News & Events at Mission Garden

REGULAR HOURS / WEEKLY EVENTS

Mission Garden Open to Public
Wednesday – Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
(April – September, 8 a.m. – noon)

Tours of Mission Garden
Every Friday and Saturday at 10 a.m.
This 45-minute tour covers the whole garden, with information on Tucson’s history and about gardening in the Sonoran Desert.

Tai Chi in the Garden
Saturdays 8 – 9 a.m. (Temperatures under 50 degrees at 8 a.m. cancel class)
Class is now free, with suggested $5 donation at the garden gate
Scott Risano from Wind River Tai Chi Chuan gives classes in the garden every Saturday.

Breakfast and Produce Sale in the Garden
Breakfast every other Saturday from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Coffee or hot chocolate and pastry $5, full breakfast $10
Produce sale every other Saturday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Upcoming dates: February 15, February 29, March 14, March 28….
Come buy what’s currently being harvested at Mission Garden!

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

(Unless otherwise noted, events are free with suggested $5 at the garden gate)

Hands-on Archaeology
February 22, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Every fourth Saturday of each month)
Preservation Archaeologist Allen Denoyer, from partner organization Archaeology Southwest, gives visitors hands-on experiences with the kinds of ancient technologies archaeologists find evidence of in local excavations. These include atlatls, groundstone, “flintknapped” stone tools, and much more.

Breakfast and Produce Sale in the Garden
February 29
Breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
$5 for coffee or hot chocolate and pastry
$10 for full breakfast: Frittata with garden greens, pastries, fresh garden jam, and more
Produce sale 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Come buy what’s currently being harvested at Mission Garden!

THIS CLASS IS FULL
Traditional Native American Ceramics Class
February 29, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
$50 ($45 for Mission Garden docents). Native American pottery maker Harrison Preston will teach this class on traditional pottery techniques. He will bring native clay, gathered from traditional locations in southern Arizona. Participants will get to experiment with this special clay, under Harrison’s guidance, and make their own objects. He will teach one traditional kind of ceramic object, and you can make another free-form object. Beginning potters are welcome! When you take a break to let your objects dry, Harrison will use the garden’s underground roasting pit to demonstrate how to fire pots (ones he’s made earlier). You can take your unfired creations home, or you can leave them with Harrison to dry. He will fire them later, when they have dried, and you can pick them up at Mission Garden. Mission Garden cancellation policy: Mission Garden will refund 50% of the class fee up to five days before a class. After that, there are no refunds. This is because classes often fill, with waiting lists, and last-minute cancellations and “no-shows” make it difficult to move people into the class from the waiting list.

Traditional Gourd Rattle Class
Saturday, March 7, 10 – noon
$50 ($45 for Mission Garden docents). Arturo Ramirez (Ute and Apache ancestry), assisted by archaeologist Allen Denoyer, will teach a class at Mission Garden about how to make gourd rattles. The rattles are based on ones traditionally made by the Utes. The gourds are of the canteen variety, and the outer skin has been cleaned off. Arturo will provide mesquite branches that participants will cut out for the handles. Arturo has carefully selected gravels that participants will put into the gourds. Acrylic paints will be provided to paint designed on the finished rattles. Sign up now!  Mission Garden cancellation policy: Mission Garden will refund 50% of the class fee up to five days before a class. After that, there are no refunds. This is because classes often fill, with waiting lists, and last-minute cancellations and “no-shows” make it difficult to move people into the class from the waiting list.

Herbalist in the Garden
March 7, 9 – 11 a.m. (Every first Saturday of each month) 
An expert from the Tucson Herbalist Collective will be at the garden to answer questions about the Moore Medicinal Herb Garden and the contemporary uses of traditional Southwest U.S. herbs.

Birding in the Garden
March 12, 8 – 10 a.m.  (Every second Thursday of each month)
Wander the garden in search of birds with Kendall Kroesen, Mission Garden Community Outreach Coordinator and Tucson Audubon Field Trip Leader.

Breakfast and Produce Sale in the Garden
March 14
Breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
$5 for coffee or hot chocolate and pastry
$10 for full breakfast: Frittata with garden greens, pastries, fresh garden jam, and more
Produce sale 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Come buy what’s currently being harvested at Mission Garden!

Compost 101
Saturday March 14, 9 – 11 a.m. (Every second Saturday of the month)
Come chat with garden intern, and composting expert, Sean Maccabe. Learn about the composting and soil creation methods used by Mission Garden. Ask him how you can turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into healthy, organic soil. Sean will be in the southeast corner of the garden.

Wellness in the Garden
Collaborative event with the Southern Arizona chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness
Saturday March 21, 9 a.m. – noon
Learn about supporting wellness, including the role outdoor activity like gardening can play.

Hands-on Archaeology
March 28, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (Every fourth Saturday of each month)
Preservation Archaeologist Allen Denoyer, from partner organization Archaeology Southwest, gives visitors hands-on experiences with the kinds of ancient technologies archaeologists find evidence of in local excavations. These include atlatls, groundstone, “flintknapped” stone tools, and much more.

Breakfast and Produce Sale in the Garden
March 28
Breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
$5 for coffee or hot chocolate and pastry
$10 for full breakfast: Frittata with garden greens, pastries, fresh garden jam, and more
Produce sale 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Come buy what’s currently being harvested at Mission Garden!

Herbalist in the Garden
April 4, 9 – 11 a.m. (Every first Saturday of each month) 
An expert from the Tucson Herbalist Collective will be at the garden to answer questions about the Moore Medicinal Herb Garden and the contemporary uses of traditional Southwest U.S. herbs.

Martha Burgess Cholla Bud Workshop
April 11, 8 – 11 a.m.
We will introduce lots of concepts about cholla ecology, anatomy, taxonomy, pollination, animal consumers, traditional Indigenous uses, getting up close and personal to this “threatening” cactus. We will harvest, process, cook and taste this tasty desert food, learning about its significant nutrition. Participants will leave with a deep appreciation of this maligned plant and the skill to harvest and enjoy this important food. Taught by renowned local ethnobotanist Martha Burgess. More information and signup link to follow.

Compost 101
Saturday March 14, 9 – 11 a.m. (Every second Saturday of the month)
Come chat with garden intern, and composting expert, Sean Maccabe. Learn about the composting and soil creation methods used by Mission Garden. Ask him how you can turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into healthy, organic soil. Sean will be in the southeast corner of the garden.

 

 

Questions: missiongarden.tucson@gmail.com or (520) 955-5200