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!

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

Held on the “2nd Saturdays” of each month, they will enjoy a delicious vegan potluck and meeting, along with a discussion, film screening, food demo or speaker presentation on intersectional issues of veganism, animal rights, environmentalism, nonviolence, health and more. Each month will be something new! Their new venue is at the HCC Conference Center.

They are asking for a donation of $5 per person to help cover our facility rental expenses. All attendees must bring a vegan entree to share at the potluck (serving size to feed 10 people)!

Please remember to bring a vegan dish to share with the group! Their events are always vegan, so please only vegan or raw vegan foods (no animal-derived ingredients). Also bring reusable dinnerware and plates to keep the event earth-friendly. If you have questions on ingredients, feel free to contact them.

They will also feature a new discussion topic on inter sectional issues each month, such as: animal rights, ethical vegan living, vegan health & nutrition, cooking, world hunger solutions, eco-friendly living, nonviolence and more! Some months will also include film screenings and/or guest speakers and food demos.

Houston Community College Conference Center is located at 3100 Main St, 3rd Floor, Houston, TX 77002. See below for map. Free Parking is available on level 7 & 8 of the HCC Administration parking garage at Main & Elgin. Use elevator from parking garage to 3rd floor breezeway, which leads to the Conference suites. You must enter the building through the parking garage and not street-level.

All attendees must sign in at the Security Desk.

RSVP is appreciated for seating!

On May 14, 2018, from 7-8:30 p.m., Mi Familia Vota and OCA-Houston will cohost a Candidate Forum for candidates in the primary runoff elections for Congressional Districts 7 and 22 and Texas State Senate District 17. Among the topics that will be addressed are the environment, immigration, education, and gun reform. State District Judge Ravi Sandill will moderate the event, which will be held at the Chinese Community Center, 9800 Town Park Drive. For more information and to register, visit eventbrite.com.

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.

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.

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.

This presentation will give you insight on how to create a garden for caterpillars and adult butterflies. We will discuss all the necessary elements you need to have a flurry of butterflies in your yard.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. No pre-registration required. Class fee of $5 (for one class) payable at door – cash only please (exact change will be greatly appreciated). $8.00 for both classes on same Day.

Refreshments provided: coffee, water and snack

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