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!

Jan
13
Mon
2020
Film – Symphony of the Soil @ Rhythmix Cultural Works
Jan 13 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

On Monday, January 13, ABG will present a movie night at Rhythmix, 2513 Blanding Ave. in the city of Alameda , co-hosted by StopWaste! Free popcorn!

Please bring your own container for water to reduce waste.

Trevor Probert of StopWaste will lead a Carbon Farming discussion after the movie.

Our movie, ‘Symphony of the Soil‘ is an artistic exploration of the miraculous “living skin of the earth.” By understanding the elaborate relationships between soil, water, the atmosphere, plants and animals, we come to appreciate the complex and dynamic nature of this precious resource. The film examines our human relationship with soil, the use and misuse of soil in agriculture, deforestation and development, and the latest scientific research on soil’s key role in ameliorating the most challenging environmental problems of our time, including climate change. Filmed on four continents and featuring esteemed scientists and working farmers and ranchers, Symphony of the Soil is an intriguing presentation that highlights possibilities of healthy soil creating healthy plants creating healthy humans living on a healthy planet.

Trevor-Probert-StopWaste

Trevor Probert is a Program Services Specialist at StopWaste and resident of Alameda.

Trevor Probert is a Program Services Specialist at StopWaste and resident of Alameda. He teaches StopWaste’s public workshops on composting, gardening for soil health, and carbon farming. Trevor works with urban farms and community gardens to set up on-site composting systems. He has worked as an elementary school garden teacher, classroom teacher, and landscape contractor, and has bachelor degrees in Geography and Environmental Science and a master’s degree in Education.

Jan
15
Wed
2020
Cultivating the Urban Forest @ Alameda Free Library, Stafford Room
Jan 15 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

The City of Alameda’s Climate Action and Resiliency Plan recognizes the importance of trees:

  1. Trees sequester carbon by breathing in carbon dioxide and storing the carbon as plant material
  2. Trees not only help settle airborne particles during wildfire smoke events, but also remove carbon from the atmosphere and reduce heat impacts

As part of its climate action and resiliency efforts, Alameda is updating its 2010 Street Tree Plan. A vibrant urban forest can help protect us from the impacts of climate change, sequester carbon, increase property values, and promote social equity.

Come hear the research conducted by CASA’s (Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda) Brown University winter intern Kian Kafaie on Wednesday, January 15th at 6 p.m. in the Stafford Room at the Alameda Free Library, 1550 Oak Street, Alameda, CA 94501.

Light refreshments will be served and there will be an opportunity for questions and discussion.

Download the event PDF here.

Apr
18
Sat
2020
CANCELLED – Earth Day 2020 @ Upper Washington Park
Apr 18 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Sadly, due to COVID-19, the City of Alameda has cancelled the Earth Day festival in Washington Park. Please celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day by supporting your favorite environmental organization, or participating in any of the many online events via many environmental non-profits.

Take care and stay healthy! Alameda Backyard Growers

Come and visit our booth at the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Earth Day! We’ll have tomato plants to buy, information to share (on growing food, going plastic free, planting trees, etc.).

You may also have the opportunity to plant trees around Washington Park.

We’ll be sharing our booth with StopWaste – so you can learn more about stopping food waste, urban carbon farming and much more!

If you’d like to volunteer at our booth, please email us: info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org

Looking forward to seeing you there!

ABG Earth Day Volunteers 2018

Apr
25
Sat
2020
ABG 2020 Earth Day Plant Sale
Apr 25 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

ABG Announces Our 2020 Earth Day (Spacial Distancing) Plant Sale!

10AM – 1PM Saturday April 25th. Location will be emailed to attendees.

Every year at Earth Day, we sell hundreds of tomato plants and people come back for them year after year. This year, with more gardeners and fewer seedlings, we have added basil, squash, cucumbers and a few greens to the mix, moved the sale to a private residence and added spacial distancing in the form of time slots to keep the crowds down. But we still have our wonderful tomato plants and other veggies to get you through the summer!

How it Works:

1) Click on this Eventbrite link and select a time slot. The earliest slots will have the best selection, so fill those first. We will email you the location when you sign up.

2) Send one (healthy) person per household, wash hands first and wear a mask.

3) Check out the LIST OF PLANTS we have available and note what you want (with second choices), so you can just pick them up and pay when you get to the sale. (Note: there are limits on how many of each plant you can buy so everyone can have some.)

4) Bring either exact change or a check made out to Alameda Backyard Growers along with a pen so you can fill in the final amount. Any cash you leave in excess of your plant total is a tax deductible contribution to ABG and we promise to use it wisely!

Jun
23
Tue
2020
Tour of Italo’s Garden at the Alameda Boys and Girls Club @ Alameda Boys and Girls Club
Jun 23 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Italo's GardenAlameda Backyard Growers invites you to attend a

Self-guided Tour of Italo’s Garden 

Tuesday, June 23 2020
Italo’s Garden (ABGC)1900 3rd Street, Alameda, CA, 94501  

6:30-7:15pm 20 people/tickets
7:15-8:00pm 20 people/tickets

More information on the ABGC Garden

In 2012 the Alameda Boys & Girls Club had a vision to transform a neighboring ¼ acre urban lot into a thriving healthy foods and habitat garden that would support the nutritional health and develop the ecological literacy of Club youth. In summer of 2013 the Club hired its first Seed to Table Director, Kristen Getler. Italo Calpestri, together with other Board Members and ABGC staff, began fundraising and reaching out to community partners like GoDaddy to enlist in help with projects such as building and filling the raised beds. His background as an architect and experience on the board was instrumental to the garden’s successful and accessible installation. A keystone of the Club’s Health and Wellness Initiative, the garden provides a living, outdoor classroom where youth steward the garden using organic practices to grow annual and perennial food crops. A complementary culinary education program teaches our youth how to prepare the garden-fresh produce into healthy-foods recipes they are able to share with their families. Current Seed to Table Director Gretchen Doering took over in March 2015 and continued the installation of fifteen additional planter beds, a bioswale, greenhouse and outdoor classroom. The garden continues to grow with support from local Eagle Scout projects, the Alameda Garden Club, Alameda Backyard Growers, invaluable volunteers, and other generous donors.

Click here for a downloadable map of the garden tour. 

Click here for the downloadable Alameda Boys & Girls Club – Italo’s Garden Master Plant Descriptions

Click here for a downloadable list of plants in Italo’s Garden.

Alameda Boys and Girls Club garden

Eric Kos and Italo Calpestri look on while Marla Koss and Gretchen Doering teach kids how to plant a fig tree.

Oct
25
Sun
2020
ABG Plant Swap
Oct 25 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

October Plant Swap

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Alameda Backyard Growers is inviting you to a socially-distanced, outdoor plant swap.

Please arrive at 1pm.

  1. Masks must be worn and a distance of 6ft or more maintained.
  2. Everyone must use provided hand sanitizer prior to entering the plant swap area.
  3. Attendees must bring at least one plant to donate to the swap.
  4. Make sure plants are clearly labeled. Plants should be in good health and in healthy soil, to minimize the possible spread of garden pathogens.

The location for this event is in West Alameda and will be announced 48 hours prior via email reminder. Please be sure to register with a valid email address that you are able to check.

You may also bring other garden related items: books, magazines, tools (no broken tools), and seeds to place on our FREE table.

Tickets for this event are limited. Click here to register.

ABG October Plant Swap

Dec
10
Thu
2020
Acta Non Verba Benefit Concert @ Online
Dec 10 @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Per Aspera Ad Astra: From Adversity to the Stars

Benefit Concert with Black Violin

December 10, 2020 from 4 – 7 PM Live Streaming

Acta Non Verba Celebrates 10 Years!

Get tickets here

Acta Non Verba benefit concert

Dec
12
Sat
2020
Help Franklin Park Trees with Mulching Project @ Franklin Park
Dec 12 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

100K Trees 4 Humanity is back mulching trees!

This Saturday 12/12 – 9am-12pm
@ Franklin Park. 1432 San Antonio Ave. 
map: https://goo.gl/maps/R2bkhKqecwPDMAyz8

10:30am-12pm @Washington Park
740 Central Ave., Alameda, CA
map: https://goo.gl/maps/aLDF1xuALVbard17A

Join us and Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) as we work to help save these trees on this day of mulching!

First 40 people to sign up get to volunteer.  Signup here!

Masks are mandatory. We follow a strict COVID protocol of social distancing and work procedures found here. We ask all participants to adhere to these guidelines at all events and work projects.

Tools: We are providing mulch, buckets, wheelbarrows and shovels. 

Optional: If you want, bring your own gloves, water bottle, and shovel.

See you on the 12th!

Tree Mulching Franklin Park

Jan
15
Fri
2021
Container Gardening Presentation
Jan 15 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Container Gardening Presentation

Container Gardening Presentation, January 15 at 1:00pm via Zoom

Are you interested in learning more about container gardening? With limited space, container gardening gives you the opportunity for cost-effective, manageable gardening. Jeff Bridge, Ploughshares Nursery Manager, will be discussing container gardening in a meeting hosted by the Alameda Branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Jeff’s presentation, followed by questions and answers, is expected to last one hour.

Register in advance for this presentation here.