Shepard Garden and Arts Center

19/08/2025

Yes, we adore dragonflies as many of you know already. Just love the different kinds that one sees zipping around. Each variety having their own amazing detail to make them unique with their incredible transparent wings💕

19/08/2025

✨🏆 Congratulations to our amazing Sac Textile Arts members who participated in the California State Fair! 🏆✨
We are so proud of everyone who entered and showcased their talents in this year's Handcraft Competition and Fiber & Needle Craft Competition🌟A special round of applause to SCTA members Tanya Lieberman (1st Place & Best of Division), Monea Berry Bennett (1st Place), Carol Rogala (Honorable Mention), and Karina Blackwell (3rd Place) 👏

19/08/2025

Join us for our annual Art to Wear & More Sale and Show.

https://sactextilearts.org/

19/08/2025

15/08/2025

Many of the most-loved medicinal herbs are perennials, and the fall is a great time to plant them!
This hands-on class will cover:
🌿The basics of starting herbs from seeds and other methods

🌿Planting, caring for, and harvesting medicinal plants

🌿The best time to start, grow, and harvest medicinal plants of different types

🔗Register at: https://soilborn.org/events/medicinal-garden-082325/

15/08/2025

What’s growing on FAVSD members collection! This is ‘Milky Way Trail’, hybridized by J. Stahl and beautifully grown by Janis Theophanes.

15/08/2025

New! Garlic, rosemary enhance flatbread made with pizza dough

15/08/2025

Save the date, we will see you there!
Additional information African Violet Societies of Greater Sacramento

08/08/2025

Hello Sacramento and surrounding areas! 👋 We're seeking creators of fabrics, beads, books, jewelry, clothing, and more for our annual Art to Wear and more show and sale in November! 🤩 Calling all wearable art creators! 🎨 Sign up below! 👇

https://sactextilearts.org
Sign up by August 15.

08/08/2025

Alright Begoniacs. It’s official. Our 77th annual show and sale is a go!! We are so excited to showcase our love and passion for Begonias with our amazing community.
Join us September 6th and 7th at the Shepard Garden and Arts Center for an amazing event! Members will showcase amazing begonias from their personal collections. We will have a huge selection of begonias available to the community.
More details to follow

08/08/2025

Blossoms & Bees
Old Portuguese farm finds new life in Pocket
By Corky Mau

Four years ago, I wrote about an undeveloped Pocket property for sale. The 4-acre parcel stretched from Pocket Road to the Sacramento River. Descendants of Albert Mendes Rodgers, a Portuguese rancher, hoped new owners would restore the property to its former glory.
The parcel was sold in 2023 to Dawn McGuire and Aaron Burt. The buyers are siblings who envision an urban farm to honor the land’s history.

Now their long-range plans are underway. Outta Pocket Farm has chickens, ducks, beehives, artichokes, a pumpkin patch and “you pick” flower garden. Burt is a Kennedy High School graduate and general contractor. He says, “Our venture into urban farming has really taken a lot of dough outta our pockets.”

McGuire owned and operated Blooming Art, a local floral shop, and thought it made sense to cultivate flower plots on the farm.

My visit found rows of colorful, seasonal flowers. Customers include florists, floral designers, restaurants and the public. “You can create custom bouquets of flowers fresh from the field, a true farm-to-vase experience,” McGuire says.

Efforts to “declutter” the property are underway. Burt says, “We knew there would be challenges to clear and recondition the land. Masses of blackberry and grape vines have grown over neglected fruit and walnut trees. We’re clearing out dead trees to harvest more flowers and other edible crops. We’re also dealing with lots of deferred maintenance on the farmhouse and stable that were built in the 1880s.”
A few neighbors grumbled about noise from tractors, trucks and roosters. But McGuire says more typically the community gives support and positive words.

Kathy and Jaime Favila live next door. Kathy is a great-granddaughter of Albert Rodgers. Her mother was born in that 1880s farmhouse.

“We’re thrilled that Aaron and Dawn are breathing new life into the old family farm. It’s only a matter of time that the property will be restored back to its former glory,” Kathy says.

Plans include school field trips and holiday events. “We plan to expand our beehive area. Then we can increase our production of local honey, which is very popular with customers,” McGuire says. “We’d like to host workshops about sustainability and share the fruits of our labor with the community. Our mission is to cultivate the community alongside our flowers, pomegranate trees and pumpkins.”

The flower garden is open April through September, Monday to Friday, 8–11 a.m. at 7150 Pocket Road. For information, visit outtapocketfarm.com.

Photography by Aniko Kiezel

Corky Mau can be reached at [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: .