We need your muscle power! 💪

Backyard Growers’ 10th growing season is off to a great start – in spite of the weather! For our BUILD Day 2019, we’re making a final push to build new garden beds for families and seniors around Cape Ann so that they can enjoy their own fresh veggies this summer and into the fall. But we can’t do it without you! WE NEED YOUR HELP to build these garden beds.

Interested in joining the party? Meet us at Backyard Growers HQ (271 Main Street) in downtown Gloucester at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, ready to get your hands dirty, make a difference, and have an awesome time! Rumor has it it’s going to be SUNNY🌞, too!

Where: Backyard Growers HQ, 271 Main Street, Gloucester, MA

When: Saturday, May 11, 9 am – 1 pm

Click here to let us know you’ll be there!

Are you interested in enjoying a thriving veggie garden in your own backyard, while also giving back to the community? Check out Backyard Growers’ Get-a-Garden, Give-a-Garden program.

For a $1,000 donation ($500 of which is tax deductible), you receive your own 8’x4’x2’ raised vegetable garden bed built by the Backyard Growers team, with access to all the support you need to make it flourish, like this one:

Your donation also gives a low-income Gloucester family or senior a garden of their own. All program participants have free access to Backyard Growers’ gardening trainings and cooking workshops, giving them the tools to grow their own produce and enjoy it in delicious, healthy meals.

For more information or to get started, contact community@backyardgrowers.org or call 978-281-0480.

Looking to refresh your seed collection this year and grow something exciting and new? Bring your seeds to trade at the Backyard Growers Seed Swap, where you can exchange seeeds and connect with other gardeners in the Gloucester community.

And don’t forget to stick around from 6 – 7 p.m. for our Seed Starting Workshop, where you’ll learn the best technique for starting your own veggies from seed. The Workshop is FREE for gardeners in our programs and $10 for other community members. The Seed Swap is free for everyone!

RSVP for the Seed Swap here and let us know you’ll be attending the Seed Starting Workshop here!

Join us for our very first Gardener Education Workshops of the season! Learn to start your veggies and flowers from seed as the winter days turn to spring.

You can purchase tickets and RSVP here.

Offered on two dates this year for convenience!

$10 admission

FREE for Backyard Growers program participants

Volunteer with Backyard Growers!

Volunteers are our backbone. Whether they’re helping us build new garden beds, mentoring beginner gardeners, helping us organize events or assisting with special programs, they are indispensible. Our volunteers are parents, professionals, retirees, chefs, advocates, mentors and more! Each opportunity requires different skill sets and time commitments, so anyone can get involved.

Join us at our Volunteer Information Session on February 23 to learn how you can play a part.

When: Saturday, February 23, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Where: BYG HQ, 271 Main Street, Gloucester

RSVP here or visit our Volunteer page at www.backyardgrowers.org/take-action!

Gloucester has been our roots, now we’re spreading our wings.

You helped Backyard Growers get here and now we want to share where we’re going next. We’ll unveil our vision for the future at a wine and cheese reception celebrating and saying thank you to our fantastic community.

Join us to learn what’s next as we tackle our mission to build a healthy, connected, environmentally sustainable community in Gloucester and beyond.

When: Thursday, January 24, 2018
Drop-in reception: 5 – 7 p.m.
Brief thank you and presentation: 6 p.m.

Where: BYG HQ, 271 Main Street, Gloucester, MA

Let us know you’re coming by RSVPing here!

We’re teaming up with our friends at Pigeon Cove Ferments again this winter to offer a Fermentation Workshop! Join us at PCF’s downtown Gloucester Fermentorium to learn about the benefits of fermentation and how to make your own sauerkraut.

We will begin with a short overview of the fermentation process, fermented foods and the health benefits of fermentation. Then we will chop, grate, mix, and begin fermenting our own sauerkraut for participants to take home!

When: Thursday, January 17, 2018, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Where: Pigeon Cove Ferments, 44 Whittemore Street Unit #10, Gloucester, MA

This workshop often sells out, so get your tickets today! Tickets are $20 per person, with a 50% discount for Backyard Growers Program gardeners.

Questions? Please contact Backyard Growers at 978-281-0480, community@backyardgrowers.org, or visit us at 271 Main St.

Backyard Growers‘ Holiday Pop-up Shop is back!

Stop by BYG headquarters (271 Main St) to check out our veggie ornaments, animal socks, *new* BYG tees, kitchen implements and other goodies for all the gardeners and foodies in your life. And all for a great cause! Each year, the pop-up shop helps BYG raise a little extra cash to start off the new year right.

Get some holiday shopping done and help spread love for gardens and veggies throughout Gloucester by shopping at our pop-up shop this holiday season 🙂

Open weekdays, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Join us for some late night shopping on Ladies’ Night (December 6, 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.) and Men’s Night (December 20, 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.)

A sneak peek at some of the goodies in our shop…

See you there!

Join us as we explore the joys of storage vegetables and their many uses in baking! Learn how to highlight or hide hardy winter roots like carrots and beets among more traditional items like apples or pumpkins. Participants will be led by community gardeners and Backyard Growers staff, alongside our fabulous guest chef Sarah Wonson. You’ll leave with recipes, tips, and tricks to incorporate these seasonal recipes into your holidays meals! Not an experienced cook? No problem! We’ll go over the basics, so all levels of cooking experience are welcome.

• When: November 6, 2018, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Where: The Open Door, 28 Emerson Ave, Gloucester, MA
• Tickets: RSVP and purchase tickets here. $20 per family, $15 per individual and FREE for gardeners in Backyard Growers’ programs.

Please notify us in advance of any allergies in your party.