This May, Backyard Growers will be very busy running events that help the community through all levels of growing–from compost to the dinner table (and hopefully back to a compost pile)! We are excited to host one Backyard Compost Workshop and three May Seasonal Cooking Workshops throughout the month.

On Saturday, May 14, we are holding our Backyard Compost Workshop from 3:00-5:00pm at the Gloucester High School Farm.

Any community members are welcome to come learn how to create a successful backyard compost pile! Turn your yard waste, garden weeds and food scraps into valuable soil amendment for your home garden. This workshop will focus on how to create a small-scale, low-effort composting system that will work for you. We will explore several different composting systems and methods,  as well as answer questions specific to your composting situation. $10 suggested donation for attendance.

For more information on this event, you can visit our page here.

After our Backyard Compost Workshop finishes, we are thrilled to be starting our new May Seasonal Cooking Workshops! This May class will be the first class in a series of three seasonal cooking workshops (May, August, and October) that Backyard Growers is launching to celebrate local seasonal produce. All workshops are held in the dining room of The Open Door. Each May course is the same curriculum.

The three May workshop dates are:

• Tuesday May 17 6:30-8:30pm
• Tuesday May 24 6:30-8:30pm
• Tuesday May 31 6:30-8:30pm

In these workshops local chefs from Short & Main and the Common Crow will teach you cooking and preparation tips. These workshops will focus on sharing delicious, healthy, seasonal-produce based, easy, kid-friendly, cheap, and fast recipes with you and your family. Beyond being practical, these workshops will be hands on, fun, and you won’t leave hungry! This is a family workshop so please bring your kids if they are 5+, remember to wear clothing you don’t mind cooking in, and please notify Backyard Growers at community@backyardgrowers.org if anyone in your party has any allergy or food concerns.

For payment information and to sign up for one of our May Seasonal Cooking Workshops, head over to our page here.

With

Stephen Turner, Matt Recine, Hannah Pentico, Katie Jordan, Ariel Sargent, David Arsenault, Ken Stoeffler, Matt Schwabauer, Luke Miller, Brian Hutchins, Karen Lundh, Mark Logan, Henry Cooper, Beth Bevins, Patrick Cheney, Erin Deady, Abbie Zuker, Willa Brosnihan, Elizabeth Wagner & Oliver Dunton

Set Design by Abbie Zuker       Lighting Design by Michael Friedman

Gorton Theatre (home of Gloucester Stage) 267 E. Main St., Gloucester

April 28, 29, 30, May 5, 6, 7, @ 7:30 PM; May 1 & 8 @ 3 PM

Tickets: $15 general, $10 student, $5 youth under 19

Available at the door or reserve at cast2008@prodigy.net

2016 Preservation Awards

The Gloucester Historical Commission invites the public to attend the 2016 Preservation Awards ceremony on Saturday, May 7, 2016, 2 to 4 PM at the Cape Ann Museum. Recognition of preservation and restoration projects is based on the following criteria.

• Preserves neighborhood history through research, writing, or art.

• Preserves a property that is historically significant in age, style, or use.

• Restores using traditional materials or methods.

• Preserves historical integrity or appearance.

• Protects from present threat or future harm.

• Completes project within the past two years.

• Accomplished by an individual, family, or group, or through community advocacy, fundraising, or effort.

Award categories include the following.

• Archaeology

• Adaptive reuse

• Education and outreach

• Landscape preservation

• Restoration and rehabilitation

• Preservation stewardship

• Individual lifetime achievement

• Documentation of Gloucester’s history

At the ceremony, members of the Historical Commission will introduce recipients and present award certificates. Slides will be shown, and recipients will talk briefly about their projects. Recipients include:

· Chester Brigham, in the category of Documentation of Gloucester History, for his book, Phoenix of the Seas: the Ernestina-Morrissey.

· Robert Trott and Craig J. Anderson, in the categories of Restoration and Rehabilitation and Education and Outreach, for their Eagle Scout projects enhancing Veterans’ memorials.

· Juni VanDyke, in the category of Education and Outreach, for her Neighborhood Quilt project, conducted through the Rose Baker Senior Center.

· Mark Carlotto, in the categories of Archaeology and Landscape Preservation, for his research and advocacy for Dogtown Common and the Native solar observatory on Pole Hill.

· Paul St. Germain, in the category of Documentation of Gloucester History, for his book Cape Ann Granite.

· Ken Breen, in the category of Restoration and Rehabilitation, for the restoration of his Queen Anne style home at 159 Essex Ave.

· Martin Ray, in the category of Documentation of Gloucester History, for his blog, Notes from Halibut Point.

· Jason Grow, in the category of Education and Outreach, for his photographs of Gloucester’s World War II veterans.

· The Fish Shack Building Committee and the Lane’s Cove Historical Association, in the category of Restoration and Rehabilitation, for their collaborative resurrection of a historic fish shack in Lane’s Cove.

Everyone is welcome to attend the 2016 Preservation Awards ceremony at the Cape Ann Museum on Saturday, May 7, 2 to 4 PM.

Graduating Seniors and Recent High School Grads – What’s your plan for the future?

Do you like to work with your hands to create things? Would you like to work in a modern high tech environment? Then a career as a biotech technician may be just what you’ve been looking for.

Gloucester Biotechnology Academy (GBA) is offering high school graduates a 1-year course that will prepare you for an entry-level job as a lab technician — and a professional career with tremendous upside.

There will be no tuition or other charges for our inaugural class.  All students in the class of 2017 will get a full ride.  We thank generous donors for underwriting this class.

You’ll learn all the basic skills needed to work “at the bench”, using equipment and methods that exist today in modern biotech labs. Such as computer skills, basic science vocabulary, how to run and maintain amazing equipment, and methods for simple data processing.

You’ll also have a paid internship, after successfully completing two 11 week semesters.

This is a chance to break into the Biotechnology industry, a field with a strong future. And once employed, most companies offer training programs and opportunities to advance.  This could be your start.

Want to learn more?  Please contact John Doyle with your questions. john.doyle@gmgi.org

Want to apply?  We recommend you decide soon, this is a rare opportunity – class size limited!  Contact us, biotech.academy@gmgi.org, and we’ll send you an application package. Or see our website, Gloucester Biotechnology Academy

There’s ONLY ONE MORE WEEK TO SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS to the Cape Ann Museum’s photo contest, “Inspired by Home”.

Deadline April 29th.

Visit http://www.capeannmuseum.org/inspired-by-home/ to fill out an entry form and send in your submissions! What about Cape Ann makes you happy to live or just spend the day here? When I think of Cape Ann, I think of snorkeling in Folly Cove with my siblings. What do you think of?

SeniorCare is looking for drivers to deliver Meals on Wheels in Rockport. If you would like to make a difference in the life of a frail elder, please contact Paula Curley at 978-281-1750 x560.