In this workshop, participants learned about the importance of saving seeds to carry on the cycle of food production, especially for small-scale food production. Attendees got to practice different methods of seed-saving, including fermenting and winnowing. As a group, we were able to process an excess of cilantro, eggplant, and carrot seeds, so be sure to ask for seeds at the next LBO event you attend!

As we transition from summer to fall, we have to find ways to preserve our abundance of summer produce! In this workshop, we reviewed the history of pickling as a cultural and nutritional method of food preservation. We learned about how food changes during the pickling process and how it affects the nutritional character of different fruits and vegetables. The workshop concluded with a brine-making demonstration and the opportunity for each garden guest to make their own jar of refrigerator pickles. All produce was sourced from the Downtown Long Beach Farmer's Market, furthering our mission of supporting local food production.

During this workshop, garden guests got to learn from a local artist/ horticulturalist about the connections between art and land stewardship. After guided discussion, the group gathered natural materials from around the garden and brought them together to create a temporary art piece inspired by sacred geometry. We concluded the morning with a reflection on the collective experience and sharing locally native seeds amongst the group.

During this partnership with Rancho Los Alamitos, Long Beach Organic hosted an educational and interactive dinner event focused on empowering community members to get involved in their local food systems. Guests engaged in pesto and agua fresca cooking demonstrations and a hands-on seed starting workshop, designed to demonstrate the tangible link between growing our own food and sustaining our communities. These demos were accompanied by a dinner prepared by local chefs with locally-sourced produce.

In this workshop, we explored the possibilities of foraging in our urban environments and learned how to identify specific plants we often find in the cityscape. As a group, we collected nasturtium leaves, flowers, and seeds to make a delicious peppery garden-made pesto. Participants then learned how to make their own pizzas in our garden's earth oven, topped with our fresh nasturtium pesto!

Participants in this art workshop got to explore the historic botanical photography method of cyanotype printing. After learning about the process firsthand, we gathered materials from around the garden to create our own pieces of art.

Volunteers helped reset garden beds in Zaferia's "Learning Garden" for the spring growing season. We learned about soil amending, organic fertilizer use, mulching, and how to set up baby plants for a bountiful summer!

Hosted alongside our annual Plants-R-Us fundraiser, participants learned about soil health and how we can help feed the life in our soil. Each participant learned how to make compost tea and got to take home their own compost tea bags.

Students from IVA Middle School came to Zaferia Junction Community Garden for their "Day of Service" to help with garden maintenance and learn about land stewardship principles.

"Our Girl Scout Trip had an amazing morning with Long Beach Organic at the Zaferia Community Garden. Brianna was kind, patient and engaging as she taught the girls about how the garden works, what organic gardening means, and how to plant radishes. She even sent us home with little herb pots and seeds to grow at home. The girls then got to do weeding and mulching, which was very fun and great experience for these city kids. What a great way to earn a badge! We’ll definitely be back. Thank you, Long Beach Organic!" Monica, Troop 733