Lafayette Community Garden – Lafayette Community Garden

Dec 20

Sip of Soup, and Soup Opera at the Lafayette Library

By LCG Community Events, Kids, Lafayette Library and Learning Center

Wednesday, January 14, 2014 | 12:00 to 1:30PM

In partnership with the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, Garden members, the Library staff and mother/daughter teams from National Charity League will be serving soup in the lobby of the library on Wednesday, January 14, 2014 from 12:00pm and 1:30pm.

Special guests, Lafayette mayor Don Tatzin, Stanley Middle School’s Bob Athayde and piano teacher Xiomara Di Maio, will act out scenes from the book “The Soup Opera,” a story about a man, a bowl of soup, and the man’s comically frustrating quest to eat that soup.

All ages; no reservations necessary.
Lobby, Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette, CA, 94549.

Come join the fun at noon; a repeat performance will take place at 1:00pm.

Dec 05

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The Highlights of the 2014 Season

By LCG Open House

Thanks to the community of Lafayette for a wonderful year! We enjoyed many successes. Here are some of the highlights:

– We reached capacity, with 70 garden member families (about 120 members) and sixteen families on the waiting list for next season.
– Soil was greatly enhanced through addition of compost and other organic nutrients.
– Ten beautiful new beds were constructed.
Propagation of our plants took place in homes and at the garden. Planting was done with attention paid to what was planted where. Rotation of crops, water conservation and bio-intensive methods of planting guided our planning.
– Plants which we propagated but couldn’t use in the garden were given to Chateau Lafayette and Belle Terre Eden Senior Housing facilities for their patio gardens.
– We opened the garden to the entire community Wednesdays 2–5pm, Thursdays 9am–12pm and Saturdays 9am–1pm. Many community groups (scouts, schools, garden clubs, etc.) were given tours.
– The garden produced over a ton of vegetables and herbs. Almost all of the harvest was taken by community garden members. What was in excess was donated to the new Belle Terre Housing and Chateau Lafayette.
– We got water! We worked with the City to access and purchase piped in water rather than depend on it being trucked as in years past. Thanks to a grant from the Lafayette Community Foundation and private donors, we were able to install an efficient drip irrigation system. We remained cautious in what and how we planted in order to save water.
– We took down our “not to code” greenhouse and purchased a beautiful new greenhouse, thanks to support from the Happy Valley Garden Club and the Brenner Foundation.
– Over 350 people visited our third annual Harvest Festival, enjoying activities from scare crow building to sachet making, listening to music, and learning about the natural history of Lafayette.
– Our education programs provided a variety of rich experiences for community members of all ages:
– Partnering with the Lafayette Library, we hosted regular themed book events and workshops for children.
– This summer we offered a month long series of eight preschool classes and a weeklong Native American immersion camp for 7 – 12 year olds.
– Ten adult and intergenerational classes and workshops were attended by over 200 visitors.

Sep 29

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YOU’RE INVITED TO GET TO KNOW US BETTER

By LCG Blog, Community Events, Kids, News & Events, Outdoor Learning Center

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.

Sep 08

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Have a “CAN”-DO Attitude

By LCG Community Events, Locavore, Organic, Outdoor Learning Center, Sustainability, Winter Vegies

Penny Porter of All in a Jar will be at the garden on Sunday, September 21 from 3:30 to 5:00PM to share her knowledge of food preservation at home. Have fun learning the basics on water bath canning for high-acid foods. We will discuss the best foods for this process, the tools you need and the do’s and don’ts.

There are many tricks and techniques that make canning a unique process for extending the life of your favorite foods. Most importantly, this class will provide quintessential knowledge and skills for how to begin canning in your own home.

Join Penny Porter for some Canning Basics.

Jul 28

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A Lamorinda Camp Exclusive: Meeting Nature Through Miwok Eyes

By LCG Community Events, History, Kids, Outdoor Learning Center, Sustainability

Still looking for the perfect camp? Want to learn a little about the local history of Lamorinda? Then come and join us at the Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center and immerse yourself into the abundant world of nature as experienced by the local Native American Tribe, the Saclans/Miwoks.

We will meet daily August 4 to 8, from 8:30 to 11:30am. Youth and open-hearted adults will live as tribal members adopting Native American names and cultural observances. We will use what nature has provided for tools, meals, clothing and shelter. The last morning will conclude with a tribal sharing of food and ceremony with guests.

Educator, Peggy Magilen, will lead this experience, assisted by other members of the Community Garden.

The camp is geared for children ages 8 to 12 years old.
A minimum of 6/maximum of 12 youth participants; a few additional (adult) caregivers welcome.
Cost: $50 per camper to cover materials.

Jul 03

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Go Gaia! The Three Rs! Our Break Down Experiment. Directions.

By LCG Open House

Our Secret Garden has gotten off to a great start. On Monday, June 30, we discussed ways to keep Mother Earth healthy and made recycled newspaper trees. We also went on a hunt for litter and leaves around the garden. We, then, dumped everything into a bucket of compost and worms to find out what will break down over the next four weeks.

Today, July 3, our theme was “following directions.” We learned that different plants needed to be planted in different places, based on the sun and shade. And we found out that sunflowers in particular follow the sun throughout the day.

Local yoga instructor Alison Leitheiser lead us in some garden yoga. Our little gardeners were excellent listeners and followed directions very well. Let’s hope the sunflowers that we planted today also get to follow the directions of the sun.

Happy Fourth!

See you Monday, July 7, when we talk about being great neighbors and community helpers.

Jun 01

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Saturday, June 7: Composting 101

By LCG Gardening Tips, Organic, Outdoor Learning Center, Sustainability

Ever wondered how you could improve your soil? If you have, you can learn how to cook up a batch of homemade compost on your own.

On June 7 from 1:00 to 2:30PM, Contra Costa County Waste Authority presents Composting 101 at the Lafayette Community Garden.

Linda Mizes returns to the garden to share her expertise on home composting. Learn how easy it is to enrich your soil and reduce your waste while letting nature do the work. You’ll leave with all the information you need to start a simple home composting system, as well as how to use the compost in your garden. Methods of simple vermiculture (worm composting) will also be covered and you’ll learn ways to use worm castings and tea.

This workshop is FREE to adults (ages 18 and older/families welcome), but reservation is required! For questions or to register by phone, call (925) 906-1801 x306. To register online, visit www.wastediversion.org.

May 06

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Make a Little Music on Saturday, May 17

By LCG Open House

Come to the garden Saturday, May 17 for a fun day of making music!

Wind chimes can be made with an exciting mixture of elements. We’ll have fasteners, adhesives, and basic materials, like filament, string, drills, glues, and bamboo. But to make your wind chime uniquely yours, bring items like old keys, bottle caps, earrings, beads, flatware, (smooth) sea glass, and industrial hardware. Just use your imagination!

You’ll have time to make one for yourself and possibly one for the garden. Search the web for inspiration for your music maker!

Join instructor Susan Dannenfelser, local sculptor and garden member, at the Lafayette Community Garden from 2:00PM to 5:00PM to discover your inner artist.

For more inspiration, visit Susan Dannenfelser at www.dannenbeck.com.

Kids 10 and under, please bring your own adult.

Apr 15

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Take Time for Afternoon Tea on Saturday, April 26

By LCG Gardening Tips, Outdoor Learning Center

Join Hollie Lucas-Alcalay of Hollie’s Homegrown at the Lafayette Community Garden on April 26 for an afternoon of tea. The owner of Hollie’s Homegrown in Moraga has made her own herb farm into a thriving business and will share with us her expertise and passion for herbs. From 1:00pm to 4:00pm, you, too, can learn how to grow, harvest, store and make teas using what is growing in your own garden.

garden3 Flyer Version (3) Sample and savor herbal teas made from local herbs and take home a sampling 4-pack of seedlings to help you get started.

Growing Herbs For Teas is a special fundraising event and $40 donation/materials fee is requested. So, gather your friends, dress up or down, but, most of all, come and enjoy tea (and biscuits) fresh from the Lafayette Community Garden.

Click here to register.

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