear. Now more than ever, we need to step up. SNAP is the largest anti-hunger program in the U.S. and dates back to the Great Depression. Most recipients today are seniors, families with kids, and people with disabilities – this is 42 million people in America. InRockaway and our congressional district, 133,262 people (79,556 households) rely on SNAP to feed themselves and their loved ones.
Spread the word—share the poster with your crew, and let’s fill the shelves at St. Rose of Lima. Let’s do this!
The faces of the children when the potato piñata exploded were worth everything! I’m happy no one got clocked on the head with a potato. Yes, I put small fingerling potatoes in the piñata, along with, obviously, a bunch of chocolate, Twizzlers, gummy bears, and potato stickers.
And then there was the edible potato diorama, brought by Tom, complete with bear and wolf figures drinking from a serene BBQ sauce river. Herbs from the Beach 91st Street Community completed the culinary piece, bringing color and texture to the landscape. At first, people hesitated to eat it because it was so beautiful, but we encouraged them to go for it!
People eating, kids playing with Ms. Potato Head on the bright blanket. Buddy, the baby, was wobbling around with giant sticky craft eyeballs on his head. A couple reading about potatoes in fine art through history at the Education Table. Potatoes everywhere—talking, laughing, music. Perfect potato weather.
The FedEx driver idled at the curb while Erin Moon strummed her guitar. A signal that our community is bigger than the circles we already know. Something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately – inclusiveness. I want “All are welcome,” in truth. That’s the energy I’m chasing with the events I produce at the garden. I want to mix together folks who don’t usually connect and see what wonderful things it will bring.
A sincere thank you to our cooks for the amazing potato dishes and to the artists—vocalist/guitarist Erin Moon, flutist Daniel Hanna, and DJ / Producer Mikal Hameed of ReBaroque. And thank you to everyone who joined us at Potato Fest 2025. You are important. Here’s to a mix-and-mash of Rockaway and keeping the community table open, for whoever would like a seat.
For more on Rockaway events, visit theglorifiedtomato.com and follow Paula around town on Instagram: @theglorifedtomato.
by Paula D.
on November 20, 2025 1:48 pm in Community
Breadth, strength, presence. Notice the monarchs drifting by, the sea breeze carrying a hint of lavender, and the sound of the leaves rustling. Finally, have your uncovered feet on the earth. Yoga in the Beach 91st Community Garden is happening this weekend, Sunday, Oct 5 at 11:30 a.m. Bring a mat, bring a friend, leave the stress at the gate.
I met our instructor, Diana Treglia, when I was asked to present at the Belle Harbor Garden Club—such a treat. I met so many wonderful experienced gardener ladies who love to dig, plant, and build community. That’s the whole point, right?
Diana Treglia, B.S., M.A., C-IAYT, has been a full-time yoga and meditation teacher since 1975. A Certified Yoga Therapist with a master’s degree in Integrative Health and Healing, Diana has long been at the forefront of sharing yoga practice. Her work is rooted in the belief that the greatest gift we can give ourselves is greater self-awareness. She currently teaches Chair Yoga on Zoom through the Council Senior Center, offers private yoga therapy, and leads weekly mat classes on Zoom. Her contact is Mandara1@aol.com.
Diana moved here in 2001 and loves the community feel on the peninsula. Every day she walks through Riis Park and into Fort Tilden, feeling “so thankful to live in such a beautiful place—the air, the ocean, the open space.” When I asked her about yoga and gardening, she said, “Gardening is like a form of meditation. It brings you into the moment. Yoga does the same—it brings you into the present and heightens your awareness. Nature does that too.”
Through producing garden events, my neighbors have become collaborators, and I’ve connected with Myriam Gold, too — a new member this year and the artist behind the yoga event poster. She is a creative who describes Rockaway as a “crafted paradise” — ocean at the doorstep, library a block away, sunflowers on every corner. She started a garden 10 years ago when her first daughter was born, so she could taste real berries and tomatoes. Now she grows from seed and uses gardening as therapy, play, and teaching for her children.
Myriam attended L’École Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Casablanca and studied design/fine arts/organic architecture. She handled international rebrands, produced with Jazzablanca, and worked for the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco. In NYC, Myriam dove into underground art and worked with Gaetano Pesce. Today she’s experimenting with painting, volunteering, and running creative at NYC Garage Door Service, her family business. See more of her work on Instagram: @mushroma
This event is the garden at its best—a community potting mix: Diana bringing breath, Myriam bringing art, and all of us creating the connection.
by Paula D.
on November 4, 2025 9:17 am in Gardening
Back in May, I wrote in my column, “I’m Growing Peanuts!” – about the peanut plant a squirrel stored in my garden. I was so excited! I’d never grown peanuts before, and I learned they’re actually legumes, not nuts, and they grow underground; there’s no such thing as a peanut tree! Then summer rolled on, and something funny happened: I started noticing peanut plants all over 91st Street. Once I knew the look of the leaves, they were suddenly everywhere. I thought I was going nuts!
Then it registered… There’s a guy who visits the block most mornings and feeds the squirrels peanuts. The shells pile up by our garden gate, so it seems the squirrels have basically planted the whole block.
Last week, I harvested my peanut plant and shook out a clump of pale shells clinging to the roots. Only 6 peanuts! One plant can grow up to 100 peanuts! I guess I need a bit more practice growing. They’re a southern crop and need 160 days to mature. I think my plant needed more sun; I remember my tomato plant towering over it for part of the season.
Gently dig around the plant and pull up, shaking off the soil to reveal peanut pods clinging to the roots!
I pulled a few more plants I found in my front garden to add to my peanut pile. I had to try one right away—nothing much was happening! It tasted pretty bland, if wet air is a flavor, that was it. The texture was like a cashew—the kind you get in cheap Chinese food.
After reading a bunch online, I learned what happens next: shake off the soil, leave the pods attached to the roots, and let the whole plant air-dry in a warm, breezy spot for about 1-2 weeks. Then, remove them from the plant and cure for another 1-2 weeks, until the shells are fully dry and give that rattle.
For the first phase of curing, leave the peanuts attached to the plant for two weeks.
I was curious why peanuts need to be cured on the root. According to the National Peanut Board, it’s because the plant draws moisture out slowly through the stems, letting the pods dry evenly so the shells don’t crack—this also helps prevent mold. Keeping them on the roots shields the pods from sun damage, reduces handling damage, and gives the flavor time to develop.
Once cured, you have two options:
- Classic Roast: Shell or leave in shell. 350 degrees for 15-20 min (shelled), or 20–25 min (in shell), stirring once. Cool – the crunch happens as they cool. Season and store: toss with salt/spices while warm. Cool completely and store in an airtight jar for up to a month (or freeze).
- Boil (Southern-style, green fresh peanuts): Simmer in salted water 1–3 hours until tender, then season.
So I’ll have to pause here and finish my peanut journey in a few weeks after curing. Stay tuned.
