During World War I, school gardens materialized as an effort to utilize idle land on urban and suburban school properties. Food was grown at schools for local community food security, to increase nutritional awareness, and to increase youth civic engagement.

Winter chill: As mild as winters can be alongside the bay — perfect for subtropicals that grow so successfully here, e.g., Feijoas, Persimmons, Figs and Citrus — locals still love to grow trees, shrubs, and bulbs that need winter chill in order to perform.

Alameda Backyard Growers (ABG) held their August educational program on site at Farm2Market, the social enterprise farm division of Alameda Point Collaborative (APC).

It’s a lovely warm summer day. The kale plants in the garden have looked lush and productive, ready for salads and sautés. The broccoli and chives have been doing well too. But suddenly — aphids!

Community organizations in other cities now have a handy tool for setting up their own food recovery or gleaning groups thanks to the new booklet produced by StopWaste and Alameda Backyard Growers (ABG).

Many of us enjoy viewing the canopy of full-grown trees that grace many Alameda streets, but trees are not simply aesthetically pleasing. Many different research studies have shown that living around trees is good for people’s health.

About 10 years ago, my next-door neighbor and I were commiserating that we didn’t have enough sunny space in our yards to grow as many tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant as we could eat.

There was a time in my past when I had to concede that my home was a hospice for the unfortunate plants that caught my eye and came home with me. I never intended for them to have such a short lifespan, but I just didn’t have a good plan for their continued prosperity.

Alameda Backyard Growers (ABG) invited a youth at Farm2Market to share their perspective on gardening. Oliver Stouffer, a 17-year-old senior at Encinal High School, accepted their offer.