Calendar


Jul
20
Sat
2019
Help Save our Monarchs in Alameda @ Shoreline Park #1
Jul 20 @ 10:30 am – 11:30 am

Help Save Our Monarchs by Planting Milkweed and Flower Seeds!

Last Thanksgiving, only 28,429 monarchs were counted in their wintering colonies compared to a historic population of about 10 million in the Western Monarch migration. Today monarchs face several challenges, the most intractable being a lack of milkweed (Asclepias spp.), where females typically lay their eggs, as well as a lack of winter blooming nectar plants to feed them along their journey. They are also being decimated by the increased use of glyphosate in agriculture, which kills milkweed and other sources of food for these butterflies.

If you have a sunny, open 4′ x 4′ space where you could plant milkweed and butterfly flowers – you could be part of the solution!

At this special workshop we will talk about how to plant and maintain a butterfly garden, then help you plant California native milkweed (and other flower seeds) so you can create your own butterfly garden. You will leave with milkweed, winter blooming flowers and information on how to help the monarchs!

Sep
2
Mon
2019
Field Trip and Talk on Cool Season Gardening @ Gardens at Lake Merritt
Sep 2 @ 7:27 pm – 8:27 pm

Join us Saturday, August 10 for a Field Trip and talk on cool season Gardening.

Location: Alameda County Master Gardeners Trials Garden, at the Gardens at Lake Merritt

Sep
8
Sun
2019
Project Pick – Plum Pick
Sep 8 @ 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

Hi Project Pick Volunteers!

I hope you’ve had a great summer break! Fall is around the corner and I’m sure we’ll be picking lots of apples and persimmons.

Meanwhile, we have one plum tree to pick this Sunday, September 8, from 2 – 3:30 (only one tree).

If you’d like to join us for this quick pick, please click here (https://forms.gle/JbBf9VcnKUZqk7818) to fill in our sign up form.

I will let you know where to meet the group.

Please bring gardening gloves (if you have them), water to drink and a hat.

Let me know if you have any questions at info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org

Thank you!

Jillian Saxty

Sep
17
Tue
2019
End of Summer Potluck and Talk @ Rhythmix Cultural Works
Sep 17 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

It’s time for our annual harvest-time potluck! We’ll munch on garden and other delights, and talk about our summer gardens – our triumphs and our woes, our successes and our failures, those nagging problems and our solutions.

Bring food or beverage to share, or just bring yourself. Please bring your own reusable plate and utensils to help us reduce waste. We look forward to seeing you!

Summer Garden Talk and Potluck

Sep
22
Sun
2019
Project Pick – Apples Coming!
Sep 22 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Hi Gleaners,

After a summer pause, we have lots of fruit coming in for the fall.

The pick this Sunday, September 22 between 2-4 PM will feature apples and lemons.

Please let me know if you are available by filling out this form:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHlMPrx31zNc5-0crH7-hoL0wHRVhkY1pcc_4E1MfhU

I will contact you about where to meet when you RSVP.

Thank you!

Jillian Saxty
Project Pick Coordinator

Oct
15
Tue
2019
Ergonomics in the Garden @ Rhythmix Cultural Works
Oct 15 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

October 15, 2019, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Avenue, Alameda

Did you know your head is as heavy as a bowling ball? (your poor neck!) Or that losing 1 pound means 4 pounds of weight off your knees-a 4 to 1 ratio?

Come hear about how ergonomics can make your gardening less painful and extend your time in the garden, both now and in the future. Join The Alameda Backyard Growers on Oct 15 to hear more.

The goals of the presentation include:

  1. Understand how garden activities affect your body ergonomics and wear and and tear on your joints
  2. Learn to correct gardening activity for better body mechanics
  3. Demonstrate best ergonomic practices

Our Speaker, Joan Sarlatte, worked as a nurse practitioner caring for injured workers, many of whose injuries related to repetitive jobs. She became interested in ergonomics as a way to retrain your body toward better working practices. Now retired, Joan graduated in the Master Gardener class of 2018, and is interested in helping gardeners learn to work with less discomfort and fewer injuries.

Nov
10
Sun
2019
Project Pick – Persimmons
Nov 10 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Hi Pickers,

There’s been quite a lull in fruit picking requests – not sure why. However, we do have one (fuyu) persimmon tree that needs picking.

Can anyone help with that on Sunday, Nov. 10 between 2 – 4 PM?

If so please fill our our volunteer form here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHlMPrx31zNc5-0crH7-hoL0wHRVhkY1pcc_4E1MfhU

I will provide the joining location and other information with your RSVP.

Who knows? We may have more trees on our list by then. 🙂

Thank you
Jillian Saxty
ABG Project Pick Coordinator

Nov
19
Tue
2019
Stopping Food Waste During the Holidays @ Rhythmix Cultural Works
Nov 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

November 19, 2019, 7:00 – 8:30 pm
Rhythmix Cultural Works, 2513 Blanding Avenue, Alameda

We see the winter holidays as a time of abundance, family, and sharing. Unfortunately, when it comes to food, this season is also the most wasteful. The average American household throws out 25% of the food they purchase, equivalent to about $1,600 a year for the average family of four. Wasting food has broad implications, but reducing wasted food is one of the easiest ways to impact climate change. By preventing food waste from being generated in the first place, you are eliminating the green house gasses associated with disposal of that wasted food.

ABG has invited Maricelle Cardenas of StopWaste to share what she has learned about the problem of wasted food and simple ways to change how we shop, prepare, store, and serve food this holiday season and all year round. Learn how to save money and reduce the amount of food we throw away in our homes.

For more information, tools, and tips, visit StopFoodWaste.org.

Our Speaker

Maricelle Cardenas is a community educator with a background in waste, environmental, and social issues. She has supported various projects at StopWaste and is currently working on an exciting campaign focused on helping residents of Alameda County reduce wasted food.

stop waste during the holidays

Dec
8
Sun
2019
Project Pick – Between Holidays
Dec 8 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Hi Pickers,

Yey! We finally have rain! That’s the good news!

Finding time between the showers – that’s the tricky part.

Looks like it should be (mostly) dry on Sunday, Dec. 8 between 10 am – 12 noon.

Let me know if you can make it by filling out our our volunteer form here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHlMPrx31zNc5-0crH7-hoL0wHRVhkY1pcc_4E1MfhU

We should have lemons, apples and persimmons – the full spectrum.

I will provide the joining location and other information with your RSVP.

 

Thank you
Jillian Saxty
ABG Project Pick Coordinator

Jan
12
Sun
2020
Project Pick – New Slate in 2020!
Jan 12 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Hi Pickers!

What a year we had in 2019! Think we can beat 7,500 lbs in 2020? Let’s start working on that this Sunday, January 12 at 2PM.

If you can join our team in picking lemons, oranges and grapefruits, please fill in this form:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHlMPrx31zNc5-0crH7-hoL0wHRVhkY1pcc_4E1MfhU

I will let you know where to meet up when I get your RSVP.

Please bring a hat and gardening gloves if you have them.

Thank you!

Jillian Saxty