Name: Sow & Grow: Food Preservation Workshop with CORE
Start: 2026-02-14T13:00:00-08:00
End: 2026-02-14T15:00:00-08:00
Location: 691 W San Carlos St

Sow & Grow: Food Preservation Workshop with CORE

Join us for our first Sow & Grow of the year for a workshop with CORE to learn about pickling and canning as emergency food preservation!
About this Event

We'll start with a gardening maintenance activity, followed by a food preservation workshop with Community Organized Relief Effort's (CORE) Climate Resilience and Disaster Preparedness team. Participants will learn vegetable preservation techniques like pickling and canning and explore how preserved foods are not only a great way to extend the life of your vegetables, but a key component to your household's emergency stay box and go bags. Afterward, you can bring the veggies home! Kids are welcome!

Schedule:

1-2 pm - Volunteer activity (garden bed maintenance)
2-3 pm - Food preservation workshop with CORE

In preparation, please: (a) (if you haven't before) sign the volunteer registration and waiver form and (b) review the below frequently asked questions:

What should we wear? Check the weather on the morning of the gathering and dress appropriately. We recommend wearing a long-sleeved shirt and pants, and a hat. Closed toed shoes are required for safety, as we are an active urban farm. We'll provide gardening gloves, but please bring a water bottle and wear sunscreen.
How do I get to Valley Verde? We are located at 691 W San Carlos Street, which is in downtown San José, 0.5 miles from the Diridon Station. The VTA bus lines 23 and Rapid 523 that run along San Carlos Street are one block from us.
Where do I park? Vehicles can park at 377 Royal Ave, in the old Orchard Supply Hardware parking lot. Carpooling is encouraged.
Are there any skin irritating plants on-site? Yes, skin irritation can occur from contact with some plants (e.g., stinging nettle) on our site, resulting in redness, itching, and sometimes a rash. While generally mild, these irritations can be uncomfortable and may persist for a few hours to several days. To minimize the risk of irritation, wear gloves (provided by us) and other arm coverings to stay protected during gardening activities, especially weeding.
Are there any bees on-site? Yes, our site has two active beehives, which are located away from the activity areas. If you are allergic to bees, please plan accordingly.