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
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
Hi Pickers!
Please let us know if you can join our team in picking citrus this Sunday by fill in this form:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHlMPrx31zNc5-0crH7-hoL0wHRVhkY1pcc_4E1MfhU
I will provide joining instructions and additional details when I receive your RSVP via this form.
Please bring a hat and gardening gloves if you have them.
Picking dates are subject to change and weather dependent. We will keep you posted if we change pick dates.
Thank you for all your help!
Jillian Saxty
Hi Pickers!
Please let us know if you can join our team in picking citrus this Sunday by fill in this form:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHlMPrx31zNc5-0crH7-hoL0wHRVhkY1pcc_4E1MfhU
I will provide joining instructions and additional details when I receive your RSVP via this form.
Please bring a hat and gardening gloves if you have them.
Picking dates are subject to change and weather dependent. We will keep you posted if we change pick dates.
Thank you for all your help!
Jillian Saxty
Hi Pickers!
Please let us know if you can join our team in picking citrus this Sunday by fill in this form:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHlMPrx31zNc5-0crH7-hoL0wHRVhkY1pcc_4E1MfhU
I will provide joining instructions and additional details when I receive your RSVP via this form.
Please bring a hat and gardening gloves if you have them.
Picking dates are subject to change and weather dependent. We will keep you posted if we change pick dates.
Thank you for all your help!
Jillian Saxty
Hi Pickers!
THIS PICK IS CANCELLED DUE TO THE RAIN FORECASTED ALL WEEKEND.
Please let us know if you can join our team in picking citrus this Sunday by fill in this form:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sHlMPrx31zNc5-0crH7-hoL0wHRVhkY1pcc_4E1MfhU
I will provide joining instructions and additional details when I receive your RSVP via this form.
Please bring a hat and gardening gloves if you have them.
Picking dates are subject to change and weather dependent. We will keep you posted if we change pick dates.
Thank you for all your help!
Jillian Saxty
Hands-On Vegetable Seed Starting Workshop
Presenters: Kristen Smeal and Birgitt Evans
Saturday, March 9th, 2 – 3:30PM at the Community Room at the Alameda Free Library, 1550 Oak Street, Alameda
Starting vegetables from seed can save money and will give you access to thousands of vegetable varieties not available as transplants. In this hands-on workshop, we will begin with a brief discussion about seeds, reviewing which seeds are best planted directly in the ground and which should be started in containers for transplant into pots or the ground. Then we will move on to the basics of starting seeds, including the importance of cleanliness, seed starting mixes, what containers you can use, how many seeds to plant and how deeply, feeding and watering of seedlings and providing light and heat for your seedlings.
We will then break into groups for a demonstration of how to plant seeds and participants will plant up several 6-packs with seeds to take home.
No registration is necessary. However, space is limited and people will be let in on a first come, first served basis.
Kristen Smeal is a Master Gardener and Garden Science teacher at St. Philip Neri in Alameda.
Birgitt Evans has grown her own food on a large scale for the past 40 years and created a successful garden and nursery business. She is passionate about growing and raising food and seeks to encourage and educate others so they can also share the benefits of fresh, healthy, homegrown food. She grows vegetables in four different Alameda County gardens and starts 90% of her plants from seed. She has been an Alameda County Master Gardener since 1999 and served on the board of Alameda Backyard Growers for 10 years.
As you know, 2023 was another big year for ABG’s five Free Seed Libraries. With the help of our volunteers, we packed and gave out about 15,000 packets of seeds to gardeners all across the island. From the feedback many people had fun and learned from growing the seeds.
In February, we held our first seed packing party of 2024 which supplied all the seeds for spring 2024 planting. Now it is time to pack up the seeds for summer planting. We will be hosting our next Seed Packing Party on March 24th from noon – 2PM at a covered garden location on the East End.
The Seed Packing Parties give ABG volunteers the opportunity to socialize while doing something meaningful for a finite amount of time. This party will allow us to stock the libraries through August. Volunteers are welcome to take seeds to plant at the end of the party.
We will have beverages and light snacks.
Please join us to keep the Alameda Free Seed Libraries going through the summer of 2024. Reply to this email to let us know if you will be able to attend.
Our final seed packing party of 2024 will be held on Sunday, August 11th from noon – 2pm. More info to follow.
In partnership with the Alameda Free Library
Held in the Library Community Room, 1550 Oak Street, Alameda
Civilization began when humans began to save and plant seeds. Come and learn about the seeds of common food plants we eat today. We’ll talk about the history of seeds, explore the different sizes and shapes of seeds, and explain how to grow plants for seed, including harvesting for viable seeds and collecting those seeds. We’ll focus on five seeds that are easily saved by the home gardener – beans, peas, lettuce, tomatoes and peppers.
The talk will be followed by a hands-on exercise where participants will extract the seeds from a variety of different plant materials and package them up for both themselves and the seed library at the Alameda Free Library. SPACE IS LIMITED TO 50 PARTICIPANTS
Birgitt Evans has grown her own food on a large scale for the past 40 years and created a successful garden and nursery business. She is passionate about growing and raising food and seeks to encourage and educate others so they can also share the benefits of fresh, healthy, homegrown food. She grows vegetables in three different Alameda County gardens and starts 90% of her plants from seed. She has been an Alameda County Master Gardener since 1999 and served on the board of Alameda Backyard Growers for 10 years.
Kristen Smeal (she/her) is a Master Gardener (2018) and volunteer for the Alameda Backyard Growers. In her role as the Garden Science teacher at St. Philip Neri School in Alameda, she is passionate about teaching children how to grow food and to care for the Earth and each other.
