Boston Flora

Tag: Community Gardens

  • Tuesday, February 2, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm – Navigating Race & Inclusivity in Community Gardens

    Well-meaning people have been organizing since the dawn of the local food movement to create vibrant, urban garden spaces in an effort to build and support their communities. However, these efforts, which are often oriented towards the goal of ameliorating social issues such as lack of access to food and green space for marginalized people, sometimes undermine themselves in terms of equity and inclusivity. How can we ensure that our work as community organizers and gardeners is doing more help than harm? Sama Mirghavameddin, who teaches at University of California, Berkeley, will describe some actions (often unconscious) that can potentially turn an inclusive space into an unwelcoming one, and explore what we can do to create a beautifully diverse garden community. This February 2 webinar, beginning at noon Eastern time, is part of the New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL) Ecology-Based Landscape Virtual Series, cosponsored with the American Horticultural Society, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, and Wild Ones – Native Plants, Natural Landscapes. Free, but registration required at www.ndal.org

  • Wednesday, February 27, 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm – The Making of a Community Garden Film

    On February 27 at 6:00 pm, meet the gardeners and filmmaker who are working together on a documentary about Boston’s community gardens. Filmmaker Mark Gardner will show clips from the work in progress, and a few of the film’s stars will share their stories and answer your questions. You can help us make the movie by dreaming up a title and maybe even recording your own community garden story!

    Enjoy locally sourced appetizers, beer, and wine. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended: http://bit.ly/trusteesgardenfilm. Tickets are $12 for Trustees members and $20 for nonmembers and include food and one drink. All proceeds support Trustees Boston Community Gardens. Food, drinks and mingling start at 6pm; the program begins at 6:30. We’re pleased to partner with More Than Words Warehouse Bookstore in the South End for this event. More Than Words is a job training and youth development program that empowers nearly 350 youth each year to take charge of their lives by taking charge of their $4M bookselling business.

    The bookstore, which doubles as a beautiful event space, will be open until 8pm so come early if you’d like to browse! Donations of books, CDs, DVDs, and video games are most welcome (please no encyclopedias, VHS tapes, audio cassettes, or magazines). The bookstore is a brick building at 242 East Berkeley Street (between Albany and Harrison) and is accessible by MBTA (Silver line and others). Paid parking is available at 274 Albany Street.

    Image result for filmmaker Mark Gardner

  • Thursday, September 5, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Community Garden – Get Involved!

    Thinking of joining a community garden? In this Massachusetts Horticultural Society workshop, to be held this Thursday, September 5, from 7 – 8:30 at Elm Bank in Wellesley, explore the vast variety of community gardens in Boston from gardens on the rooftops to postage stamp size gardens tucked between residences. Learn how community gardens support cultural exchange, community building, sustainability and healthy lifestyles. Most importantly, we will discuss how to get involved in community gardening by starting, joining or volunteering at a garden in your community!

    Caitlin Gilson is the Garden Educator at the Boston Natural Areas Network which coordinates activities related to all of the Boston area’s community and school gardens, involving over 10,000 individuals and families. Caitlin has created and managed school garden programs for over seven years. She has developed professional development workshops on gardening for the Green Education Foundation and the Northeast Organic Farming Association.

    Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN), organized in 1977, works to preserve, expand and improve urban open space through community organizing, acquisition, ownership, programming, development and management of special kinds of urban land.

    Cost – $10.00 for members, $15.00 for non-members.  Register on line at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e7r2np7ga3191b6b&llr=kzaorjcab.

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  • Sunday, September 26, 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Boston’s Community Gardens

    Enjoy this Ecological Landscaping Association walking tour through  eleven diverse and plentiful community gardens with our host, Betsy Johnson. Gardens include a wide range of sizes, designs, and plant material and are excellent examples of successful vacant lot restoration. The Sunday, September 26 tour will begin at 1 pm at the Berkeley Community Gardens on East Berkeley Street, between Tremont and Shawmut Streets in Boston.  The cost is $15 for ELA members and $20 for non-members.  Walk ins also welcome.  For more information, email ela.info@comcast.net, or call 617- 436-5838.

  • Saturday, March 27, 9:00 am – Birding Belle Isle and Vicinity

    Belle Isle Marsh Reservation on Bennington Street in East Boston is known as one of Massachusetts’ birding hot spots.  Join DCR and Boston Natural Areas Network to look for snipe and waterfowl on Saturday, March 27, beginning at 9:00 am.  Binoculars will be available to borrow.  Boston Natural Areas Network, organized in 1977, works to preserve, expand and improve urban open space through community organizing, acquisition, ownership, programming, development and management of special kinds of urban land – Urban Wilds, Greenways and Community Gardens. In all of its endeavors, BNAN is guided by local citizens advocating for their open spaces and assisting them to preserve and shape their communities.  For more information, log on to www.bostonnatural.org.

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  • Saturday, March 20, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm – Boston Natural Areas Network 35th Annual Gardeners Gathering

    On Saturday, March 20, from 11 – 5, the Boston Natural Areas Network will hold its signature event at the Curry Student Center, Northeastern University, Boston (pictured below).  Join over 300 community and backyard gardeners for plenary sessions, workshops, community gardener awards, information gallery, door prizes, and much more.  Contact Jo Ann Whitehead at joann@bostonnatural.org, or call 617-542-7696, x 15 for more information.  This event is free.  To see a map of the event location, log on to www.bostonnatural.org.

    http://www.northeastern.edu/campustour/images/currycenter178.jpg

  • Saturday, September 26, 10 am – 2 pm – Fall Harvest Festival and Perennial Swap

    Bring plants to swap and share, get gardening advice, or bring your over-sized produce to enter in the Incredible Crop Olympics, at Boston Natural Areas Network’s Fall Harvest Festival and Perennial Divide, Saturday, September 26, from 10 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon, at BNAN’s City Natives Nursery, 30 Edgewater Drive in Mattapan.  Admission is free.   Divide your crowded perennials and bring pre-divided plants to the free plant swap.  Bring your own containers. Volunteers will answer plant care questions, and you may purchase fresh, local produce and native plants.  Tour the vegetable display beds and visit the woodland garden.

    Boston Natural Areas Network (BNAN), organized in 1977, works to preserve, expand and improve urban open space through community organizing, acquisition, ownership, programming, development and management of special kinds of urban land –

    In all of its endeavors, BNAN is guided by local citizens advocating for their open spaces and assisting them to preserve and shape their communities.

    For more information, call 617-542-7696, or email info@bostonnatural.org.