Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

Tomatoes! Onions! Save money by growing your own
City program to help residents raise their own veggies

by Dolores Fox Ciardelli

With the economy down, the number of home gardeners is up so Pleasanton is hosting an event to help those wishing to start or to expand their own gardens. Gardening industry surveys are showing double-digit growth in the number of home gardeners and mail-order seed companies report running out of seeds for popular vegetables such as onions, tomatoes and peppers.

The city, in conjunction with its Energy and Environment Committee, will host a free panel presentation entitled "Food for Thought" beginning at 10 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 27, at the Veterans Memorial Building, 300 Main St. This will make it easy for visitors to the nearby Saturday morning farmers market to drop in.

Master Gardener Kathy Southern, who coordinates Pleasanton's community garden program at Val Vista Park, will discuss growing your own home garden. The city's Community Garden at Val Vista Park, where residents may pay a nominal fee to grow vegetables and fruits, has had a waiting list since it opened.

Also on hand will be representatives from Terra Bella Family Farms and Farm Fresh to You to discuss organic and sustainable farming techniques.

Other topics will include backyard and container gardening, preparing fresh seasonal meals, the benefits of composting food scraps, organic and sustainable farming and community supported agriculture.

Lita Gates from Western Garden Nursery will offer tips on growing a successful home garden and how to plant a great container garden, and Linda Wyner from Pans on Fire on Main Street and author of "Food for Thought" will prepare a stone fruit salsa and herbal vinaigrettes.

Participants will also receive valuable coupons, recipes, samples and more. For more information, call 931-5506.