What We Grew Together: A 2026 New Year Message
Dear Friends of the San Carlos Community Garden,
As we step into 2026, I’m holding a deep sense of gratitude for what we grew together in 2025 — not just in our orchard and garden beds but in the friendships, volunteerism, and everyday moments that turned “people” into community. In search of a few photos for this month’s newsletter, I found myself deeply moved by the photo collage of memories that we’ve created together this year. So many small acts of kindness throughout the year added up to something powerful – a culture of care that is guaranteed to make you feel happier and healthier when you step into the San Carlos Community Garden (SCCG).
I also feel an abundant amount of appreciation for the personal growth that I’ve experienced through our SCCG community. This year I learned how to grow tomatoes like nobody’s business; peel, prepare and cook fava beans; learned how to keep a beat in a drum circle, improve my mindfulness through meditation and yoga in the garden; and had the joy of representing SCCG and sharing our success story at the American Community Garden Association Conference in NYC!
At SCCG, our mission is simple and bold: Growing Community. In 2025, that mission came to life through each of our four pillars:
Gardening for nutrition and beauty
2025 reminded us that a garden is both practical and poetic. We shared harvests, swapped produce, and created space for abundance to be celebrated. Endeavors like Pam’s Little Library, Alan’s Spring Festival Plant Sale, and our monthly Produce Swap, curated by SCCG board member, Leslie Nelson, and hosted by a dedicated team of do-gooders - events that encourage neighbors to exchange, share, and recirculate - strengthening our sustainability and community ties.
Thanks to an incredible team of volunteers, we also transformed the Sierra School garden into a beautiful Sensory Garden, designed by George Mercer, SCCG’s landscape architect and generously funded by Blue Shield of California. This new magical space provides beds for growing edible and sensory-heightened plants to better serve Sierra’s students; and is also place that all can enjoy as an escape for reading, journaling, or just being still. We hope you’ll find time to enjoy it!
Knowledge for healthy living and stewardship of the earth
We kept learning together — because growing plants is also growing wisdom. Our community showed up for our fun, informative and inspirational workshops where we created pumpkin-succulent arrangements, were inspired to grow our spiritual awareness and understanding through our first local author event featuring Peter Bolland and his Seven Stone Path to Wisdom book (register now for his 2026 workshop), and learned how to grow tomatoes all year long, care for our soil and fruit trees, and learned waterwise, pollinator, and rewilding landscaping techniques. One thing is certain: when we learn how to care for soil, water, and plants, we’re practicing stewardship that ripples far beyond our garden.
Speaking of healthy living and stewardship, let’s not forget our beloved Garden Cats – Mama C and Fern - and the incredible generosity and support we received for their comfort and care from so many of you! Thanks to the generosity of so many, our Guardians of the Garden are healthy and happy, and continue to make an incredible impact on the health of our garden like never before! Spoiler Alert - our Guardians of the Garden story that will be shared in our January newsletter!
Collaboration of neighbors and schools
One of the brightest themes of 2025 is the way SCCG has brought families and new generations together. Over the course of summer, our Youth Ambassador Program inspired high school students to nurture their curiosity, community stewardship, and connection with the natural world gardening and special projects. Read about our youth Ambassador program experience shared through the lens of one of our high school ambassadors, in this Mission Times Courier article. Our other summer youth program, Playtime in the Garden, provided weekly nature-themed arts and crafts and scavenger hunts for younger children. Our Summer 2026 program details will be released on April 11th!
One of the clearest examples of “Growing Community” was our Stuff the Pantry Summer Concert Series presented by our generous sponsor Aloha Solar & Electric and led by local artist and SCCG volunteer, Sandé Lollis, where non-perishable food items were the cost of the entry for the Good Shepherd Food Pantry, and also our family-friendly Spring Festival which attracted hundreds of neighbors who gathered to create, learn, and connect – both events spreading seeds of joy through music, dancing, learning and connecting with others. We can’t wait to reveal our 2026 line-up – please contact us if you’re interested in sponsoring these great community events!
Spirit through inspiration and healing
Thanks to the generous spirits of a few volunteers, we’ve seen this pillar of our mission come to life through our Meditation, Yoga and Drum Circle gatherings—all shared as inclusive and multigenerational experiences centered on connection, restorative growth and healing. Check out our events page to stay up to-date on these activities.
In closing, I want to say this: Thank you! As an all-volunteer run non-profit community garden none of this happens without you. You are the hands that plant, the voices that welcome, and the hearts that hold our Growing Community mission steady.
In 2026, our commitment is to keep building on what we created over the last fourteen years: that when a community has a place to grow together and accepts the challenge to be part of it, it becomes more resilient, more connected, and more hopeful. With your help, we’ll keep expanding opportunities to grow, learn, share, serve, and heal — one season at a time.
Here’s to a new year of growing deeper roots, abundant harvests, and a stronger community than ever!
With gratitude and love,
Kelly Wood
Board Chair, San Carlos Community Garden
So, are you ready to get involved?
Become a Garden Member for just $40 a year! Your membership helps support our year-round engagement programming PLUS it rewards you with the opportunity to attend all of our Garden Workshops for FREE! Plus, our Garden Members are able to enroll up to two children in our summer Playtime in the Garden program for FREE! Click HERE to Join!
Lease a Garden Plot & Start Growing! No experience required; just a pair of gloves and a friendly attitude! Click HERE to learn more!
Take part in our monthly events. Click HERE to learn more!
Make a BIG impact! Become a Sponsor! Click HERE to learn more!
Volunteer with us! Reach out to info@sancarloscommunitygarden.com or come to our Open House every Saturday from 9-11am to learn more!
