- Hildi Gabel
October Events at the Growing Center!
The Somerville Community Growing Center offers free events all throughout our season, from May through October! This fall season is especially busy because we are kicking off the celebration of our 30th Anniversary. Join us for opportunities to learn, gather in community, engage with nature, and celebrate the season. Also see below for opportunities to volunteer and connect with us! Below is a re-cap of the Harvest Festival (October 1) and upcoming events throughout the month of October.
Gathering in Gratitude
On Sunday, October 1, nearly 200 people visited the garden to participate in our annual signature fall event. Harvest Festival: Gathering in Gratitude saw people of all ages coming through - on a beautiful and HOT fall afternoon! - to take part in activities celebrating the bounties of nature in the harvest season. There was pumpkin painting, flower printing, seed saving, weaving, and live music.
30 Years of Community, Growth and Green
The Somerville Community Growing Center is celebrating 30 years as a beloved community gathering space and home for urban agriculture, cultural events and nature education at our 30th anniversary Community Kick off! On Saturday, October 14, from 3:30 - 5:00 pm, we will be highlighting the center’s history and impact with tours, narratives, and mapping – many led by children who have been involved – and archival photos and videos. Visitors will enjoy music by Mystic Jazz Trio and relax in the garden.
Everyone will have the opportunity to share a memory or hope for the center at an interactive video station. But - for those who cannot attend or live farther afield - you can do so right now from the privacy of your own home at bit.ly/gc-30! (Enter the password "somerville" to get in.)
Visit our 30th Anniversary page for more details and download the flier here. Interested in getting more involved? Join our 30th Anniversary Steering Committee! Email info@thegrowingcenter.org.
Curated Treasures, Artisanal Crafts & Fall Fun - Oh, My!
Look for vintage treasures and handmade art, jewelry and textiles at our largest in-person fundraising event of the year: The Seasonal Salvage Sale and Maker’s Market. Coming up on Saturday, October 21 from 12:00 - 5:00 pm, this is an innovative Yard Sale in two parts. The first is a curated, seasonally-themed sale featuring salvaged housewares, clothing, jewelry, books and decorative items; the second is a craft/artisan fair offering everything from clothing to prints to jewelry. Read more about the event on our Salvage Sale page! (Rain Date October 22).
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS
Salvage sale donation drop-offs: October 18-20 (Wed-Fri). We are looking for unique homegoods to sell at our home goods sale, where 100% of proceeds will go to support the Community Growing Center. See more about what you can donate in our Donation Flier
Salvage Sale and Maker’s Market Volunteers: Saturday, October 21. We are also looking for volunteers to help with donation acceptance and sorting, event set-up, greeting, check-out, clean-up, driving, and more! Fill Out the Volunteer Form Here
Additional Fall 2023 Events
Mondays, October 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 5:30-6:30 pm
Mindful Monday Yoga Care in the Garden
An open template for practice to welcome gentle movement and contemplation for your current moment with instructor Jenn Pici Falk
View the Facebook event here
Contact: Jenn at jennpfalk@gmail.com
Monday, October 9 / Segunda-feira, 9 de outubro, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Community Read Aloud Series
Leitura em voz alta com a Yumi Izuyuma, em Português! Community Read Aloud with Yumi in Portuguese.
Our read aloud series continues this fall! Bring a blanket (and a sweater) and join us in the garden for stories with our volunteer readers. Books will be geared towards ages 1-8. All are welcome. Stay tuned for more community read-alouds to be confirmed this month!
Sunday, October 8, 2:00 - 4:00 pm
Nature+Art+Kids: Seeds/Sementes
Led by multilingual volunteers Piéra Varin & Yumi Izuyama, this Portuguese-language event, co-hosted by SomerViva, offers storytelling, Brazilian children's songs, land art (making art with nature materials), and BYO picnic!
Saturday, October 14, from 2:00 – 3:30 pm
Introduction to Plant & Wildlife Monitoring for Conservation
Join Claire and Earthwise Aware (EwA) citizen scientists and learn how to observe and record the plants, insects, and animals of the Somerville Growing Center using the iNaturalist platform. We will contribute to biodiversity science while enjoying the outdoors together in this beautiful little garden and learning about EwA’s arthropods (insects and spiders) and phenology studies at the Growing Center. Register here for the event and download the free iNaturalist account. Beginners are welcome!
EwA will also be doing plant and wildlife monitoring from 1:00-2:30pm on Tuesdays. Contact Claire at citizenscience@earthwiseaware.org for more information
Tuesday, October 31, 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Anti-Morris Dancing and Pumpkin Carols
Add the arts to your Halloween plans with Pumpkin Carols followed by the AntiMorris at Sunset, danced by Recently Traditional Fictional Morris. The dancers shall fade silently into the night upon conclusion of the dance.
Stay up-to-date with the Events Calendar for Open Garden Hours, Volunteer Orientations, and more.
