Hope to see you at one of these events happening this weekend, Saturday, March 18, 2023. 

Modesto Farmers Market 

Look for our booth at the Modesto Farmers Market, located behind the Modesto Stanislaus County Library branch on 1522 ‘H' Street. Stop by and pick up some free seeds, say "hi" and ask your gardening questions. We have handouts on vegetable gardening, water wise gardening, and lots of tips for what to do about pests. The market starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 1:00 p.m. Make a morning of it, pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables, eat lunch, enjoy the music, and see what else the market has to offer. If you haven't been, you are in for a treat!

Turlock Community Gardens Workshop-Plant Swap-Potluck Palooza 

Turlock Community Gardens invites you to stop in for a visit or for the day, activities for all ages are happening.   

UCCE Master Gardener Composting Basics Workshop  9:00am-10:30am 
Learn about how to compost at home! Reduce your carbon footprint & recycle kitchen/garden scraps. This workshop is a great opportunity to hear from an expert and ask questions, plus one lucky person is going home with their own compost bin!

Turlock Community Gardens Plant Swap
11:00am-11:30am
Let's share cuttings, rooted plants, extra gardening supplies, seeds and any tips and tricks to help out our fellow plant enthusiasts! We will be doing a round robin with wristbands. If you don't have anything to bring, you are still welcome to take items home. There is always more than enough to share, especially extra perlite! 

Rock Painting Station
11:30am
Decorate a rock to take home or gift to the garden. Paint, brushes, and rocks will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own. 

Turlock Community Potluck
12:00pm-2:00pm  
Bring your favorite dish or just bring yourself! Enjoy a slice of pizza while exchanging tips/tricks. It's a great way to meet neighbors, network and have some fun. 

As a reminder, TCG asks children to be always supervised and for everyone to be mindful not to disturb the garden beds. They are lovingly maintained by different families and groups. 

Be sure to check out the Free Garden Items & Seed Exchange Cabinet and Free Little Library. (Take what you need, give what you can.)

Turlock Community Gardens and parking are located behind the Cornerstone Covenant Church (4501 Crowell Road) and the nonprofit, Jessica's House.  If you have any questions about the Turlock Community Gardens event, email info@turlockcommunitygardens.org

 

March 20 is the first day of spring for 2023, and February is the perfect time to start planning for your warm weather vegetable garden. Not sure how to get started, or need some tips? Join the UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners for a class at a local Stanislaus County library near you.  

Participants will receive free carrot and cilantro seed packets!  

Tues, 2/7 at 6:00 p.m. – Salida Library
Wed, 2/8 at 2:30 p.m. – Patterson Library
Sat, 2/11 at 2:00 p.m. – Riverbank Library
Mon, 2/13 at 6:00 p.m. – Ceres Library
Tues, 2/14 at 6:00 p.m. – Oakdale Library
Sat, 2/18 at 2:00 p.m. – Empire Library
Wed, 2/22 at 6:00 p.m. – Turlock Library
Mon, 2/27 at 5:30 p.m. – Modesto Library  

Don't see your local library on our list? Contact them to request our classes. 

HAPPY GIVING TUESDAY! 

Here at the Ag Center in Modesto, we are dreaming about next steps for our Pollinator Garden/Outdoor Classroom. You can see in this photo that native plants in bloom are quite beautiful.

Please help the UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardener Program reach our goal of raising $5,000 to help fund a pathway and sign for the garden. Today, November 29, 2022 on Giving Tuesday* is a great time to make a contribution, which will be directly reflected in our garden, which you can visit at anytime! 

Right now, the garden doesn't look like much. It was just planted this past week, and the drip irrigation was installed. Native plants such as Cleveland sage, coyote bush, penstemon, and ceanothus are just "babies." By this time next year, they will have grown in size and be flowering! We hope to see visiting hummingbirds, bees, moths, butterflies, bumblebees, and YOU!

How to Give 

Visit the UC ANR website https://donate.ucanr.edu/ and click on the Master Gardener icon. Then, from the drop down menu labeled “Choose a County,” select “Stanislaus County” to make your desired donation. We are a 501 c3 organization, so your donation is tax deductible. Donors will receive a packet of narrowleaf milkweed seeds as a special “thank you!”

If you prefer to donate by check, please make it out to: UC Regents and send to:
UCCE Stanislaus County Master Gardener Program
3800 Cornucopia Way, Ste A
Modesto, CA 95358

Thank you!
*sorry for any confusion, the last post said Nov 28 was giving Tuesday which is incorrect and has been changed.

Anne Schellman has been the UCCE Master Gardener Coordinator for Stanislaus County since 2018.

Curious about composting but not sure where to start? Tried composting in the past but gave up for various reasons? In this free class from the UC Cooperative Extension Stanislaus County Master Gardeners, you will learn how to turn kitchen and garden waste into "gold" that you can use in your garden. Adding compost to your houseplant pots, landscape, or garden is extremely beneficial. We will review common problems and their solutions. The main thing to remember that no matter what you do, "Compost happens!" One lucky person from each class will take home a free composter!

Stanislaus County Library Composting Classes

Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. – Salida Library
Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. – Riverbank Library
Monday, September 12, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. – Ceres Library
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. – Oakdale Library
Monday, September 26, 2022 at 6:15 p.m. – Modesto Library
Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. – Turlock Library

Stanislaus County Agricultural Center, Harvest Hall Composting Class

Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. rooms D&E

Turlock Community Gardens

We taught composting at this location in spring, so this month we are offering vermicomposting, the fun and easy way to compost kitchen scraps using red wiggler worms. Children are welcome!

Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.

Patterson Library

We are offering a Fall Vegetable Gardening Class at the Patterson Library, in case you missed this class last month at      other locations. Class is Wednesday, September 14, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Composting will be taught at the Patterson Library on October 12 at 2:00 p.m.

Never miss a class, bookmark our online calendar: https://ucanr.edu/sites/stancountymg/Calendar/