Kick-off a Year of Sustainable Gardening!
Join Alameda Backyard Growers at 7PM on January 11, 2018 at Rhythmix Cultural Works for a screening of filmmaker Mark Kitchell’s new film: Evolution of Organic.
This is the story of organic agriculture, told by those who built the movement. A motley crew of back-to-the-landers, spiritual seekers and farmers’ sons and daughters reject chemical farming and set out to explore organic alternatives. It’s a heartfelt journey of change, from a small band of rebels to a cultural transformation in the way we grow and eat food. By now organic has gone mainstream, split into an industry oriented toward bringing organic to all people and a movement that has realized a vision of sustainable agriculture. It’s the most popular and successful outgrowth of the environmental impulse of the last fifty years.
Join us for Alameda Backyard Growers’ Second Annual Garden Tour. This year, Mary Sotelo is opening her beautiful garden, which showcases her love of color and edibles. Much is packed into a small backyard. Fruit trees are kept small to maximize space. Large containers are also used. In addition to fruit trees, berries and veggies, the garden includes chickens (who enjoy a chandelier in their coop), compost bins, and a garden wall of Talavera Mexican pottery. The garden is an important part of the curriculum of Mary’s preschool, allowing children to learn about gardening and where our food comes from.
About the gardener: Mary got her love of gardening from her grandmother at an early age. The last few years, she converted some of her flower beds into veggie beds, so she could have fresh, organic veggies right outside her door. For now, the garden is her perfect mix of art, flowers, and edibles.
This event is now full.
with David Blood, Master Gardener of Alameda County
July 21, 2018, 2 to 3:30 pm
Alameda Main Library, 1550 Oak Street, Alameda
Yes, summer gardening may be starting to wind down. But in the Bay Area, we can grow food three, or maybe even four, seasons of the year. In the fall, some crops actually do better than in the summer, because pest problems may be fewer. David Blood, long-time Alameda County Master Gardener, will speak on how to approach the fall and winter garden: what crops work and what to avoid, how to start seeds for the fall/winter garden, and other issues to consider. David’s presentation will be followed by a seed starting workshop, featuring seeds suitable for the fall and winter garden. Take home a six-pack of planted seeds and try out a fall/winter garden!
About our Speaker: David Blood became an Alameda County Master Gardener in 2001, and has many years of experience growing food. He co-leads the ACMG Lake Merritt Trials Garden, which conducts tests of which varieties do best in our moderate western Alameda County climate, provides presentations on growing food each summer, and showcases the plants named Outstanding Plants of Alameda County.
August 11 – Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop, 10 am, Farm2Market, Alameda Point.
Birgitt Evans and Marla Koss will discuss how to prune deciduous fruit trees, and participants will have a chance to practice those skills. Please wear garden gloves and bring pruners if you have them.
Alameda Backyard Growers (ABG) is growing and we need your help to keep up with our success! Formed in 2010 and incorporated in 2013, ABG is a community of gardeners who enjoy growing our own food, sharing it with our neighbors and helping others learn how to grow and preserve their own food.
Please Join Us at our Special Volunteer Event: Come Grow With Us! Find out more about our volunteer opportunities, please join our mailing list and attend our Volunteer Orientation.
WHEN: Thursday November 15th at 7PM
WHERE: Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Ave, Alameda, CA 94501, USA
To reserved your space at this FREE event, click here.
As a part of our mission, we harvest and donate to the Alameda Food Bank backyard fruit that would otherwise go to waste, more than 12 tons to date! We also host monthly classes, workshops and film screenings to educate, inform and strengthen our community of growers and pickers. We have developed special projects such as Project Tree, in which we provide subsidized trees to Alameda residents and schools and the Stop Food Waste Challenge where we help households save both money and the planet by reducing household food waste.
People love what we are doing. The Alameda Food Bank loves what we are doing. We’d like you to join with us to meet the need! By joining with us, you will meet wonderful people, grow community and grow yourself as well.
We have volunteer opportunities for all. Whether you want to get up in front of a room full of people, glean fruit or work from home (or something in between!), we have opportunities for you to contribute to ABG and help us grow stronger and reach more people.
Find a task that meets your time and interests. Come Grow With Us!
Want to see rainwater and greywater systems in real life in Alameda? ABG has organized a tour of four Alameda sites that use rainwater and/or greywater to irrigate their gardens on Saturday December 1, from 10:00 am to 11:30 am. Register for the tour to receive the address of the sites. Hope to see you there!
Join Alameda Backyard Growers as we present the movie ‘Modified’.
WHEN: January 11, 2019
WHERE: Rhythmix Cultural Works from 6:30 – 9PM
In the award-winning new documentary ‘Modified’, the filmmaker and her mother embark on a very personal and poignant investigative journey to find out why genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not labeled on food products in the United States and Canada, despite being labeled in 64 countries around the world. Interweaving the personal and the political, the film is anchored in the filmmaker’s relationship to her mom, a gardener and food activist who battled cancer during the film’s production. Their intimate mother-daughter quest for answers, fuelled by a shared love of food, reveals the extent to which the agribusiness industry controls our food policies, making a strong case for a more transparent and sustainable food system. A visual celebration of family legacy and the love of food, cooking, and gardening. An official selection at over 40 international film festivals. Winner of 11 awards, including 4 Audience Favorite Awards.
Here is a link to the trailer.
Phase 2 – Starts January 26, 2019
Winter is a great time to plant a tree, and we want to help you plant one. In Project Tree Phase 2, the Alameda Sun and Alameda Backyard Growers have teamed up to offer Alameda residents training on tree planting and care, together with a coupon good for $25 off the price of a tree purchased at Encinal Nursery or Ploughshares Nursery.
Coupons can be picked up at the next Project Tree workshop, on Saturday January 26, 10:30 AM to Noon at Rhythmix Cultural Works. Coupons are valid from January 26 to June 30, 2019. Proof of City of Alameda residency will be required (a recent utility bill, driver’s license, car registration, property tax receipt, posted mail or bank statement with name and address of the applicant). The supply of coupons is limited to one coupon per Alameda resident. Restrictions and limitations apply as stated on the coupon. The workshop will provide information on choosing a tree, proper tree placement, planting and general care. Online tree care information will also be available for free downloading. For more information email us at info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org with “Project Tree” in the subject line.
Thank you to the Alameda Sun for helping make this possible.
Winter is a great time to plant a tree, and we want to help you plant one. In Project Tree, the Alameda Sun newspaper and Alameda Backyard Growers have teamed up to offer Alameda residents training on tree planting and care, together with a coupon good for $25 off the price of a tree purchased at Encinal Nursery or Ploughshares Nursery.
Coupons can be picked up at the next Project Tree workshop, on Sunday, March 3, 1:00 – 3:00 PM at Rhythmix Cultural Works. We will discuss the best trees for Alameda, and how to plant and care for them.
Coupons are valid to June 30, 2019. Proof of City of Alameda residency will be required (a recent utility bill, driver’s license, car registration, property tax receipt, posted mail or bank statement with name and address of the applicant). The supply of coupons is limited to one coupon per Alameda resident, and we only have 20 coupons left. They will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.
Restrictions and limitations apply as stated on the coupon. The workshop will provide information on choosing a tree, proper tree placement, planting and general care. Online tree care information will also be available for free downloading. For more information email us at info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org with “Project Tree” in the subject line.
Thank you to the Alameda Sun for helping make this possible.
Please join us for Alameda Backyard Growers’ Third Annual Garden Tour. This year, we focus on food production. Margie Siegal has made her large yard into a mini-farm. She raises fruit trees, herbs and lots of different vegetables. Margie will show us the innovative techniques she’s used to solve some gardening challenges, and tell us about what didn’t work. We’ll also focus on her tricks for successfully growing the heat-loving vegetables that can be difficult in Alameda, including melons and eggplant.
About the farm: Caution: Most paths are grass, and the ground is uneven. People with mobility difficulties may not be able to access most areas. Please wear low heeled shoes with good soles. The resident feral cat, who controls rodents in the back yard, is terrified of dogs. Please do not bring your dog.
About the gardener: Margie has been gardening for years, mostly learning through making mistakes and reading books. She finds gardening relaxing and enjoys the low stress manual labor.
Because of the size of the garden, attendance is limited to 25 people. Preregistration is required.
If the event is already full when you try to sign up, please email info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org to be put on the waiting list.