We’re excited! It’s been 10 years in the making of the Lafayette Community Garden & Outdoor Learning Center. In 2008, a group 19 members of the community embarked on a quest to bring a learning garden to the City of Lafayette. Three years later, in 2011, was a groundbreaking moment: EBMUD and the City offered the community a home for what is now the Lafayette Community Garden & Outdoor Learning Center.
On Saturday, March 10, the gates open for our seventh working season. We’ll be open Tuesdays from 4:00 to 7:00PM, Thursdays from9:00AM to 12:00PM and Saturdays from 9:00AM to 1:00PM. Remember, all community members are always welcome to visit.
Photo courtesy of Jen Frase, Nicole Paulsen Photography © 2017
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- Old Yellow House
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- Rogers Ranch
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- John Muir House
Saturday, March 25, 2017 | 1:30 – 3:00PM
Learn of our local valley’s history through the chronicles of three old houses from the 1800’s: The Old Yellow House in Orinda, Rodgers Ranch in Pleasant Hill, and the John Muir House in Martinez. The inhabitants of these three houses lived in an original sustainable fashion, initially with wells, gardens, fruit trees, livestock and horses. The houses were miles apart, yet webbed together by an overall similar lifestyle, use of horse and carriage, and some exchange of information and goods.
Wonderful supporter/caretakers will be at the garden to speak about the first two houses, and a special guest from the 1800’s will give his presentation about the John Muir House.
These fun and informative historical presentations will be followed by an optional field trip to the Yellow House in Orinda, hosted by guest speaker James Wright. Information about days and times to make visits to the two other houses will be available at the garden presentation.
Our classes are free. However, a $5 donation is appreciated to support our education programs.
To register for classes click here or send an email to marthaharrislcg@gmail.com
The turn out for Saturday’s class, Plan(t) Ahead, was a great! Kids and parents learned that it takes a little planning to grow things. We look forward to seeing pictures of their pumpkins as they grow in these months leading up to Halloween.
A big THANK YOU goes out to Dena Hollowood of the Lafayette Library for coming out for this special storytime and activity.
Growing Tomatoes on May 7 | 3:00 – 4:30PM
WE NEVER LET A LITTLE RAIN STOP US, SO WHY SHOULD YOU?
Do you have questions about your garden? UC Master Gardeners of Contra Costa County will be offering a plant clinic at the Lafayette Community Garden TODAY from 10:00AM to 11:00AM to answer your gardening questions and help you to troubleshoot your plants FREE OF CHARGE!
And later, from 3:00PM to 4:30, join Helen Erickson, Master Gardener for a presentation about tomato growing best practices. Helen will be demonstrating planting techniques and will be available answer your questions.
We’ll have tents up to keep you as dry as we can. Dress warmly and enjoy the fresh air! You know we will.
Register now for her informative class, Growing Tomatoes.
Keep up with our amazing naturalist and friend of the garden, Doc “Jim” Hale by checking out his web site. Periodically it will have updates with news and the latest on Jim’s condition. The site also has a link to a fundraising effort set up by some of his friends to help with his ongoing medical expenses.
I hope you will consider sending the link below to any of your friends who also know Jim:
James (Doc) M. Hale, pictured, is an expert on the natural and cultural history of the San Francisco Bay Area and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Dudley Braun
The 2015 Outdoor Learning Programming kicked off the year on Sunday with more than 50 members and visitors. The opening program from our own Dudley Braun offered the basics in constructing raised beds from Redwood. The follow on program from perennial favorite, Lori Caldwell, offered tips on getting your garden ready for planting. If you would like to attend one of our Outdoor Learning Events, check out the “Events List” just to the right of this post and check back often for new listings.
Lori Caldwell
It has been a wonderful break, but we’re all itching for the Lafayette Community Garden to reopen. Members will be kicking off the season on Saturday, March 14, 2015 and the garden gates will swing wide open on Sunday, March 15, 2015 to welcome the community to two new and exciting classes:
Building of the first beds in 2012
From 1:00 – 1:30PM, joinDudley Braun and the Construction Team from the Community Garden for our first class of the season: BUILDING RAISED BEDS.Dudley and crew have had three years of practice and have now perfected the art of building raised beds. They will show you what they have learned and send you home with a simple handout so you can build one of your own.
Following this informative session, you can then get your garden ready for a new season of growing at Prepping Your Edible Garden For Spring from 1:30PM to 3:00PM. Bay Friendly Landscape Professional, Master Composter and Garden Educator Lori Caldwell will teach you the basics of preparing a productive, healthy vegetable garden. Topics will include: healthy soil building, seeds versus starts, crop rotation, transitioning from a fall garden or starting from scratch, plant choice by season and non-toxic pest control. This is a great class for beginning and intermediate gardeners.
Sign up for these classes and put it on your calendar!
If you’ve driven by recently, you may have noticed that our garden is lush with harvest. We continue to be blessed with a diverse, energetic, positive community of garden members and supporters who have helped bring the garden and learning center together.