The Trustees of Reservations’ community gardens program will host the 50th annual Gardeners Gathering on Saturday, March 21, at Northeastern University’s Curry Student Center, located at 360 Huntington Ave. This free event brings together all interested in community gardens, backyard gardening and urban farming for Boston’s largest educational forum. The event starts at 10 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.
Anyone interested in urban gardening and farming is invited to come to share tips and ideas, and network. Several workshops will be held in the afternoon to teach attendees new skills. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will be on hand to provide brief remarks and present the annual garden awards, including Rookie Garden of the Year and Hall of Fame Gardener.
Starting at 10:15 a.m., a brief speaking program will feature Trustees President and CEO Katie Theoharides, followed by Mayor Wu’s presentation of the annual city garden awards at 10:30 a.m.
At 11 a.m., a short film “50 Years in the Garden” will be presented. The film features interviews with garden elders and visionaries who shared history about Boston’s community gardens and talked about how the gardens can thrive for the next 50 years.
At 11:30 a.m., Kim Janey, Boston’s first female and Black mayor and current president of Economic Mobility Pathways (EMPath), will be the featured speaker on the theme “Creating Thriving Communities Together.”
Lunch options will be available on site.
After lunch, several skill-building workshops will be held for vegetable and ornamental gardeners emphasizing healthy urban garden practices. Workshop topics will include Wild Medicinals for Chinese Herbalism, Hydroponics, Urban Soil Health, Starting a Seedling Setup at Home, Garden Tool Care and Sharpening, Native Plants in Massachusetts, Beekeeping, Mapping Your Dream Garden, Growing Mushrooms, Herb-Based Cosmetology, and more.
The opening plenary and several workshops will be translated into Chinese, Spanish, and Cape Verdean Creole as needed.
Exhibitors at the Gathering include several community groups, garden supply vendors, and The Trustees’ Mobile Market.
The first Gardeners Gathering took place in 1976 at Boston City Hall, attended by community gardeners and organizers who were advocating to protect green space for urban agriculture. Today, the conference is attended by a diverse cross-section of community members involved in agriculture, gardening, land stewardship, and community organizing in the Greater Boston region. The Trustees steward 56 community gardens totaling 15 acres throughout 8 neighborhoods in Boston.
While the event is free, registration is required. To register for the event, go to the event page for the Gardeners Gathering.
Media is welcome at the event. For more information, contact Mary Dettloff, director of public relations, mdettloff@thetrustees.org; or Annabel Rabiyah, community gardens engagement manager, at arabiyah@thetrustees.org.
About The Trustees
The Trustees is Massachusetts’ largest—and the nation’s first—land conservation and preservation nonprofit. Today, through the support of Members, donors, and partners, The Trustees helps conserve nearly 52,000 acres and welcomes the public to more than 120 inspiring locations across the state to experience landscapes where nature, wildlife, and people all thrive.
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