A Cut Above: Pruning basics for the High Desert (Redmond)
2024-03-27 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | OSU Extension Office, 3800 SW Airport Way, Redmond, OR, 97756, United States
Join us for a class that will teach you basic pruning skills for trees and shrubs including basic fruit tree pruning. Class will include an outdoor component so dress accordingly. Bring your hand pruners or some will be available on site. Amy Jo Detweiler, professor for OSU Extension Service’s Central Oregon Horticulture program will be offering two pruning workshops this month.
Space is limited for these classes, so register now!
REGISTER HERE

Happy Hour in the Garden
2024-04-02 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-04-16 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-05-07 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-05-21 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-06-04 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-06-18 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-07-02 16:00 - 18:00, 2024-07-16 16:00 - 18:00 and 3 more dates | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Join us in our Kansas Avenue Learning Garden for our ongoing volunteer work party series. In 2022, volunteers contributed over 200 hours to help keep our learning garden maintained over the growing season. We couldn’t do it without you!
This event is open to all ages and gardening abilities! No experience or tools required. Beer and non-alcoholic beverages are provided for all who volunteer. Each event includes seasonal ongoing tasks as well as special projects as needed throughout the growing season. Volunteers are welcome to pop in for an hour or stay the whole time. No need to RSVP or commit ahead of time. (Pro tip – put the following dates in your phone calendar now – then when it pops up you can decide if it works out for you or not!)
In 2024, Happy Hour in the Garden will once again run twice a month from March through October on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays from 4-6pm. This schedule throughout the extent of the growing season offers meaningful volunteer experiences for all who come, and deeper care for the garden when it needs it.

Know Gardens: Stories in the Garden at The Environmental Center
2024-04-05 10:30 - 11:30 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Enjoy a story time and explore the wonders of gardening!
Space is limited. Registration is required. This event is suggested for children ages Kindergarten and younger, and all children must be accompanied by a caregiver.
Children and families are invited to explore the Kansas Avenue Learning Garden at The Environmental Center. The event will begin with a nature-based story time, provided by Deschutes Public Library, followed by a chance for caregivers and little ones to get their hands dirty with Denise Rowcroft. Some or all of this program will take place outside, so please bring appropriate layers, snacks, and sun protection.
Denise Rowcroft joined The Environmental Center in 2006 and is responsible for the Kansas Avenue Learning Garden and the Garden for Every School program. The Garden for Every School program exists to connect youth to nature through food. This program includes food-based education in classrooms, cafeterias, school gardens and field trips. It also supports youth organizations, schools and districts with annual garden grants and on-going technical assistance.
The Environmental Center’s mission is to embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon. The organization’s programs and advocacy efforts focus on building community connections, educating students, revolutionizing energy, and rethinking waste.
REGISTER HERE!

Know Gardens: Garden Fair at Sisters Firehouse Community Hall
2024-04-28 11:00 - 13:00 | Sisters Firehouse Community Hall, 301 S Elm St, Sisters, 97759, United States
Description
Learn about composting, pollinator habitat, growing vegetables, seed bombs and more.
Learn from local experts how to help pollinators, compost, roll up seed bombs, grow vegetables in our climate, create paints from your garden, and more! Join Deschutes Public Library and the following community organizations for this free, fun event:
– Artist Lee Kellogg
Outdoors is where Lee Kellogg would rather be just about any day and anytime. Sketchbook in hand, she records the world around her. A bird watcher from a young age, Lee has long been interested in the natural world around us. From working summer camp as a teen to the Adult Education Coordinator at the Audubon Society of Portland to owning a retail business focused on art and craft, Lee has had much experience that all focuses on her love of the outdoors and art. Inspiring others to be creative and become aware of the world around them is part of her mission when she teaches. https://www.leekellogg.com/
– DPL Community Librarian
– Deschutes Land Trust
The Deschutes Land Trust’s mission is to conserve and care for the lands and water that sustain Central Oregon, so local communities and the natural world can flourish together for generations to come. https://www.deschuteslandtrust.org/
– OSU-Master Gardeners
“The Oregon State University Extension Master Gardener program educates Oregonians about the art and science of growing and caring for plants. OSU Extension Master Gardeners are volunteer educators, neighbors, and on-the-ground researchers who serve their community with solid training in science-based, sustainable gardening and a love of lifelong learning.” https://extension.oregonstate.edu/mg
– Pollinator Pathway Bend
Pollinator Pathway Bend is a community-wide effort to create and connect pesticide-free habitat for imperiled native pollinators in the city of Bend and beyond. https://pollinatorpathwaybend.org/
– Seed to Table
“Seed to Table envisions a vibrant and resilient community where all people, regardless of race, gender, geography, ability or socioeconomic status, have access to fresh produce that is nourishing, locally grown, and in keeping with their preferences. From our 4-acre farm plot, we strive to model a food system that restores ecosystems while providing equitable access to fresh foods and opportunities for community members to engage positively with farm-fresh foods.” https://www.seedtotableoregon.org/
– Sisters Garden Club
“The Sisters Garden Club, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1988 by 13 original members who wanted to spread the joy of gardening to this wonderful community they called home. The goals of our club are to stimulate increased knowledge of our unique local environment and how it affects our gardens; aid in the protection of native plants and wildlife including our essential beneficial insects; and encourage the sharing of this information with others in the community to make it even better.” https://www.sistersgardenclub.com/
– The Environmental Center
In 1989, The Environmental center was born to inspire locals to live lighter on the planet. “Our mission is to embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon. To us, that means driving local change that makes a world of difference.” https://envirocenter.org/

Spring into Nature Festival
2024-05-04 11:00 - 14:00 | Sahalee Park, 1 SE 7th Street, Madras, OR, 97744, United States
Visit the Deschutes Land Trust at the Children’s Forest of Central Oregon’s Spring Into Nature Festival! The Spring Into Nature Festival celebrates the many ways that we all connect with nature. Stop by our table to plant native milkweed seeds to add to your garden or yard and create a monarch butterfly craft. Learn more about the Land Trust’s work while also providing habitat for Western monarch butterflies and other pollinators.

Crook County On The Move’s Community Garden Party
2024-05-11 10:00 - 14:00 | Prineville Presbytarian Church, 1771 NW Madras Hwy, Prineville, OR, United States
Free Family Fun! Bring the whole family to meet red wigglers, plant a garden salad bowl, get free seeds, experience the pollinator station, visit with Master Gardeners, talk with Search & Rescue to learn about Hug A Tree, get free plant starts, composting tips, play games and win prizes!
Lots of information is shared to help you grow your own fresh produce. Don’t have space for your own garden? Come by and learn how to utiltize our local community gardens!

Garden Clean Up at Franklin’s Corner Pollinator Garden
2024-05-21 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-05-28 09:00 - 10:00 | Franklin’s Corner Pollinator Garden, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
May 21 and May 28
9:00-10:00 AM
No registration. Just show up.
NE 9th and NE Franklin, Bend
Bring weeding tools, shovel, bucket, gloves, hat, sunscreen, water.
Franklin’s Corner pollinator garden is co-located with the community vegetable garden. The pollinator garden demonstrates waterwise landscaping with native pollinator plants. It’s maintained entirely by volunteers.

Volunteer at Native Plant Giveaways
2024-06-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2024-06-08 09:00 - 13:00 | OR
June 1, 9:00-12:00 PM at Caldera High School (60925 SE 15th St, Bend)
June 8, 9:00-1:00 PM at Hollinshead Park (1235 NE Jones Rd, Bend)
Volunteer to hand out plants or staff the info table by completing this form. We will give away plants to 560 households this year thanks to the City of Bend, Wintercreek Nursery and Worthy Environmental. That means we need a lot of help!
Please note that there was a separate registration for plants and both dates are sold out.

Eggshell Garden Starts at The Environmental Center's Happy Hour in the Garden
2024-06-04 16:00 - 18:00 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Make cute garden starts in eggshells and explore a garden!
Stop by the Environmental Center’s Happy Hour in the Garden to plant some eggshell starts, and feel free to volunteer in the Environmental Center’s learning garden afterwards (optional). This is a family friendly event – no experience or tools necessary. Beer and bubbly will be provided!
In 1989, The Environmental Center was born to inspire locals to live lighter on the planet. Their work began with a handful of people and a building in the center of Bend. Today, they’ve grown to become a regional leader in environmental education, engagement, and action. Their team works alongside people of all ages, local businesses, and elected officials to create and advocate for meaningful, lasting change.
Through unique programs and partnerships, the Environmental Center engages as many people as possible in their mission: To embed sustainability into daily life in Central Oregon.

Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Workshop
2024-06-19 13:30 - 15:30 | The Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas Avenue, Bend, OR, 97703
Did you know that wasted food makes up over 25% of waste at Knott Landfill by tonnage – making it the largest category of waste in the landfill? Yet, in Deschutes County, 1 in 8 people is food insecure, meaning they don’t always know where their next meal will come from. In addition, the average family of four tosses $1,800 worth of food every year ($150/mo on just wasted food!) and wasted food uses the same energy and water as 50 million homes. It’s time to rethink food waste, and we want to help you do it.
We will start with a brief presentation on why food waste matters, how to prevent food waste, and strategies for composting. Afterwards, a small group of us will walk over to the Bend Farmers Market to the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance (HDFFA) booth for an intro and demo to food rescue. If you’re interested in both, the presentation and the demo, be sure to select the appropriate ticket below. There are only 15 spots open for the demo, so once it is sold out, that option will no longer be available. Please reach out to kavi@envirocenter.org with any questions.
REGISTER HERE

Native Pollinator Walk with Pollinator Pathway Bend
2024-06-20 10:30 - 12:00, 2024-06-21 10:30 - 12:00 | Worthy Brewing, 495 Northeast Bellevue Drive, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
June 20th, Worthy Brewing
June 21st, Franklin’s Corner

Wildflower Show & Pollinator Festival
2024-06-22 09:00 - 15:00 | Sunriver Nature Center & Oregon Observatory, 57245 River Rd, Sunriver, OR, 97707, United States
Wildflower Show & Pollinator Festival
Saturday, June 22, 2024, 9am – 3pm
Join Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory and the High Desert Chapter of the Native Plant Society as we celebrate the diversity of wildflowers in Oregon and the pollinators who love them. Fun for the whole family includes:

Wildflower display showcasing hundreds of native wildflowers
Guided wildflower walks in the botanic garden
Guided wildflower and pollinator walks
Educational talks and demonstrations
Children’s activities and crafts
Native plants for sale
Educational stations and resources
Local art and photography vendors

Food Waste Prevention and Composting Workshop (Virtual)
2024-07-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Did you know that wasted food makes up over 25% of waste at Knott Landfill by tonnage – making it the largest category of waste in the landfill? Yet, in Deschutes County, 1 in 8 people is food insecure, meaning they don’t always know where their next meal will come from. In addition, the average family of four tosses $1,800 worth of food every year ($150/mo on just wasted food!) and wasted food uses the same energy and water as 50 million homes. It’s time to rethink food waste, and we want to help you do it.
This free virtual workshop will dig into why food waste matters, how to prevent food waste in the first place, and strategies for composting. We will be joined by Diane Simunek from Deschutes Recycling/Composting who will share information on food waste in our composting and answer any community questions.
RSVP HERE!

Howdy Do: Neighbors Helping Neighbors!
2024-07-18 17:30 - 20:30 | Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture, 68467 Three Creeks Rd, Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
Join your neighbors, School of Ranch, High Desert Food and Farm Alliance, and Pine Meadow Ranch and Nate Stacey, Small Farm Agent for OSU Extension, for our first Howdy Do! Share your best ideas, experiences, ask questions, and let the wisdom of the crowd guide you to a more productive future. There’s nothing like kicking back with fellow farmers, ranchers and gardeners, swapping ideas, and meeting new friends. Come and share! Pot luck too!
When:July 18 5:30 to 8:30
Where: Pine Meadow Ranch in Sisters
Price: Contribute What You Can
REGISTER HERE

Weeding at Franklin’s Corner
2024-08-20 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-08-27 09:00 - 10:00 | Franklin’s Corner Pollinator Garden, Bend, OR, 97701, United States
No registration. Just show up.
NE 9th and NE Franklin, Bend
Parking on NE Larch. Drive east on NE Franklin to NE 10th Street, turn right and proceed one block to NE Larch, turn right.
Bring weeding tools, shovel, bucket, gloves, hat, sunscreen, water. Friends and family are welcome. This is an outdoor event. We’ll cancel if it’s too hot or smoky.
Franklin’s Corner pollinator garden demonstrates waterwise landscaping with native pollinator plants. It’s maintained entirely by volunteers.

The Power Of Food Sovereignty: Diane Wilson And Spring Alaska In Conversation
2024-09-17 11:30 - 12:30 | Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture, 68467 Three Creeks Rd, Sisters, OR, 97759, United States
Renowned author of The Seed Keeper, Diane Wilson (Dakota), and founder/CEO of Sakari Farms, Upingaksraq Spring Alaska Schreiner, will discuss the transformative power of literature and food sovereignty work in creating positive change. This event is free and open to the public. Space is limited so registration is required.
REGISTER HERE
