This summer at the Laurel Court Community Garden (LCCG), I feel blessed for every zucchini stealthily growing (sometimes faster than we can keep up with!) underneath the foliage, every tomato blushing red, and every pepper confidently taking form. But they aren’t the only fruits of our labor. With an abundance of partners, volunteers, projects, and events, 2026 is shaping up to be a fruitful year indeed. The LCCG is a 5.5 acre community garden and nature preserve in Rodeo, CA nestled between residential homes amidst a backdrop of the Phillips 66 oil refinery. By partnering with the Rodeo Citizens Association (RCA) who acquired this piece of land, we aim to transform Rodeo into a community where residents have reliable access to healthy and culturally relevant food, as well as a space to convene with the land and learn environmental stewardship practices.
Starting as a garden with just a few raised beds to now a garden with increasingly more infrastructure and partner buy-in, the capacity to host more community events has greatly improved. Some new additions to the garden include: a grand stage ready for speakers and performances, more garden beds, the beginnings of an acorn hub (thanks to Gabriel Duncan with the Alameda Native History Project), and many more projects underway.
The recent activation at the site has been carrying the garden project forward in ways we could have only imagined. With the support of amazing partners like Julio "Mr. Somos" Magana at John Swett Unified School District, Marina Ramos at the Rodeo Youth Mentoring Program, and dedicated California Climate Action Fellow Miranda Shuba, the garden saw an incredible turnout of community members at the Farmworkers’ Day of Service event. The intergenerational camaraderie to celebrate the farmworkers movement while tending to this special piece of land was a day to remember. And the work that went into putting on that event continues to reap benefits today. Since then, there has been an influx of neighbors and other community members showing up just to say hello, bring us freshly picked peaches from their tree, or offer to get their hands dirty with us. More and more people are seeing the value of this space.
Gradually, we are transforming this former pool site into a community garden/hub that welcomes the diverse identities that form the beautiful mosaic of Rodeo. My hope is that LCCG becomes a vibrant and stable fixture of the community where Rodeo citizens can feel a connection to the land and a shared responsibility to steward it together. I invite any neighbors of the garden or community members beyond the Rodeo borders to come and volunteer, learn, offer your own workshops or events, or just laze under the oak trees. Join the LCCG public calendar to keep up to date with workdays and events!
