Fall 2024

Introducing a New Contra Costa Master Gardener Project

by Anne Sutherland

In our big, vibrant county, Spanish is spoken in nearly 30% of households. As most of you know, English is typically spoken at our talks, Farmers Market tables, and in our videos... until now!

The word for gardeners in Spanish is jardineros (hardeenéros), which is the name of our new project. When reaching out to Spanish-speaking communities, we are finding rich, diverse groups of people of all ages who want to learn about the world of soil, plants, ecosystems, and how to grow their own food.

Several of us teach hands-on classes and build gardens at school and community programs, and at special events throughout the county. We recently set up a booth at Todos Santos Plaza in Concord for “Festival Latino” to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. We made over 100 contacts, including potential community partners and future bilingual Master Gardeners.

Engaging underserved communities with a bilingual, multicultural approach delights us, volunteers, as much as our Spanish-speaking clients. As my co-lead May Coleman has said, “Our work embraces cultural relevance and community engagement, building a supportive network that encourages collaboration and sharing of knowledge among gardeners.”