Garden members get together to garden, perform maintenance and share information. A brief talk or program is usually included. If you are interested in joining, stop by and see what it’s all about.

Monday Morning Gardening in the Park

with Park Steward & Senior Naturalist Mary Ann Beauchemin

Adults – interested in gardening? Want to learn more about native plant gardening, non-native invasive species and help care for a local park at the same time?

Join Nature Discovery Center Park Steward Mary Ann Beauchemin on (typically) the first Monday of the month while the weather is cooler for some light gardening and help her care for Russ Pitman Park, the Center’s outdoor classroom. Volunteers will be removing some invasive species, growing out and planting natives, trimming the Pocket Prairie, watering recently transplanted plants and more.

• No experience necessary. Experienced staff will work with you and guide you through projects.
• Come dressed for the weather and be prepared to get dirty.
• Bring your own gloves and gardening gear or use ours.

Please contact Park Steward Mary Ann Beauchemin in advance if you are interested in coming or have any questions. mbeauch@naturediscoverycenter.org

Note: If you are interested in volunteer gardening, but cannot make it on the dates below, contact Mary Ann. Perhaps you can help on another day!

This annual Florida scramble is a much-anticipated event each year, and participants mark their calendars early so as not to miss out! Sponsors are the celebrated guests at the event, and the afternoon ends with a reception featuring icy cold beverages and hot-off-the-grill Becks Prime burgers. Sign up your foursome today, or call 713-863-8403 for more information.

11 a.m. | Registration and Lunch

12:30 p.m. | Shotgun Start

5:30 p.m. | Burgers & Beer Celebration and Awards Presentation

Workdays are held once a month, October through March on the second Saturday of the month. We start work around 8:30 AM and work until about noon, when we break for lunch, provided by Houston Audubon and prepared by the lunch crew. Lunch at the picnic area of Boy Scout Woods is a good chance to visit with other volunteers and recharge from a morning of exercise and work. After lunch, we take about an hour to tie up any loose ends and clean up.

Come be a part of sanctuary maintenance, habitat restoration, and Houston Audubon’s amazing volunteer workforce. Email Pete Deichmann at pdeichmann@houstonaudubon.org for more information or to be put on the email list.

• November 10
• December 8
• January 12
• February 9
• March 9

Habitat Restoration

Our volunteer group meets the second and fourth Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon at the HPARD Greenhouse.

We propagate plants from locally collected native seed. A typical workday may include seeding pots, bumping up trays into 1-gallon containers, separating seedlings, and weeding pots. We will also have special seed collecting trips, invasive species removal workdays, and planting events in our restored prairies!

We are also beginning to conduct semi-annual vegetation transects and monthly bird surveys at our current and future restoration sites. If you’re good at identifying plants or birds or if you would like to learn more about them, come join us!

If you’re interested in volunteering for the NRMP, email kelli.ondracek@houstontx.gov.

Please join the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) at the H-GAC Regional Recycling Roundtable at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 17 at H-GAC, Conference Room A, Second Floor. The topic will be policy changes related to waste and recycling. The featured presenter is Maia Corbitt, Director of Governmental Affairs, Booth, Ahrens, & Werkenthin, P.C. For more information, contact Becki Begley at becki.begley@h-gac.com.

In a total of 10 classes (25 hours of instruction), this series covers everything you want to know about growing vegetables. Topics include the advantages of organic and ecological approaches over chemicals; vegetable garden design; irrigation and drainage; soil fertility, mulches and composts; organic pest control; seeds, transplants, where to get them and how to plant them. The last half is a detailed discussion of selecting, growing and using the many varieties of vegetables, annual herbs, and melons.

Those who complete the class will become certified Organic Vegetable Specialists.

This is a series of ten classes and may not be taken individually. Assignments for the class include the reading of Dr. Bob Randall’s book, Year Round Vegetables, Fruits and Flowers for Metro-Houston. Cost of the book is $45.

SCHEDULE

Thursdays, 2018 from 6:30pm to 9pm

Class 1 – January 18

Class 2 – January 25

Class 3 – February 8

Class 4 – February 22

Class 5 – March 8

Class 6 – March 22

Class 7 – April 5

Class 8 – April 19

Class 9 – May 3

Class 10 – May 17

For an in-depth schedule, go to Spring 2018 class schedule and description.

DIRECTIONS AND PARKING

I-45 S, exit Cullen, go south, enter University of Houston campus, proceed through Elgin, Holman, Entrance 14 and Entrance 13, Cougar Place, turn left at Wheeler, take first right into driveway – park to the left of Lot 9C(although it says permit required, we have permission) Follow Urban Harvest signs back to Wheeler at Cullen. Walk north along Cullen, pass entrance 13 Cougar Village and follow the Urban Harvest signs to the classroom

For more classes by Urban Harvest, view their Upcoming Classes.

Join Urban Harvest for our first Spring Sunday Supper! Experience one-of-a-kind dishes when Houston’s top chefs partner with area farmers to create a fresh, seasonal supper benefiting Urban Harvest, a nonprofit organization that leads Houston’s local food movement. Sunday Supper at Weights + Measures will feature a group of Houston’s notable chefs who have pledged to impress guests with creative combinations that speak to Urban Harvest’s mission of cultivating thriving communities through gardening and access to healthy, local food.

unday Supper at Weights + Measures will offer a bountiful spread of dishes that spotlight seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms. In partnership with chef Richard Kaplan of Weights + Measures, contributing chefs include Dawn Burrell of Kulture, Stephanie Hoban of Ripe Cuisine, Tony Luhrman of El Topo, Graham LaBorde of Killen’s, Bobby Matos of State of Grace, Kevin Naderi of Roost, and Soren Pedersen of Currant Kitchen.

The evening will also feature a live auction showcasing get-aways, party packages, unique dinners and more.

Proceeds benefit Urban Harvest.

Light of the Phoenix Charity Crawfish Boil

Come feast at The Friends of the Phoenix’s inaugeral ALL YOU CAN EAT Crawfish Boil, a festive activity for all, complete with a waterslide and bounce house!

$25 Early Bird tickets provides: All you can eat crawfish, corn & potatoes
+First Beer & Koozie

$30 At The Door provides: All you can eat crawfish, corn & potatoes.

Funds benefit BikeHouston Light Distribution Program & Chavez High School after school programs.

Register and find FAQs at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/light-of-the-phoenix-charity-crawfish-boil-tickets-45701916663