She transformed the cemetery into a park
In all the years I served as the Founding President of the Jersey City Parks Coalition, there were nearly a dozen leaders who did incredible things for improving their frequently used larger parks and in the case of Eileen Markenstein, her very special, large Historic Jersey City and Harsimus Cemetery. Many others improved smaller, less-used parks.
Of all of us that led residents to improve Jersey City’s big parks and Harsimus cemetery, we all were creative pioneers. But we were also human. At times, we’d get too sensitive, too adversarial, or we’d let power “go to our heads and abuse it in some way”.
Others of us lacked some needed park development skills and abilities; while possessing other good skills. The miracle is that despite our human frailties, we accomplished creative, awesome things.
Eileen was the only pure soul in our park and nature family in those years, who was also profoundly effective at transforming a huge public area surrounded by nature and transforming it into a well-developed historic cemetery and new cultural mecca.
Eileen transformed a dangerous neglected, rundown eyesore of a historic cemetery, overgrown with poison ivy, with most tombstones & gravestones damaged, leaning or fallen. Part of the reason this steeply sloped hill section was unwanted was because it dips into the swamps created by the nearby buried ancient Mills River. Also, running on top of the swamps, ConRail sneaks a secret path through Jersey City.
Eileen got goats to eat all the grass as lawn mowers could damage grave stones. She took homeless people and rather than chase them away, took them in and trained them to be the cemetery’s keepers and arranged for them to have food and shelter in return. She created so many, many special events in Harsimus cemetery over the years from veterans’ celebrations to Halloween Parties and wayout music.
Unlike the rest of us “big changers,” Eileen didn’t have one ounce of selfishness or limitation. She never had a mean-spirited thought. She woke up each day so happy to have another opportunity to help people and to make the world a better place and she had so many ways to do this. She would always beam with joy when another member reported good results in their parks.
I always thought I would have many more years to tell you, Eileen, how much I appreciate who you are. I didn’t say it enough to really make you understand how special you really are and have been. When I visit Harsimus Cemetery, I believe I will always feel your soul watching over things. Perhaps I can then tell you again. Thank you so much,
Dr. Clifford Waldman, FoLGP president
Bill should fund meat research
The Farm System Reform Act — a bill championed by Cory Booker, which would ban factory farms — should include funding for cultured-meat research.
For those who don’t know, cultured meat is grown from cells, without slaughtering animals. This technology would ameliorate many problems the Farm System Reform Act seeks to address.
Most obviously, cultured meat resolves concerns about animal welfare, as animals aren’t involved in the process. But it would also benefit human health and the environment. Cultured meat is produced in a sterile environment and doesn’t require artificial growth hormones or unnecessary antibiotics. It requires a fraction of the greenhouse-gas emissions that raising livestock does.
The Farm System Reform Act should fund development of this revolutionary technology. While cultured meat is fast approaching the market, it will initially be more expensive than its slaughtered, factory-farmed counterpart. This can be remedied by further research.
Jon Hochschartner, Granby, CT
Submit letters to the editor and guest columns at [email protected]
