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!
No ABG meeting in December.
On Saturday, December 15, at 10:00 am, the Alameda community will celebrate a historic occasion with the grand opening of Jean Sweeney Open Space Park. This 25-acre park on the west side of the island includes open space areas and active uses such as a natural based playground, picnic pavilion, open lawn area, a gazebo that is a restoration of the last Alameda Belt Line train waiting station, a plaza, small picnic areas, landscape with California native and drought-tolerant plants, and a segment of the Cross Alameda Trail for bicyclists and pedestrians. Future phases will add a community garden, more playgrounds, bike skills loop, demonstration gardens, outdoor classroom, and hiking trails through woodland areas.
The Jean Sweeney Open Space Park is located on the former Alameda Belt Line Railroad property that was secured by the City at its original purchase price due to the advocacy efforts of local resident, Jean Sweeney. This area extends from Constitution Way and Atlantic Avenue (by the Alameda Food Bank) to Sherman Avenue.
The history of this park is rich and colorful. After the railroad was decommissioned in the 1990s, the land was slated to be sold to a housing developer. Through tireless research, Jean Sweeney found the original contract between the City and the railroad, which entitled the City to purchase the land back at the original purchase price plus improvements. This land was valued at $20 million and the City was able to purchase it for just under $1 million. Jean Sweeney also initiated a ballot measure to zone the land as Open Space, which passed by a large majority of voters. The process to develop the Jean Sweeney Open Space Park master plan exemplified the residents deep-rooted commitment for this park development. Kristoffer Kr of KKDesign generously developed the parks master plan at no cost to the City and more than 1,000 residents participated in the design process.
“This has to be a park.” As Jim Sweeney explained, These were the inspired words Jean expressed when she first visited the Beltline Railroad yard property after observing the quiet, pristine, and secluded nature reigning there which surrounded her. She recognized it as a wonderful treasure that had to be preserved. It has taken 20 years, but through her dedication and persistence and that of many others her dream has come true. The strong community support of
Sweeney Park is also evident in the funding sources of this $10 million project to date. Major funding came from grants from the Active Transportation Program, administered by Caltrans, the Land and Water Conservation Fund, administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation, and Tim Lewis Communities. Additional significant local funding came from the Rotary Club of Alameda, Jean Sweeney Open Space Park Fund, Alameda Kiwanis Club, and Alameda Community Fund – plus the City of Alameda. Sweeney Park is the culmination of the work and thought of our entire community. People who attended meetings, contributed to concept and design ideas, volunteered for clean-ups, donated funds, wrote letters of support, and voted. This park is here because of the desire and commitment of Alamedans, remarked Amy Wooldridge, Director of Alameda Recreation and Parks Department.
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.
What do zucchini, almonds and guavas have in common? They all need pollinators.
Without pollinators, the world would be a less colorful, less tasty and less well-balanced place: all the more reason to learn how to create a garden that will naturally attract bees, butterflies and other major pollinators. Although the best-known pollinators are domesticated honey bees, there are other pollinators that are also important, including bees and other insects that are native to California.
The presenters have been working for some years to build and maintain a pollinator garden at Lake Merritt, and will share the knowledge they have. Topics to be discussed include:
- The goals of the pollinator garden at Lake Merritt,
- The importance of native bees,
- Why you might wish to create a pollinator garden of your own, and
- How to start a pollinator garden, including optimal growth conditions (sun,soil, and water needs), and plant grouping to attract the maximum number of pollinators. The presenters will also discuss site selection, plant selection, soil amendment and care for your pollinator garden.
Presenters: Sally Hughes, Alameda County Master Gardener, 2006, Co-manager of the Lake Merritt Pollinator Garden; Jennifer Cardoza, Alameda County Master Gardener, 2012, Co-manager of the Lake Merritt Pollinator Garden, Sarah Phelan, Nature Journalis
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.
Presenters: Damian Mason, and two additional CASA members
Reversing Global Warming: Introduction to Drawdown is a 2-hour workshop – open to all – that invites our local Alameda community to see the possibility of reversing global warming and to understand that we each have an important role to play in that process.
Through videos and group activities, presenters will introduce a comprehensive plan to reverse global warming from “Project Drawdown“, a scientific study that identifies 100 solutions which, if implemented together, can begin to not just slow down, but to actually roll back, global warming by 2050.
“Drawdown is that point in time when the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere begins to decline on year-to-year basis.” ~ Project Drawdown
Need more info? Contact: drawdownalameda@gmail.com
Panel discussion with Birgitt Evans, Marla Koss and Damian Mason
The term “Carbon Sequestration” is the turning up everywhere in the fight against global warming. It may sound intimidating or difficult, something to be done by governments or on a large scale, but it’s not. Come learn how you can sequester carbon in your own garden soil by composting and mulching with the plant materials in your yard and the leaves that fall in our streets and learn about keeping carbon in your soil with no til methods of growing. In addition, we will cover the more advanced topics of Biochar and Hugelkultur to help make long term deposits of carbon to our soil. Birgitt, Marla and Damian will make the topic accessible to local gardeners .
Join us and Jeff Bridge, of Alameda’s Ploughshare Nursery, to discuss plants in your garden that can support native pollinators and survive drought conditions.