#LBOT or Library Boxes of Trenton has been a rewarding project for me.  As with most of what I do it includes several partners, lots of moving parts and of course civic engagement.

The #LBOT located at the Bethany House of Hospitality continues to warm my heart.  Recently I dropped off ~50 books picked up from #ChampsTrenton and a few dozen magazines from Magazine Literacy.Org

This location moves a lot of reading materials.  The residents who are committed adopters of this #LBOT shared with me that it is used all the time.  They have even expanded to place give away items in good condition near the #LBOT and they are taken as well!

The location is a good one; along a NJ Transit Bus Route, with high volumes of foot traffic, next door to an active church and across the street from a vibrant park.

Have a look at the promotional video regarding the development of the Bethany House of Hospitality - BHOH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-In-A7LOnY

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Did you know Trenton NJ has a Farm!  Have a look and listen to my coverage of the Capital City Farm led by Allegra Lovejoy.

/trenton365/2016/09/capital-city-farm-trenton-nj-september.html

While out and about doing what I do I stopped by this location near the Trenton Police HQ and the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen to document this #LBOT.  A few paperbacks were present so I loaded it up with Guideposts Magazines from Magazine Literacy and some romance novels from Champs.

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Biking was my freedom as a "youngster" and I want to help others have that experience.  The biking culture in Trenton NJ is organic, artistic, functional and growing!  From the monthly Trenton Social Ride led by Wills Kinsley, small groups led by cyclist Kevin Duddy, Bike Polo, Tall Bike Modifications and the advocacy group Trenton Cycling Revolution - TCR regularly you can see a diverse collection of people riding bikes in Trenton.

In preparation for the annual Bike Tour of Trenton a small group came together to start the process for the route creation.  This took us to Trenton Coffeehouse and Roaster owned and operated by Abdul Qadir.  During this visit I checked in on the #LBOT adopted by Abdul and created by Arizona Perron.  This #LBOT had a few offerings and appears to be doing just fine.

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In addition to the BHOH, the Capital City Farm and Trenton Coffeehouse and Roaster locations I have received a few calls from others who want to Adopt a #LBOT one of them is Ida Malloy.

Ida who is very civically active contacted me about her "Backyard Book Club" which meets weekly and offers reading materials to the neighborhood children.  Ida received over 200 copies of Highlights Magazine to share and I expect she will need more!

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Each Monday night at Champs Trenton, 931 Chambers St., #LBOT Artist Lori Johansson hosts "Art Chill Night" and on July 24th the theme will be literacy!  Join us as we create art inspired by literacy, sort and package books and magazines that will be delivered throughout the area.

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In closing think about how you can be a part of this effort with your time, talent and treasures!

If you Adopted a #LBOT, we need to hear from you about your experiences so we can support your efforts!

It is well documented that I grew up in a village in Ewing Township NJ.  There I learned so many valuable life lessons from my parents, 6 siblings, Great Aunt, Maternal Grandparents as well as Aunts, Uncles, Nephews, Nieces and extended family and friends.

One of the lessons I am so proud of is the love of nature and food.  Of course we all appreciate food and recognize it's importance to life.

I remember the garden in my Grandparents backyard.  I looked forward to getting dirty and fell in love with the feeling of the soil under my fingernails, so much so that now I consider that a form of therapy.  A vivid memory is sitting on the back steps with Lula my Grandmother eating "our" cucumbers and tomatoes and walking a few hundred yards into the "hole" with my cousins to pick blackberries that "Grandmom" would use to make "blackberry pie" completely from scratch!

So when I heard that Trenton would have a farm I was stoked!  I recall a invite to a planning meeting conducted by the D & R Greenway Land Trust where we discussed the ongoing negotiations for the purchase of the property and potential site remediations.  I was fascinated to learn of the history of the land located next to the Trenton Police Department and adjacent to TASK - Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and the Rescue Mission, I was on board.

After negotiations and the subsequent finalized purchase, I met with Allegra Lovejoy who would be a key leader in the Capital City Farm, have a listen to our chat.

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/allegra-lovejoy-dnrgreenway-land-trust

Recently I visited the Capital City Farm, made some new friends and took in the efforts of the various partners to inspire me and others.

Have a listen to my chat with Andrew Blackwell, a locally born and raised young man who is excited about what the Capital City Farm means to his city.

https://soundcloud.com/trenton365/capital-city-farm-trenton-nj 

Going forward expect to hear more from the Capital City Farm and other agriculture projects and initiatives through Trenton 365, in the interim have a look at some recent images.

Capital City Farm images from September 2016

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipNxtnOuaJw6EGGIjxdfrZhg3FVT7I8WystzP8_i