What is the role of the artist when when faced with the climate crisis? This webinar produced by the Cape Ann Coalition’s Climate Arts Group explores the artist’s role. It begins with a video of Rockport artist and environmental activist Elaine MacGray Starrett “Without Just Grounds”. Following the screening, Starrett’s daughter, Dr. Amy Bower, an oceanographer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, is joined in a conversation about art, science and climate change, with Cape Ann environmental 3-D artist Sinikka Nogelo and the nationally-known public artist Mags Harries.
If you would like to volunteer or learn more about the Cape Ann Climate Coalition, please visit www.capeannclimatecoalition.org.
About Us: Backyard Growers (BYG) is a grassroots community-based organization in Gloucester, MA. We are a small but mighty group of committed people who love what we do, and have fun while we work hard. Our mission is to cultivate healthy, connected, environmentally sustainable communities and to fight for food justice by teaching people how to grow their own food. BYG provides resources and support to establish vegetable gardens at homes, housing communities, organizations, and schools, and offers learning opportunities in growing and preparing fresh produce.
We serve public school children and low- to moderate-income residents in Gloucester, and share our program models regionally through a consulting practice to increase our impact. Our goals are to increase access to healthy, affordable foods, mobilize attitude and behavior changes around healthy food choices, reactivate neglected urban spaces through food production, and build community and support self-sufficiency within diverse populations. We believe that by growing our own food, we are empowered, connected, and strengthened.
About the Garden Educator: This position is our lead school program staff person responsible for the implementation and execution of all Backyard Growers’ School Program activities. The Garden Educator also supports community garden programs with a focus on educational programs, community outreach, volunteer and service population engagement, and physical garden site maintenance. This position reports to the Program Director and works closely with the Program Coordinator.
This role is our lead school garden educator and implements all of Backyard Growers’ school program deliverables. At the elementary school level, this includes Salad Days & Fall Harvest Days—a program that involves growing two crops each year with K-5 students and hosting district-wide harvest celebrations. Job duties also include teaching in-class food systems lessons, leading monthly cafeteria taste tests, and developing special events and initiatives to promote food system literacy and healthy school food culture.
The Garden Educator will deliver our middle school programs at O’Maley Middle School, including our 6th grade Popcorn, 7th grade Wheat, and 8th grade Soil Health programs. Job duties include collaborating with teachers to integrate the school garden into their lessons, designing and leading lessons, and strengthening connections with other academic departments to make the program truly interdisciplinary. This role will be responsible for our pre-school Stone Soup program at Gloucester’s public pre-school and Pathways for Children. This position will also work with Gloucester High School students, staff and administrators on the integration of the high school permaculture garden into student life.
Apply by 4/25/21; Tentative start date is Tuesday, June 1, but there is flexibility to start later in June
Send resume, cover letter, and contact information for two references to info@backyardgrowers.org (include “Garden Educator” in the subject line)
We will review all submissions, identify viable candidates, and contact only those individuals selected to continue in the search process — No calls please.
The Cape Ann Community Foundation is hosting its annual low number Cape Ann License Plate Online Auction from March 22nd–March 29th 2021. We don’t want you to miss out on the fun! Register in advance today, visit cacf2021.ggo.bid & click “Get Started”. Since 2015, the Foundation has granted over $50,000 to Cape Ann non-profits, join us in making a difference.
Already have a plate? You can still help us spread the word to support our community! All donations of $25 or more will receive a limited edition “I Love Cape Ann” Koozie.
Join Backyard Growers and local historian & anthropologist Mary Ellen Lepionka on April 8 at 12 pm for a FREE online Lunch & Learn, Frontyard Growers: Algonquian Farmers of Cape Ann, comparing the practices of indigenous and colonial farmers on Cape Ann during the 17th century. Click here to register for this event and discover:
Who were the indigenous and colonial farmers of Cape Ann? How and where did they plant? What did they grow? How did land pass from Algonquians to colonists on Cape Ann? What role did enslaved people and freed slaves play in the Cape Ann farm economy? Was Dogtown farmed? What can we learn from indigenous growers about conserving land, managing trees, using our soil and water, cultivating crops for food and medicine, preserving harvests, and saving seed? What inspiration can we draw from Algonquian garden designs and community feasting?
Mary Ellen Lepionka of Gloucester is a retired anthropologist, college instructor, author, and textbook editor who embarked on a study of the archaeology and early history of Cape Ann and Essex County from the last Ice Age to around 1700. Her articles on indigenous history here appear in the Bulletin of the Massachusetts Archaeological Society and at www.capeannhistory.org, www.enduringgloucester.com, and www.historicipswich.org. When not researching and writing, Mary Ellen enjoys gardening and is continually inspired by her amazing daughter Lara (Backyard Growers’ founder & executive director) and Backyard Growers.
Thanks to Backyard Growers’ Cultivator & Harvester Sponsors for making this programming possible:
Celebrate Women’s History Month with activists marching through Cambridge for women’s rights in the award-winning documentary LEFT ON PEARL! Join the Sawyer Free Library for a virtual documentary screening followed by a filmmakers’ panel on Saturday, March 20 from 2-4pm.
Register here for the link to the film and presentation. The film will be made available to registrants a few days before the presentation if you’d like to watch it in advance.
Also be sure to check out the What She’s Reading at SawyerFreeLibrary.org this month. The Library asked several of Gloucester’s cultural, civic, and community women leaders to share books that they love or have inspired them, written by fellow women. The results are a mix of close to 100 titles, including classics, new discoveries, and more. The complete list is on the website, with recommended books available at Sawyer Free Library or easily ordered from libraries in their consortium.
Spring is here! Backyard Growers is thrilled to welcome the community to a series of Spring Gardening Workshops and Events with the mission of helping more people successfully grow their own fresh, healthy produce this year.
Plus, support Backyard Growers’ programs that increase fresh food access among low- to moderate-income families, seniors, and kids through vegetable gardens in backyards, public parks, housing developments, schools, and more. Join us for our virtual fundraiser, a Cook-along with Ken Duckworth on March. 25.
Select low number Cape Ann license plates between 2-100 will be available to the highest bidders through an online auction beginning Monday, March 22, with all proceeds going the Cape Ann Community Foundation which supports local charitable inititives and organizations.
The auction will conclude on Monday, March 29. Every Massachusetts resident who wants to display their love and support for Cape Ann will have a chance to secure a coveted lo-number Cape Ann license plate.
“Since its inception in 2015, the Foundation has granted over $50,000 to Cape Ann non-profits, and the sale of these license plates have made this possible,” said Ruth Pino, president of the Cape Ann Community Foundation. “Now people have even more reason to show their pride in Cape Ann, with the funds raised through this low-number plate auction helping to build the Foundation’s reserves and enable us to do even more for our local communities.”
Community members may join the Cape Ann Community Foundation for their kick off event on Facebook Live on Monday, March 22 at 5:00pm. Those who already have a Cape Ann License Plate may still support the Foundation by making a donation on lovecapeann.com; any donation of $25 or more will recieve a limited “I Love Cape Ann” Koozie.
For more information about the low-number plate auction and for assistance in obtaining a Cape Ann License plate, call the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce at 978-283-1601 or visit the Chamber office at 24 Harbor Loop in Gloucester. To preview and pre-register for the auction visit the Cape Ann Community Foundation website at lovecapann.com.
Let food be one less thing to worry about. The Open Door is hosting a Special Drive-Thru Food Pantry on Saturday, March 13, at The Open Door on Emerson Avenue in Gloucester from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
Bags include all the basics and milk, eggs, meat, fruits and veggies, coffee, olive oil, baking mixes and more.
The Drive-Thru Food Pantry is open to anyone who registers–it might be your first time, or you may have already used the pantry. We are asking for a registration so we know how many people are coming. https://bit.ly/3i0wqrI (FOODPANTRY.org) 978-283-6776
“It’s safe for kids to do a lot. This is not a pandemic of children. It’s not a dangerous illness for kids this age.” -Dr. Brian Orr
To hear more encouraging news from Dr. Orr and panelists, Lisa LaBella of West Parish and Ben Lummis, Superintendent of Gloucester Public Schools, watch Gloucester Education Foundation’s “Parenting Elementary School Children During a Pandemic” discussion below.
Cape Ann Community 