Calendar


Mar
10
Sun
2019
Introduction to Drawdown @ Alameda Free Library
Mar 10 @ 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm

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

Mar
19
Tue
2019
Fighting Climate Change in Our Backyards @ Rhythmix Cultural Works
Mar 19 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Fighting Climate Change in Our Backyards @ Rhythmix Cultural Works | Alameda | California | United States

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 . 

Apr
16
Tue
2019
Great Habitat Plants @ Rhythmix Cultural Works
Apr 16 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

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.

May
21
Tue
2019
Succession Planting and Interplanting for Summer Veggies @ Rhythmix Cultural Works
May 21 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Meet Alameda County Master Gardeners Sam Foushee and David Blood to discuss planting your summer vegetable garden.

Jun
18
Tue
2019
Third Annual Garden Tour @ Brown Kitty Farms
Jun 18 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Please join us for Alameda Backyard Growers’ Third Annual Garden Tour. This year, we focus on food production. Margie Siegal has made her large yard into a mini-farm. She raises fruit trees, herbs and lots of different vegetables. Margie will show us the innovative techniques she’s used to solve some gardening challenges, and tell us about what didn’t work. We’ll also focus on her tricks for successfully growing the heat-loving vegetables that can be difficult in Alameda, including melons and eggplant.

About the farm: Caution: Most paths are grass, and the ground is uneven. People with mobility difficulties may not be able to access most areas. Please wear low heeled shoes with good soles. The resident feral cat, who controls rodents in the back yard, is terrified of dogs. Please do not bring your dog.

About the gardener: Margie has been gardening for years, mostly learning through making mistakes and reading books. She finds gardening relaxing and enjoys the low stress manual labor.

Because of the size of the garden, attendance is limited to 25 people. Preregistration is required.

If the event is already full when you try to sign up, please email info@alamedabackyardgrowers.org to be put on the waiting list.

Jul
13
Sat
2019
Volunteer Work Party at Ploughshares @ Ploughshares Nursery
Jul 13 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

DATE: Saturday, July 13
LOCATION: Ploughshares Nursery, 2701 Main St, Alameda, CA 94501

Join us to learn more about Ploughshares Nursery and help Jeff Bridge and his team with fun projects!

Help Ploughshares weed out and plant the propagation area, transplant fruit trees and seed native plants for next year’s sales. Bring work gloves and clippers, it’s going to be fun!

Directions: From Webster Street, turn West onto Willie Stargell Ave. or Atlantic Avenue (Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway). Turn Right onto Main Street. Ploughshares is across the street from Svendsen’s/Bay Ship and Yacht.

Ploughshares Nursery

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
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

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.