All LAVGC meetings, events and activities except allowed activities shown in the Calendar Events section to the left are CANCELLED until further notice following Alameda County Health Care Services guidance on Mar 12, 2020.

Allowed Calendar Events will follow ACHCS and CDC Guidance. Click to see ACHCS Guidance. Check with Activity Contacts for the status of other scheduled activities shown in the Calendar Events to the left.

Regular Monthly Meeting on Zoom
Thursday, May 13, 2021 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm on Zoom

Speaker: Peter Schumacher from Mt Diablo Beekeepers - All About Honey Bees.

Peter Schumacher from Mt Diablo Beekeepers will be our speaker this month. Peter became a beekeeper in 2008 when a swarm decided to fly into his backyard. He is now an active member of the Mount Diablo Beekeepers Association. The talk will attempt to help point folks in the direction of what to expect and do in the keeping of bees. It will also cover best practices on how to help bees in general. (ed. Note: a novel that tells about honey bees and what their lifestyle is The Honey Bus by Meredith May) .

Any questions about the meeting, please contact Barbara Stott.

We look forward to you joining us for our next Zoom meeting. We will be sending a notice prior to the meeting, but you also have the information in our recent newsletter.

If you cannot join the Zoom meeting, recordings of the monthly programs, speaker permitting, are available on this site thanks to the efforts of our Zoommasters: Grahamn Stott, Nile Runge and Len Smith.

LAVGC is inviting Members to our Monthly Meeting on Zoom

Topic: LAVGC Monthly Meeting
Time: Thursday, May 13, 2021, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Members only will receive an email close to the meeting with meeting join details.

Members can join the meeting starting at 6:45. When you join the meeting, you will be in the "waiting room" until the host lets you into the meeting. When you are let into the meeting, your microphone will be muted. Please use the "chat" feature if you want to ask a question.

See LAVGC Zoom Instructions for tips for those new to Zoom. See LAVGC Zoom Participation Tips for tips for participating in Zoom meetings.

Members having difficulty connecting to the meeting or have technical questions, please contact Zoommasters Nile Runge or Graham Stott. See the LAVGC Yearbook for their individual contact information.

If you have any trouble getting on the meeting as it starts, call Nile Runge, 925-443-2237 for help.

If you are not a member and would like to join Zoom meetings, please complete the New Member Application Form. Members receive the monthly newsletter, annual Yearbook, access to the Members Only section of this site and Zoom meeting details each month. If you are not a member and would like to attend a specific Zoom meeting, please contact Jeri Stark, President to request Zoom meeting details.

Visitors Are Welcome!

Please join us at the monthly meeting or contact us at the Membership link below. Please take a moment to fill out the New Member Application Form for Membership Year July, 2020 through June, 2021. New members joining after Jan. 31 of the Membership Year will owe one-half of the regular dues. New members joining at or after the April Spring Plant Sale will pay dues for the following Membership Year and be complimented for the remainder of the existing Membership Year (May/June).

For more information about membership or dues, please email Wanda Finn.

PDF requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

LAVGC Yearbook

We will not be creating a LAVGC 2020-2021 Yearbook. The LAVGC 2019-2020 Yearbook will continue to be used for 2020-2021. A PDF of the LAVGC 2019-2020 Yearbook and a PDF of the LAVGC Roster are available to view and print in the Members Only section.

LAVGC Roster

Beginning October, 2020, we are providing a complete list of all current LAVGC members and their contact information. The Roster includes information for all members and includes membership changes, such as, addition of new members and changes to current member contact information, since the Yearbook was published. The Roster is in Yearbook format so it can be printed and inserted in your physical Yearbook. The Yearbook Addendum has been replaced by the LAVGC Roster.

Member Alert: if you have changes to your contact information, please email Molly Fisher. See the LAVGC Yearbook for Molly's additional contact information.

Members Only section

Check out the Members Only section. Click on the 'Members Only' menu selection on any page, enter the Id and password. The Members Only section contains the club Yearbook, speaker video links, club forms, newsletter archives, meeting minutes and more. Members may email Jeri Stark, President to obtain the Id and password.

Thanks, thanks and more thanks

Thanks to all who participate in the club workshops, work parties and providing meeting refreshments. > > More

Garden Club Want Ads **** Updated May, 2021 ****

...garden related wants, needs, offers, for sale

This column is for any garden related items that you have that you want to get rid of - either selling or giving away, just to get them out of your place and it's too long to wait for the Plant Sale. You can also list needs or even if you need help in the garden and wish to hire someone for a few hours a week. Or if you'd like to hire out to help someone in their garden a few hours a week. Let's share with other gardeners in the club!! Click to see Garden Club Want Ads.

Talks on Video

If you missed our meeting speakers' informative talk, you can see the video of the talk on the club website Members Only section. Most of our recent club meeting talks are on view there. Select videos are also available to the public. See LAVGC Speakers: past and future.

**See the new EGG Recipe book.**

Click Edible Gardening Group then look for the yellow Recipes section on the right. Thanks to Beth Clark for creating the recipe book and to many members for their contributions.

HELP NEEDED

Because of health issues, Beth Clark has had to step back from club activities and so we need a recording secretary.  If you can help by taking minutes at our meetings for the rest of the current club year which ends June 30, 2021, please contact Jeri Stark, LAVGC President. See the LAVGC Yearbook for additional contact information.

We are also looking for members to fill positions that will be vacated by other VP’s or committee chairs on June 30.  Currently that list includes:

• Vice President Community Service - currently held by Gail Bachman
• Vice President Special Interests - currently held by Lois Barber
• Recording Secretary - currently held by Beth Clark but we are looking for a temporary and a permanent replacement.

If you are interested in taking on a leadership role in the club, please notify me, Jeri Stark, LAVGC President. See the LAVGC Yearbook for additional contact information. We will appoint a nominating committee in March to help fill these positions but would like to hear from anyone interested in taking on a new role.

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour and Green Home Tour

Bringing back the Natives is virtual again this year and they are including a Green Home Tour as well.  The tours will take place on Sundays in May and June.  Check out WWW.bringingbackthenatives.net for more information.

California Native Plant Society - Santa Clara Valley Chapter presentations

LAVGC member Bill McCormack writes: I am sharing several California Native Plant Society - Santa Clara Valley (CNPS-SCV) March-April presentations on topics that have been popular in past LAVGC meetings (pollinators, native bees) and a garden that was popular with some members who saw it a few years ago.

CNPS-SCV is a chapter of the California Native Plant Society. The CNPS-SCV meets Wednesdays at 7:30 pm. The meetings and the chapter Youtube channel are open to anyone (not just native plant society members). Past meetings have had attendees from all over the state and the Western US. .

Penny Pines for Gift Giving

With the National Forest offices closed, we are not able to get certificates for plantations until after the New Year. However, if you wish to give a gift of a Penny Pines plantation to a loved one, you can complete the form found here Penny Pines form.

Mail the form to Jeri Stark with a check for $68, made out to LAVGC. Jeri will prepare a certificate for you to give to your recipient. Our forests need our help more than ever and this is a wonderful gift.

Please contact Jeri Stark, Penny Pines for her address or see the LAVGC Yearbook for Jeri's contact information.

Click Penny Pines to learn more about the activity.

California Garden Clubs, Inc membership cards

Jeri received 2020-2021 membership cards to distribute to LAVGC members since we are also members of the California Garden Club’s Inc. The challenge is with distribution since we are not meeting in person except for work parties, it would cost $60 to $70 dollars to send out these cards individually. If you have found the card beneficial in previous years, Jeri Stark would be happy to send you one if you send her a request Jeri Stark, LAVGC President. At the California Garden Clubs web site she found that Alden Lane gives a 10% discount, East Bay Nursery in Berkeley gives a 10% discount. Many other stores and public gardens may grant a discount if you show your card.