gardening

2025 season of Gloucester’s farmers market, the Backyard Growcery, kicks off June 18

~ backyardgrowersgloucester

 Backyard Growers, the Gloucester-based food equity nonprofit organization, is thrilled to share the return of the Backyard Growcery, Gloucester’s community-centered, food-focused farmers market in America’s Oldest Seaport. Now in its second season, the Growcery reopens on Wednesday, June 18, at Burnham’s Field and will run weekly until October 15, 2:30-6:30pm. 

The Backyard Growcery brings fresh, local food to the heart of downtown Gloucester while supporting small-scale farms and up-and-coming food businesses. It’s more than just a market—it’s a space to connect, learn, and grow together.

“We can’t wait to see everyone back at the market for another fun season of supporting local growers and making fresh, local food easy for everyone to enjoy,” said Alison DiFiore, Executive Director of Backyard Growers. “The Backyard Growcery is a great spot to hang out—whether you’re picking up veggies, learning something new, getting creative with art, or just spending time with friends and neighbors. See you at Burnham’s!”

Fresh Food, Local Vendors & New Faces

This year’s lineup features favorites like Cedar Rock Gardens, Marshview Farm, First Light Farm, Bonny Breads, Wild Heart, Underground Mushroom, Rhea Pizzeria Napoletana, and more. The Growcery is also welcoming High Tide Farm, a new certified organic farm hosted by New Entry Sustainable Farming Project. Plus, keep an eye out for pop-up appearances from other North Shore food vendors and producers, like Salty’s Bagels, all season long.

The Backyard Growcery is a food-focused market with a mission to boost the local economy and help small businesses thrive while also creating opportunities for community connection. In order to reduce business risk to small-scale food producers, the market does not charge a vendor participation fee. 

New This Year: Growcery Quest!

Want to get to know seasonal, local food, and the people who grow it? The Backyard Growcery is introducing Growcery Quest, a season-long scavenger hunt for kids and families to inspire them to make weekly discoveries at the market. Stop by the Backyard Growers table at the market to get involved.

Accessible, Welcoming, and Here for Everyone

Located at Burnham’s Field—just a 5-minute walk from the MBTA station—the Growcery is easily accessible by foot, CATA bus (near Sheedy Park stop), or car (free parking on Sargent Street and nearby streets). The park also features a playground, basketball courts and athletic fields, walking paths, and a 55-bed community garden managed by Backyard Growers. Burnham’s Field is the homebase of Backyard Growers’ work in the community, connecting low-to-moderate income Gloucester residents with access to the space and resources to grow fresh food.

With the closure of Shaw’s on Railroad Avenue, the need for fresh food in this downtown neighborhood has significantly increased. The Growcery proudly accepts SNAP/EBT, and Backyard Growers provides Market Mint, a SNAP Match up to $5 per week. This year, the Backyard Growcery is doubling the number of vendors who accept WIC and Senior Farmers Market Coupons. WIC coupons will be available at the market on July 23, with more chances to pick up WIC and Senior Coupons throughout the season. 

Cultivating food-growing knowledge & resources in our community

Backyard Growers is committed to ensuring equitable access to the resources, space, and knowledge needed for communities to grow their own food. During the Backyard Growcery, Backyard Growers will once again host regular free workshops, with a focus on vegetable gardening, food preparation and preservation, art, and gardening for pollinators. The nonprofit will also offer regular free giveaways of resources such as vegetable seeds and guidance, with the opportunity to purchase fertilizer, compost, and more, directly from their booth. 

Learn more at www.backyardgrowers.org/backyard-growcery or follow us on social media @backyardgrowcery. 

See you at Burnham’s! 

Grow a Mini Garden at the Library with Backyard Growers

~ Sawyer Free Library

How green is your thumb?

Find out at the Sawyer Free Library on Tuesday, April 29, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM!

Local tweens and teens are invited to design and plant their very own mini garden with the help of Backyard Growers. All materials will be provided—including everything you need to start growing your own garden at home.

This special event will be held at Sawyer Free Library, 21 Main Street, Gloucester.

Open to students in grades 6–12 (ages 11–19). Space is limited, so registration is required at sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Have questions? Contact Annalise at anakoneczny@sawyerfreelibrary.org.

Digging into Gardening at the Library with Cheryl Rafuse of Plant Magic Gardens

~ Sawyer Free Library

On Wednesday, August 21 from 4:30 to 5:30 pm join the Sawyer Free Library for “Digging into Gardening with Cheryl Rafuse of Plant Magic Gardens” at 21 Main Street in Gloucester.

Are you interested in planting native plants to support local ecosystems? Would you like insight into what’s a weed and what you should leave and not pull? North Shore native plant gardener Cheryl Rafuse will share all about the bees and butterflies, flowers and shrubs, and the easiest ways to start incorporating keystone species into your gardens during this hands on presentation.

Registration required at sawyerfreelibrary.org. The first 20 attendees will receive free gardening supplies. 

If you have questions, contact: moneill@sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500 or visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.

EARTH DAY ALL MONTH AT SAWYER FREE

~ Sawyer Free Library

SAWYER FREE LIBRARY PRESENTS EXCITING MONTH-LONG LINEUP OF ACTIVITIES CELEBRATING EARTH DAY 2024

As the global community gears up to commemorate Earth Day 2024, the Sawyer Free Library proudly presents a month-long extravaganza of activities aimed at celebrating and advocating for environmental consciousness.

In celebration of Earth Day 2024, the Sawyer Free Library is excited to unveil a diverse lineup of events and initiatives throughout April. From educational workshops to reading challenges, the Library endeavors to inspire and empower individuals to embrace sustainable living and make meaningful actions in their own lives to protect our environment.

Throughout April, the community is invited to participate in a variety of events designed to promote environmental awareness and stewardship. Highlights of the Earth Day 2024 lineup include:

Sustainability Reading Challenge: In collaboration with TownGreen, the Library invites community members to participate in a Sustainability Reading Challenge. From March to April, individuals are encouraged to read books aligned with the United Nations Sustainability Goals, with the chance to win a $25 Holy Cow gift card. These goals serve as a blueprint for addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change.

Plant a Garden: Discover the joys of gardening with the Sawyer Seed Library. Select from a diverse array of vegetable, herb, and flower seeds to cultivate your own garden. By nurturing these plants from seed to harvest, participants contribute to a thriving community of gardeners and expand the Seed Library’s offerings for future generations.

Indulge in “Holy Cow Ice Cream“: Grab a spoon and satisfy your sweet tooth. Award winning Holy Cow Ice Cream created a new ice cream flavor celebrating Earth Month in partnership with the Sawyer Free Library and Cape Ann Climate Coalition. Available throughout April at Holy Cow Ice Cream Cafes across the North Shore, this special chocolate and raspberry-flavored all-natural treat embodies the organizations’ commitment to environmental advocacy and the understanding that every day is earth day. A portion of sales of this limited time special flavor will support the Cape Ann Climate Coalition’s educational programs.

In addition to these exciting initiatives, the Sawyer Free Library will host a series of captivating events, including workshops, educational talks, and family-friendly activities. Highlights include “Start Your Own Kitchen Herb Garden” with Backyard Growers, “Tree Talk” with 400 Trees, “Earth Month Musical Storytime” and a “Recycled Art Workshop” led by a local artist.

All events are free and open to the public, with registration required for certain activities. For more information and to view the full schedule of Earth Day events, please visit sawyerfreelibrary.org.

As the Sawyer Free Library continues its commitment to sustainability, it looks forward to the official opening of its new and modernized space in the fall of 2025. Designed to achieve LEED Gold Certification and Mass Save Path 1 Net-Zero-Ready Verification, the renovated library will exemplify energy efficiency and renewable practices. 

The Sawyer Free Library knows that every action we take individually and collectively toward making our environment resilient and sustainable is a step toward a net zero-impact future. To learn more about or to invest in the 2025 Sawyer Free Library’s sustainability features and programs, please visit sawyerfreelibrary.org/sustainability. 

SFL & Backyard Growers “Story Hour in the Garden” Kicks Off this Thursday morning

~ Sawyer Free Library

Throughout the summer, everyone can get their hands dirty on Thursday mornings while sharing stories, gardening and more in the Sawyer Free Library’s raised gardens with Backyard Growers. 

Everyone is invited to join in on the fun on Thursday’s from 10-11am at the Sawyer Free Library’s garden, located alongside Middle Street, for story hour followed by time planting, watering, maintaining and harvesting and more in the garden! Open to all ages, recommended for ages 2-8. No pre-registration required.

To learn more about this fun program and to discover all that is happening at the Sawyer Free Library this summer, visit www.sawyerfreelibrary.org, call 978-325-5500, or the Library 21 Main Street in downtown Gloucester.

Backyard Growers hiring full-time Garden Educator

~ backyardgrowersgloucester

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.

Click here to learn more.

Apply Today! We look forward to hearing from you!

  • 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.

Backyard Growers hosts online Lunch & Learn, “Frontyard Growers: Algonquian Farmers of Cape Ann”

~ backyardgrowersgloucester
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:

Backyard Growers’ Spring Gardening Workshops & Events Schedule

~ backyardgrowersgloucester

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.

Click here to explore our upcoming events.

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.

Click here to learn more and purchase tickets.

Gardening workshop: How to start seeds indoors

~ backyardgrowersgloucester

Join Backyard Growers for the virtual garden workshop “How to Start Seeds Indoors” and learn how to start your own seeds this spring. In this workshop, you’ll learn the benefits of starting seeds indoors, what you need to be successful at starting your own indoor nursery, and how to care for your seedlings from seed to garden. The event includes an interactive Q&A and demonstration.

When: March 11, 7 – 8pm

Where: Zoom

Tickets: FREE for Backyard Garden Program participants. $15 general admission. Ticket sales support Backyard Growers’ school, community, and backyard garden programs. Click here to reserve your spot or purchase a ticket.

Seaside Garden Club’s October Meeting

~ Dot Sieradzki

Susan MahlerSeaside Garden Club welcomes Suzanne Mahler as its guest speaker at their October 9 meeting, “Dividing and Transplanting Perennials.”  Nearly all perennials benefit from periodic division. Learn the indicators for division, which plants require regular separation, and the best times to split and transplant. Tools of the trade and methods of division will be covered during a live demonstration of multiple plant species with different types of root systems. Divisions will be donated to the club for raffle at the end of the presentation.

Suzanne Mahler has been sharing her passion for gardening for more than 30 years, having spoken at the Boston, Rhode Island, and New England Spring Flower Shows, Art in Bloom at the Museum of Fine Arts, the Environmental Protection Agency, and garden clubs and organizations throughout the New England area.

She is past President of the New England Daylily Society, an Overseer for the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, works part-time at a local garden center, and writes a weekly gardening column “Green Thumbs Up” for Gatehouse Media’s South Shore Mariner Newspapers.

Suzanne has been developing her acre property for 40 years and is an avid plant collector with extensive collections of woody plants and perennials including more than 300 daylily cultivars and 250 varieties of hostas.

The Seaside Garden Club is a group of fun, active, civic-minded and hands-on gardeners. We welcome all types of gardeners from beginners to experienced… there is always something to learn and share. We invite you to become a member of our club and enjoy our monthly programs which feature interesting guest speakers and creative workshops.

We meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month, September through June, at the Manchester Community Center, located at 40 Harbor Point. Social time begins with light refreshments at 7:00 pm, followed by the program at 7:30 pm. Program dates are subject to change – see our current schedule: https://seasidegardenclub.wordpress.com/2018-2019-schedule/.