Community Spotlight: Justin Moore

Photo by Nancy Treuber

Community Spotlight: Justin Moore (@flimflamjimjam)

Justin Moore  joined Maple Street Community Garden in May 2022, and honestly, we’ve been better for it ever since. He jumped in with compost and communications (yes, he’s one of those multi-committee people), bringing both design chops and a knack for leading Saturday morning compost shifts.

Justin is a neighborhood gem. He brings joy and energy to compost shifts even when he’s not on the schedule. His voice is the kind of familiar comfort you hear before you spot him. He is also the person who will quietly check in on you, share whatever extra CSA veggies he has, and make the entire garden feel a little lighter just by showing up.

Photo by Nancy Treuber

For Justin, the garden is more than a green patch in PLG. It’s a Third Space, the kind of place that keeps you grounded when the world feels like it’s losing them. “Knowing that I have one mere steps away from my home has been a serious boon to my mental health,” he says. Plus, he points out, MSCG’s roots even stretch into neighborhood efforts like Community Cleanup PLG. (So basically, this man is correct when he says it takes a village, especially one with a compost pile.)

Favorite memory? Finding a sprouted acorn at the bottom of a compost bin. Because life persists, and Justin notices the small stuff that proves it.

You may also recognize Justin from his musical voice. He plays the cello and performs with orchestras around New York City, adding another layer of artistry to his community presence. Whether it’s music or leading the compost team, he knows how to create harmony.

When he’s not hauling buckets, rehearsing, or gently nudging us through a Very Light™ garden rebrand, Justin’s a graphic designer and typesetter for literary magazines. A mind for design, a hand for compost, and an ear for music—Justin’s got it covered.

Photo by Nancy Treuber

Written by Jess Frost

Photographs by Nancy Treuber

Photo by Nancy Treuber