Happy Birthday Gaby and Thank YOU!

The invitation read “If you were contemplating a gift, Gab asks that you shower that love in the form of a donation to Grow Food Northampton”. This gesture to commemorate her 50th birthday was a sweet surprise for us but no surprise to anyone who knows Gaby Immerman. Gaby, a self-proclaimed “Grow Food Northampton OG”, has been on the board of our organization since our early years and has helped us through her leadership, knowledge of horticulture and agriculture and connections throughout the Valley. In the early days, Gaby chaired the Steering Committee that launched the community garden and most recently, she is working closely on the Ten Year Farm Plan for our land. 

In her professional life, Gaby teaches Horticulture and runs the summer internship for the Smith College Botanic Garden.  She also provides private residential landscape design and installation services all over the Valley with her business Green Thumb for Hire.  When it came time to plan her 50th birthday party, Gaby had to do it in a way uniquely her own, with an evening bash at the Lyman Plant House at Smith College. The place was packed with friends, family and friends who are family. Between speeches, guests enjoyed food and drinks catered lovingly by Belly of the Beast, music by the Gaslight Tinkers and the opportunity to stroll through the greenhouses at night. 

As gifts came in to us in honor of Gaby, we were shown over and over again how much she means to people. These gifts will help us to grow our programs and to help to care for the land that Gaby has been working to care for, for nearly 10 years now. Thanks, Gaby! Cheers to the next 50 years!