Hi Pickers!
Hope you’ve been enjoying your summer!
Our pick on Saturday, Aug. 11 from 2-4pm will feature oranges, plums and lemons!
Come and join us! Bring gardening gloves if you have them, water and a hat.
I will fill you on where we’re meeting when I hear back from you. To RSVP please email me at info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org.
Looking forward to seeing you!
Jillian Saxty
Hi Pickers!
Join us Saturday, August 25 from 2-4PM (depending on the number of pick locations). Our fearless leader will be Holly Johnson and we’ll keep you posted as to what lovely fruit will be picked.
Please email info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org if you can make it and we will fill you in on the meeting location details. Bring gardening gloves (if you have them), water and a hat. Picking tools will be provided.
Thanks! See you then!
Jillian Saxty
Project Pick Coordinator
Hi Pickers,
Long time, no pick! We’ll that’s about to change as we move into fall. Lots of apples are coming in, along with some persimmons and the perennial citrus fruits.
Please let me know if you can make it this Sunday afternoon from 2 to about 4:30PM and I will forward the joining location. Please bring water and gloves and a hat.
Mark your calendars for upcoming picks:
Saturday, September 29, 10 to noon
Saturday, October 13, 2 to about 4PM.
It’s raining apples! We will have at least 2 apple trees to pick Saturday, September 29 from 10AM to about noon. Please let me know if you can make it and I’ll advise the joining location.
Don’t forget to bring gardening gloves (if you have them), a hat and some water.
Upcoming pick:
Saturday, October 13 from 2 to 4PM
Hi Pickers,
Hope you can make it Saturday, October 13 from 2 – 4PM. There’s bound to be a wonderful mixture of ripe fruit to pick!
Please let me know and I’ll advise joining instructions.
Please bring a hat, water and gardening gloves if you have them.
Thanks!
Jillian Saxty
Project Pick Coordinator
On October 17th (5:30-8:30pm), please join CASA for our 2018 Annual Fundraiser focused on the very important topic of Reducing Food Waste in our homes, our businesses and throughout our lives.
This year’s event will feature “Just Eat It”, an award-winning documentary film that looks at our systemic obsession with expiration dates, perfect produce and portion sizes, and reveals the core of this seemingly insignificant issue that is having devastating consequences around the globe.
The film will be preceded by a book signing + reception, and followed by a panel discussion featuring:
- Dana Gunders: Former NRDC staff scientist and a leading national expert on food waste reduction, the author of the NRDC issue paper “Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill” and the how-to book “Waste-Free Kitchen Handbook: A Guide to Eating Well and Saving Money By Wasting Less Food” (she is also in the film!!)
- Nick Balla: San Francisco star chef of Bar Tartine and Duna fame, and passionate food waste warrior
- Tara Duggan: James Beard award–winning journalist, food waste educator and author of “Root-to-Stalk Cooking: The Art of Using the Whole Vegetable”
5:30 pm – Reception & Book Signing
6:30 pm – Feature Film
7:45 pm – Speaker Panel & Discussion
100% of proceeds will support local non-profit (501-c3) Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA); All donations are tax-deductible.
Tickets:
$25 – Adults
FREE – All Students & Teachers
For student volunteering & community service hours OR for student scholarships, please email: info@casa-alameda.org
For more info OR if you would like to sponsor the event, please contact: info@casa-alameda.org
Hi Pickers,
Orange is the new green! We have oranges and persimmons this Saturday, Nov. 3 from 2 – 4:30PM.
Please let me know if you CAN come and help us pick, and I will let you know the joining location.
Please bring gloves, a hat and water.
Thank you!
Jillian Saxty
Project Pick Coordinator
Hi Pickers!
Thank you for all your help this year! To date we’ve picked and delivered 3,845 lbs to the Alameda Food Bank (and 39 lbs of figs to Food Shift Kitchen). Well done!
We have one more pick scheduled in 2018 – on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 2PM. We need more trees for this pick, so please tell your friends and neighbors with trees laden with extra fruit to contact us.
Please let us know if are able to help pick by emailing info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org and I will let you know where to meet up.
Meanwhile – Happy Thanksgiving!
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.
The wave of citrus tree picking requests is beginning to hit, so we’re squeezing in one more pick in 2018!
Please join us, bring gardening gloves (if you have them), a hat and water. The meeting location will be provided when you let me know that you CAN make this pick.
Thank you!
Happy Holidays!
Jillian