Cultivating Place New Moon News - April 2026

Jennifer Jewell
16 hours ago
5 min read

The growing season is here. Clove-scented Dianthus "Rose de Mai" with early blooming native Ceanothus and Salvias behind. Butte County, CA 2026

Happy New Moon of April 17, 2026 because the new moon is a perfect time to grow up and out.

"I'm listening to you in conversation with Terry Tempest Williams and I have to say I’m just so proud and grateful that you continue this important mission, this important gift to all of us. Thank you for this as always. In wonder, Isa....PS: I’m in the garden.”

Isa Catto, March 2026

Happy New Moon gardeners,

Every interview is a growing experience for me, it's one of the many reasons I love what I do. This past weekend, on Sunday the 12th, I conducted a Cultivating Place LIVE interview with Rebecca Newburn, seedkeeper, founder of Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library (the 8th public library based seed library in the US), and founder/coordinator of Seed Library Network, which so importantly connects and supports the many empowering seed libraries in our country today.

As a 30-year middle school classroom STEM educator as well, Rebecca has germinated SO much in our garden and land/plant tending/partnering world. I am grateful for big-G gardeners like her every single day. They - and we - grow so much together and better. It's slow and relatively quiet work, but it aggregates into awe-inspiring growth.

Rebecca and my conversation was held in support of KWMR community radio in Marin County, CA and was recorded live (thanks to Jeff and Amanda of KWMR) in the chapel space of the community center in Point Reyes Station, the Dance Palace. It was a fresh, rainy spring Sunday, and the intimate audience was assembled in chairs labeled on the back with the word "church." The whole event and its spirit integrated so beautifully with my long-held belief in Cultivating Place as a kind of Gardeners' "church" - a sacred space for honoring these relationships to one another, our communities, our plants and places.

When Rebecca was sharing the germination story for her work in seeds and in sharing knowledge shared with her through people, seeds, experience, she recalled being at a permaculture course in 2010, and being overwhelmed by all the methodology to learn, all the pathways the work could take. She remembered thinking: "What is mine to do? What is mine to do" and then hearing with complete clarity an answer to her question: "SEEDS! "

She acknowledged with humor that it was a confusing clarity as she knew little about seeds at the time, but sixteen years later she has held her course, and we all have all benefitted. Look for this live interview airing on the Cultivating Place podcast later this year :)

What is mine to do/grow? I love this question, and I am grateful for its inherent understandings: 1. No one can or is supposed to do it all; 2. We all have something that is ours to do or grow; and, 3. If we all do our one small part, enormous and positive results germinate, take root, bear fruit.

What is mine to do/grow? For me the answer is also clear: Engage, encourage, empower, embolden, and elevate Gardeners.

What is yours, or ours collectively, to grow? You tell us–we can't wait to hear and encourage everyone of your answers!

Jennifer & The Cultivating Place Team

PS: Keep reading for updates on all things Cultivating Place: Podcast, Film, Gatherings and Connections...

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Love in the time of Romneya and Roses, Butte County, CA 2026

CP PODCAST:

What is yours to do and grow? Cultivating Place podcast conversations document the answers of Gardeners from around the world every week. Each of our hosts, and all of our guests have their own Garden signature and fingerprint. It's a lovely reminder just how many ways there are to kneel and kiss the ground, as Rumi noted centuries ago.

Since the New Moon of March, in celebration and honor of the Vernal Equinox, we heard the rich answers to this question from Terry Tempest Williams, from seed-keeper Jen Williams, from Floriculturist Brenna Estrada (the focus of and guest during our Communing Book Club next Tuesday!), from community gardener, Chris Fehlhaber, and finally this week from Ed Toth and John Price of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Seed Bank. .. so many good seeds of ideas, models and variations on whatever it is you are meant to do and grow....

Enjoy catching up on your listening to the episodes from the last month (click each name or image for its audio link), we all have something important to grow.....

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CP: THE POWER OF GARDENERS FILM SERIES:

To kick-off my interview with Rebecca Newburn, we again had the honor of screening the trailer for the Power of Gardeners film series. Keep your eyes peeled for the rolling out of even more in-person and virtual screenings of the first working draft of a full episode of the series as the spring and summer unfold...many more growing and exciting things are germinating.

And when you are a CP sustaining supporter, making a recurring monthly gift of $10 or more, or an annual gift of $120 or more, investing in this important work coming to fruition–you get early notice, discounted ticket prices, extra offerings, and value adds all along the way. To say nothing of the satisfaction of knowing you, too, are Gardening with us and growing our world better.

Connect with us about partnering for pre-screenings events in 2026, screening events in 2027, gift licenses for school or garden groups, etc.: cultivatingplace@gmail.com

Sometimes progress seems and feels slow....but trust it, life-cycle progress is happening....for the pipevine and its young, hungy caterpillar.

AND FINALLY...Praise to the Garden spirits, you made it to the end...

Your bonus?

MARK your calendars to join us for the inaugural bi-annual

Cultivating Place Symposium September 25th & 26th, 2026:

THE POWER OF GARDENERS: SOUTH BEND

co-sponsored by Botany & Co in South Bend, IN

Cultivating Place sustaining supporters, who make a recurring monthly gift of $10 or more, or an annual gift of $120 or more, look for your CP-investor-only invitations in early summer to register for this catalyzing two-day gathering featuring me, Ben Futa, Abra Lee, Wambui Ippolito, Myricam Nicodemus, AND a sneak peak film-screening and panel, followed by a community reception on Friday, and inspiring guided Garden and Green Space tours on Saturday morning.