Carmen DeVito

Journey to the second highest point in New York City with Carmen DeVito: Grymes Hill in Staten Island! She takes us behind the scenes at Casa Belvedere, home to the Italian Cultural Foundation.

First, the Founder and President Gina Biancardi talks about the history of the area and the process of purchasing, renovating, and preserving Casa Belvedere (a NYC historical landmark).

Next, Carmen visits Beatrice Alecci, the Program Director of the ICF. They talk about one of the newest projects at Casa Belvedere: Nonno’s Garden. Then, Carmen tours the garden to show what vegetables and herbs are planted – from tomatoes and zucchini, to basil, sage, oregano, and thyme.

Plus, the views are beautiful!

Carmen borough-hops from her backyard in Brooklyn, over to Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden. She visits with Ezra Pasackow, Farm Manager at the Heritage Farm (2020 is his first season in this role). The 2.5-acre Heritage Farm is cared for in an environmentally sustainable manner so that it will claim permanence on Staten Island and continue to produce fresh fruits and vegetables for years to come.

Ezra and Carmen discuss the farm’s mission and what Ezra is learning about the land, community, and history of Snug Harbor, which was the home to a community of retired sailors at its peak between 1880 and 1910.

In this video, Carmen shares some of her most clever tips and tricks for reviving wilted plants, managing pests, and pruning techniques. It’s all about maximizing your garden with minimal effort and intervention!

Carmen also talks about edible weeds that grow in her garden, like purslane, and their culinary applications and nutritional benefits. Coming up in August, Carmen is going to bring you gardening videos from the field, as she visits two innovative farms. Stay tuned!

At this point in the summer, hopefully your garden is looking as bountiful as Carmen’s! This week, she shares a few more tool pointers and shows us a variety of low-cost planter options, such as fabric pots and five-gallon buckets!

Then, Carmen shares some pruning tips for cucumbers and tomatoes to make sure plants are staying manageable and disease-free.

Finally, we revisit the nasturtiums that Carmen planted in late spring, and see some of the vibrant green pesto that she makes using her cousin’s Italian olive oil and the bounty of the garden.

Having the right tools can make gardening easier and more fun! In this video, Carmen shows us some her favorite tools – including an heirloom from Italy – and how to properly care for them. Then, we revisit Carmen’s backyard lemon tree, where she demonstrates using the right tool and technique to harvest fruit while keeping the plant healthy. Finally, it’s time to preserve the bounty of the garden! Carmen preserves her lemons with ginger to add a kick of flavor to food and drink long after summer is gone.

Carmen is back this week with more backyard gardening tips. She begins by addressing how current events – first Covid-19 and now protests against police brutality – have highlighted the disparities and dangers of our unjust social and political systems. Carmen is highlighting gardening and food justice organizations she supports at instagram.com/goodydevito.

This week, Carmen is demonstrating how to use vertical gardening and companion planting techniques to grow cucumbers and beans in her small outdoor garden. Then, we check in on some of the vegetables and herbs that she planted earlier in the series.