Come learn about Organic Growing in October!

Beginning Organic Growers Workshop

Sunday, October 18
10-11 am

Davis Park Community Garden
721 Chalkstone Ave.
Providence, RI 02908

While the season may be drawing to a close, there’s still plenty of time to learn how to grow organically.

Join talented grower Jenn Steinfeld as she walks us through the basics of fall crops. Topics will include how to plant garlic for harvest next year, how to protect fall crops from cooler temperatures with Reemay, how to overwinter certain crops and how to best put your garden to bed so you can build fertility for the spring. The workshop is free and open to the public.

Register Here

September Workshops: Extending the Growing Season, Saving Seeds, and Fermentation

Extend Your Growing Season, Tips and Techniques.

Tuesday, September 22

5:30PM-6:30PM

City Farm, Corner of West Clifford and Dudley St.

Providence, 02907

Too many vegetable gardeners think the growing season starts on Memorial Day and ends on Labor Day; it doesn’t have to!

Join City Farm Steward, Rich Pederson, City Farm Apprentice, Pat Walker, and SCLT Community Growers Director, Rob Booz, as they share a few easy tips on how to extend your growing season. Learn about how to keep the soil warm with mulch, how to use simple crop covers, and what late season crops to grow. With planning and a little luck, there’s no reason you can’t be pulling food from your garden into the beginning of December. This event is free for SCLT members.

Register here

 

Saving Seeds Workshop with Jessyloo Rodrigues of Parcel Apothecary

Saturday, September 26

11AM-1PM

Meet at City Farm, Corner of West Clifford and Dudley St.

Providence, 02907

Saving seed from your favorite & prized vegetables is easy & beneficial for every yard gardener.  Your favorite home-grown tomato, that slow-to-bolt cilantro & the tastiest kale you’ve grown this year are accustomed to the growing conditions you’ve provided in your backyard micro-climate – it’s now encoded in their DNA!  By saving their seed to plant this autumn or next spring you ensure a successful crop and a sustainable future (not to mention saving money!). Jessyloo will share with the group the varying techniques of saving seeds from veggies, herbs & flowers through history, hands-on demonstration & stories of experimental farming.  All ages – no pets, please.

Register here

 

The Fun of Fermentation

Monday, September 28

5:30PM-7PM

Fertile Underground Coop

1577 Westminster St.

Providence, RI 02909

Join SCLT Community Growers Director, Rob Booz, as he walks you through a few easy ways to preserve food. Topics covered will include lacto-fermentation of vegetables, simple dairy fermentation, vinegar making, and making fruit cordials.
This introductory course will help you to extend warm weather bounty into the cold months of winter. This event is free for SCLT members.

Register here

 

August Workshops: Urban Beekeeping, Container Gardening, and Composting & Soil Health

Basics of Urban Beekeeping with Peter Lutz

Sunday, August 9th, 2015

10:00-11:00 am

Meet at the Grove Street Garden at 111 Grove St.

Providence, 02907

 

For thousands of years bees have coexisted with humans in all kinds of locales, from remote islands to industrial metropolises. Bees not only produce delicious honey, but are essential to creating healthy gardens, farms and people.

Join SCLT and one of our state’s most fascinating renaissance minds, Peter Lutz, to discover the basics of beekeeping. The workshop takes place from 10-11 .m. on Sun., Aug. 9, at the Grove Street Garden in Providence (111 Grove St.). You’ll get hands-on instruction on safely managing a beehivein the city, including how to get started and where to buy equipment, as well as beekeeping secrets. Avoid wearing brightly colored clothing, bring a water bottle, and, if you have access to one, bring an insect headnet. The event is free for SCLT members and open to all ages.

Register Here!

 

 

Container Gardening at Galego Court

Saturday, August 15th, 2015

10:00-11:00 am

200-1C Leonard Jenard Drive

Pawtucket, 02680

 

Come check out SCLT’s first community garden in Pawtucket, on Sat., Aug. 15, and pick up some tips on container gardening. The workshop will take place at Galego Court, at 200-1C Leonard Jenard Drive, in Pawtucket, from 10-11 am.
SCLT’s newest staff member, Andrew Cook, will recommend plants that grow well in containers, how to properly feed confined plants and how to maintain proper drainage. The event will be free for all participants, and kids are encouraged to attend. Rain or shine.

Register Here!

 

Composting and Soil Health

Sunday, August 16th, 2015

11:00 am-12:00 pm

Frey Florist Community Garden

50 Radcliffe Ave

Providence, 02907

 

All summer you’ve tilled and toiled in your garden to grow the best produce possible. Now, as we approach fall, it’s normal for your soil to get a little worn out.

Come to our compost workshop and learn from local guru, Michael Bradlee, about revitalizing your soil and increasing productivity.

 

The workshop will take place from 11 am to noon at Frey Florist Community Garden, 50 Radcliffe Ave., Providence. Michael will talk about composting and how to properly prep your garden beds in the fall for the next growing season. Bring a water bottle and a pair of work gloves. This event is free, and open to all ages. Rain or shine.

Register Here!

 

 

Native Pollinator and Medicinal Herb Trainings in May

Spring has definitely sprung, and SCLT is offering two wonderful opportunities to get into the spirit and pick up a few skills, along the way. The first, on May 21, is learning about the importance of native pollinators to growing food, and our greater ecosystem. The second, on May 31, is a chance to take a tour of a few urban farms and learn what common garden weeds can be used for food or medicinal purposes. You can find full descriptions and a link to register below!

Urban Foraging for Medicinals and Edibles with Jessyloo Rodrigues of Parcel Apothecary.
Sunday, May 31
11:00-12:30PM
Meet at City Farm, Corners of Dudley Street and West Clifford Street, Providence, 02907.

“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Have you ever spent time pulling weeds and thought, I know some of these are edible, medicinal even, but I just don’t know which ones… Southside Community Land Trust is hosting local Farming Herbalist, Jessyloo Rodrigues, to clarify which garden weeds you can eat, and which you can use to nourish and heal yourself and your family. Join us on Sunday, May 31st, from 12 – 2:30 pm for a guided tour as we forage our way through the urban farms on the South Side of Providence. You will learn about (and taste) a handful of common weeds that grow in your own backyard! With this knowledge, weeding your garden will become a chance to harvest the wild flavors the earth has sewn for you. This event is free for SCLT Members & open to all ages. Bring a notebook/camera to take pictures and record ID techniques, recipes, and medicinal constituents & flavor profiles found in the plants we discuss. Please dress accordingly (sunhat or raincoat – this event is rain or shine) and a water bottle.

Register Here! 
Native Pollinator Habitat in Urban Areas: What to Plant and How to Plant it.
Thursday, May 21
5:30-7:30PM
Somerset Community Garden, 113 Linden St, Providence, 02907

Without the birds, bats, bees, and other pollinators we count on to fertilize our plants, we’d all go hungry. Native pollinator habitat is important to healthy ecosystems. Join us at our largest and oldest community garden, Somerset Community Garden, which we’ve just updated with new plots and new irrigation, as we install native pollinator habitat. You’ll learn important information about what native plants you can plant in your own yard, everything from milkweed to blueberries, and help us to plant out the garden. Bring a pair of work gloves and a shovel if you wish. Refreshments will be provided. This event is free for SCLT Members & open to all ages. Rain or shine.

 

Two Chances to Learn how to Dig Perennials!

Interested in learning how to dig and divide perennials while helping to prep for the plant sale at the same time? Join seasoned perennial gardeners this Saturday as they share their gardening wisdom and skills for the Perennial Digging & Dividing workshop. Learn about the benefits of dividing perennials to maintain a healthy garden, with hands-on experience as we divide plants at City Farm. Wear your favorite gardening garb and gloves, and we’ll supply the rest.

Perennial Workshop
Saturday, March 28
10 am – 12 pm
City Farm
168 W. Clifford St.
Providence
Register Here! 

Can’t make it to the workshop on the 28th? Don’t fret, there’s another digging & dividing workshop taking place at the home of Nancy Weiss-Fried on April 18.

Perennial Workshop #2
Saturday, April 18
10 am – 12 pm
10 Pleasant Hill Road
Cranston
Register Here!

2015 Hub Day, Come for the Compost and Stay for the Workshops!

On April 11th, we’ll be holding our annual Hub Day around the city. This is an opportunity for members to pick up compost (you can become a member that day and be eligible), to attend a growing workshop, to pick up free seeds, and to meet your gardening neighbors, while kicking off the growing season. Check out the flyer below for more info, and we hope to see you at one of the Hub sites!

Plant Providence 2015 Has Arrived!

It’s been a snowy winter. While it may still be white outside your window, Spring is just around the corner! Here at Southside we are getting excited for the coming growing season and we’ll be offering a wide variety of urban ag workshops. Below you’ll find our 2015 Plant Providence Calendar. You’ll notice that there aren’t many dates on this poster. We will be updating this website often to advertise dates, times, and locations as they become available. Also, we are constantly working to add workshops to the Plant Providence lineup. It’s very likely that we’ll be offering even more than what’s listed on the poster. Check back often!

If you scroll down below the poster we have listed a few specific dates and times for workshops we know we have dates for.

Dates and locations coming up (Many of these classes will be offered more than once):

• Composting and Soil Health, March 7th at Urban Ag Kick Off
• Using Rain Barrels, March 7th at Urban Ag Kick Off
• Seedstarting, March 7th at Urban Ag Kick Off
• Beginner Organic Growing Series 1, April 11th at Spring Hub Day
• Soil Health and Fertility, April 11th at Spring Hub Day
• Container Gardening, April 11th at Spring Hub Day
• Healthy Cooking with Fresh Ingredients, April 11th at Spring Hub Day
• Perennial Digging & Dividing, April 18th, Location TBD
• Medicinal Herbs, May 31st, with Parcel Apothecary and CSA

Check back often for updates! Email gardens@southsideclt.org with questions.

GARLIC WORKSHOP: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15th at NOON

Since the past two weekends have had inclement weather, SCLT’s garlic workshop has been changed to SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15th , from 12pm to 1:30pm.

We hope this class will not be rescheduled again and apologize for all of the delays.

The workshop will still be held at Father Lennon Park (Camden Ave. Park), Camden Avenue and Vale Street, in Providence.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Rob Booz, SCLT Community Growers Director at gardens AT southsideclt.org or 401-273-9419 x 105

Click here for more information.

GARLIC WORKSHOP: RAIN DELAY! MOVED TO SUNDAY, NOV 2nd, 2PM

Due to the potential messy weather this weekend, SCLT’s garlic workshop has been changed to SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2nd, from 2pm to 3:30pm.

The workshop will still be held at Father Lennon Park (Camden Ave. Park), Camden Avenue and Vale Street, in Providence.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with Rob Booz, SCLT Community Growers Director at gardens AT southsideclt.org or 401-273-9419 x 105

Click here for more information.

Got Garlic?

Attention all current SCLT Members!

It is time to prep your gardens not just for winter but for the 2015 growing season.

You need to plant your garlic now and Halloween is near, so time to ward off any vampires or other immortals.

SCLT has garlic for sale – $4/head or $14/pound.

Email gardens@southsideclt.org by Tuesday, October 28th with how much garlic you would like. 

We will contact you when it is ready to be picked up.

Confused about how to plant garlic?

No worries, two wonderful, committed, and very experienced growers, Fay Strongin and Kate Lacouture, will be offering a garlic workshop at Father Lennon Park in Smith Hill on Saturday, November 1 at 12:00 noon.

Click here to register for the workshop and to get more information.

Garlic resources are only available to current SCLT members.

Not a member? Click here to join!