Glenwild Garden Center Lauded for Service to Bloomingdale

Jodie MacKenn Bross received several rounds of applause for the success of her family's business.

For three generations, the MacKenn family's Glenwild Garden Center been the place where Bloomingdale natives go for their organic gardening and landscaping needs. Owner Jodie MacKenn Bross was honored with a standing ovation and a resolution honoring the family's local contributions from the Bloomingdale Borough Council at their last meeting. In a business Spotlight with Tri-Boro Patch, Bross said she "deeply believe[s] in living sustainably and doing our part to understand the damage all the chemical use in the past  60 or 70 years has done to our planet and soil (as well as air and water)." Mayor Jonathan Dunleavy and the rest of the council unanimously passed the resolution, which honored "the services that Glenwild Garden Center …

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Spotlight on the Tri-Boro

Bloomingdale's Glenwild Gardens Keeps It Green

For 85 years, family and caring for the planet have been organic garden business' priorities.

If you live in or near Bloomingdale, you surely are famiiar with the sight of Glenwild Garden Center. The business, which focuses on organic growing, got its start 85 years ago. That's a lot of history: Three generations of the MacKenn family, starting with A.J. MacKenn, have served families in the Tri-Boro and beyond, offering gardening supplies, growing and landscaping advice and more. And while the center has been in business for a very long time, the information its staff shares is as modern as it gets. With Earth Day just past and the public's growing concern with everything green, organic and sustainable, Glenwild Gardens' knowledgeable staff is poised to have its finger on the pulse of what's happening right now—just by focusing on …

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Bloomingdale Trout Fishing Contest Coming This Week

Glenwild Garden Center to celebrate 85 years in business by planting tree at Bogue Pond.

Fishermen (and women) young and old will cast their reels into the waters of Bogue Pond Saturday for the Borough of Bloomingdale's annual Trout-Fishing Contest. The contest will kick off rain or shine at 10 a.m. at the pond, but before the fishing commences, the borough will celebrate one of its oldest businesses with a special ceremony. Glenwild Garden Center is in business 85 years this year and in honor of the special milestone, the business' owners will be planting a tree at the pond as a "thank you" to their hometown community. Bloomingdale Mayor Jonathan Dunleavy and some council members will be there to help commemorate the event. The Kinnelon Public Schools Board of Education is scheduled to meet Thursday at 8 p.m. in the Kinnelon …

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Poinsettia Myths Dispelled by Garden Center Owner

A variety of Christmas plants can spruce up the holiday season, owner says.

Eating a poinsettia may make a person, or pet, sick to their stomach, but would not have a fatal effect. A person would have to eat approximately 500 pounds of poinsettia leaves to even possibly be morbidly ill from the plant, according to Glenwild Garden Center Owner Jodie Bross. Bross said the plant's rumored deadly effect when consumed is a common Christmas time myth, when the plant's popularity is seen.  Even though Bross said the plant is "not dangerous" to eat, she does not advise people taste the bright red leaves. "It's not going to taste good," she said. Glenwild Garden Center sells a variety of poinsettia plants, and they do not just come in red. In fact, Bross said another misconception about the holiday plant is that the red …

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Ugly Tomato Contest Ripens at Festival Saturday

Glenwild Garden Center will celebrate the vegetable during second annual event.

Just like people, tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes. Glenwild Garden Center, in Bloomingdale, will be celebrating the area's most unique tomatoes at "Tomato Fest" on Saturday. During the event, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the business, judges will vote on the ugliest, biggest and tastiest tomatoes. The winning gardener of each of those categories will receive a $20 gift certificate to the garden center. Glenwild Garden Center Owner Jodi Bross said the event, which is in its second year, was inspired by her passion for the fruit. "Tomatoes are my favorite," she said. Local patrons will be making tomato-based foods available for tasting and chips for salsas and dips have been donated by Taste of Dawn. About six people …

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Kids Sell Lemonade to Help Animals

Children to donate proceeds of sales to BASS.

Cousins Colin MacKenn, Mac Bross and Zoe Bross sold lemonade at Glenwild Garden Center last weekend to raise money for the Bloomingdale Regional Animal Shelter Society (BASS). They raised $40 for the organization, which is currently looking for a new shelter facility.

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Get Out: Learn How to Compost, Celebrate St. Paddy's

A list of nearby activities for you and your family this weekend.

This week's weather may have tricked you into thinking it's already spring. Why not keep the warm-weather feelings going by learning about vegetable gardening and composting? You could do that this weekend, or you could celebrate St. Patrick's Day locally. Here's a look at what's going on in this week's Get Out: Finnegan's Wake When/Where: Friday at 7 p.m. at 65 Hamburg Turnpike in Butler Why Go: The St. Anthony's Knights of Columbus & Columbiettes will be hosting a traditional Irish dinner and comedy event in honor of St. Patrick's Day at the Knights of Columbus. Cost: $45  Composting Class When/Where: Saturday at 11 a.m. at Glenwild Garden Center Why Go: To learn about composting, what bins you should use, how to store scraps and the …

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Patch-Smart Businesses Claim Free Listings

Here's a shout-out to some local businesses who are catching on to a great marketing opportunity on Patch.

Do you want to enhance your presence online this year and reach new customers for your local business? For free? Every local business gets a space on Patch. We've already done the legwork to create it for you. If you haven't seen it, we'd be happy to show it to you. If we missed you, we're ready to add you. And if you claim it, you have more control over how your business is presented online. Since Jan. 1, these businesses have claimed their listings on Tri-Boro Patch: Central Shippee Taste of Dawn Natural Foods Bloomingdale Firemen's Hall Glenwild Garden Center Wayne Pharmacy & Surgical Supplies  A Patch listing gives your business a voice on Patch. Find it and click on the "claim it" button to become an active user. Your friends, …

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Week in Review

Week in Review: Council Awards Firehouse Bid, Students Learn Respect

A look back at the week's top stories.

It was a respectful week in the tri-boro and beyond this week as students observed a Week of Respect. All three school districts had special assemblies and we brought you a few photos from the Cassandra's Angel presentation at the Walter T. Bergen School Monday. New Jersey made national news this week as all eyes were on Gov. Chris Christie Tuesday to hear if he would be announcing he was running for president. In the end, he said he has decided not to run, and we'd love to hear what you think about his decision here. The Bloomingdale Board of Education approved for fliers to be sent home for Glenwild Garden Center's annual school fundraiser. When shoppers bring in the flier and purchase fall decorating kits, 10 percent of sales will be …

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Garden Center to Donate Portion of Sales to Beautify Schools

Fall fundraiser promises additional donation for Bloomingdale school beautification projects.

For the past six years, the owners of the Glenwild Garden Center have been giving back to their community in the form of beautification projects at Bloomingdale's three schools. Each school year, the Glenwild Avenue business advertises that if parents save their receipts, 10 percent of customers' sales from September through June will be donated to the Martha B. Day, Samuel R. Donald and Walter T. Bergen Schools. "The schools will earn 10 percent back to beautify the school grounds or spend on gardening projects," Glenwild employee Pam Maggio said. This fall, customers have the chance to have more of their money donated to the schools as 10 percent of proceeds from fall decoration kits sold now through mid-November will also go towards the…

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