Friends Of Tucsons Birthplace Inc

TO PRESERVE, HONOR, PROTECT, RESTORE AND PROMOTE THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF TUCSON'S BIRTHPLACE.

SEE SCHEDULE O FRIENDS OF TUCSON'S BIRTHPLACE / MISSION GARDEN CONTINUED REMARKABLY TO THRIVE AND GROW LARGELY DUE IN THIS COVID 19 CLIMATE, DUE TO THE OPEN-AIR OPPORTUNITIES AND THE HEALTH RESTRICTIONS WHICH WE STRICTLY OBSERVED BASED ON THE PIMA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT ADVISORIES. WE MAINTAINED VISITOR LISTS IN CASE WE NEEDED TO DO CONTACT TRACINGAS FOR MOST ORGANIZATIONS, THE OPTIMISM OF 2021 CONTINUED TO BE VERY GUARDED. DESPITE THE DIFFICULTIES, MISSION GARDEN DEFINITELY EXPERIENCED A BETTER YEAR THAN 2020 IN ALMOST EVERY WAY: THE VISITOR COUNT TO THE GARDEN DOUBLED FROM 5,470 TO 11,979. WE HOSTED ABOUT 70 TOURS AND HAD AT LEAST 169 KIDS ATTEND FIELD TRIPS. WE REOPENED MOST OF OUR ANNUAL EVENTS SUCH AS THE POMEGRANATE FESTIVAL, THE MEMBRILLO FEST, THE AGAVE HERITAGE FESTIVAL & ROASTING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HOTEL CONGRESS, THE SAN YSIDRO FESTIVAL, AND DIA DE SAN JUAN. WE HELD SMALLER EVENTS SUCH AS THE NATIVE AMERICAN ARTS FAIR, THE GARLIC FESTIVAL, CRITTER NIGHT, THE DRAGONFLY FESTIVAL, A PLANT SALE AS WELL AS RE-OPENING OUR SMALL RETAIL SHOP AND EXHIBIT SPACE. PLEIN-AIR ARTISTS ALSO CONTINUED TO PAINT IN THE GARDEN. OVERALL, 250 VOLUNTEERS HELPED TO KEEP THE GARDEN GROWING, THE LIBRARY OPEN AND STAFF THE MANY PUBLIC EVENTS. WORKSHOPS SUCH AS OUR MOST FAMOUS PRUNING AND PROPAGATION CLASSES IN FEBRUARY, WERE VERY WELL ADDENDED IN ADDITION TO OTHERS SUCH AS THE NOPAL, CHOLLA BUD, TEPARY BEAN AND QUELITES, OLIVE, DESERT FIBERS, WEED EATING AND CHICKEN CARE CLASSES WERE AMONG THE MOST SUCCESSFUL. ALTHOUGH THE GARDEN REMAINED OPEN AND STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS CONTINUED TO WORK IN THE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT, AND WE CONTINUED SOME CLASSES ON ZOOM, MANY, INCLUDING BICHICORI (TO HERITAGE SQUASH DRYING) AND OTHERS CITED ABOVE, WERE HELD ON-SITE.IN THE SUMMER WE HELD A KELI BASO TRADITIONAL HERITAGE MELON TASTING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NATIVE SEED/SEARCH FOLKS AND PARTNERS FROM SEVERAL TOHONO O'ODHAM COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE TO COMPARE TASTE, COLOR AND TEXTURE. THE FAVORITES, ACCORDING TO ELDERS RESULTED IN SEED SAVING THE BEST FOR FUTURE PLANTING. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AS USUAL, WE HOSTED AND PRESENTED TOURS INCLUDING VISITING FOREIGN AND NATIONAL JOURNALISTS, MANY ELEMENTARY, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE GROUPS, BOTH LOCAL AND FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, ROAD SCHOLARS, TUCSON MASTER GARDENERS, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION OFFICIALS, AZ STATE HOME SHOW AND ROTARY CLUBS. WE CONTINUED OUR MONTHLY BIRD WALKS, HANDS-ON ARCHAEOLOGY, HEALING HERB WALKS, AND AGAVE PLANTING WITH BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL. THE EXCELLENT MISSION GARDEN DOCENT CLASSES WITH A COHORT GROWING TO 11 DOCENTS THIS YEAR CONTINUED WITH THE ADDITION OF A BOOK CLUB. WHILE SOME OF THESE GROUPS WERE HOSTED IN PERSON, AT A DISTANCE SUCH AS MEDITATION AND YOGA CLASSES, BEYOND PARK RX WALKS, OUTDOOR STUDENT MUSIC RECITALS, CORN-TO-TORTILLA DEMONSTRATION (WITH CARLOS GONZALEZ OF MAIZ TUCSON) MANY CONTINUED TO BE HELD ON ZOOM.REGRETTABLY, OUR FAMOUS OAXACA ETHNOBOTANICAL TRIP WAS AGAIN CANCELLED DUE TO COVID 19, HOWEVER, WE ARE ENCOURAGED THAT IT REMAINS OVERBOOKED FOR HOPEFUL 2022 TRAVELERS. PERHAPS THE MOST OUTSTANDING MISSION GARDEN ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 2021:-THE LAUNCH OF THE ARCGIS BASED STORY MAP PROJECT, WHICH PROVIDES FREE AND OPEN ACCESS TO INTERPRETIVE STORIES ABOUT ALL THE TIMELINE GARDENS AND SPECIAL FEATURES, AS WELL AS ABOUT MANY INDIVIDUAL PLANTS. THIS INCLUDES AN INTERACTIVE MAP, WITH INFORMATION ABOUT EVERY TREE IN THE GARDEN.-OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS GREW WITH BOTH ADULT AND K-16 PROGRAMS INCLUDING OUR BOOKWORM PROJECT AND WORKING WITH PIMA COUNTY LIVING RIVER OF BOOKS.-TIMELINE GARDEN DEVELOPMENTS:RESEARCH AND REFINEMENT IN EARLY AGRICULTURE AREA -EXPANSION OF MEXICAN GARDEN -FIRST PLANTINGS IN THE AFRICA IN THE AMERICAS GARDEN -BEGINNING PLANNING FOR THE YOEME (YAQUI) GARDENMISSION GARDEN CONTINUED PARTNERSHIPS WITH ISHKASHITAA REFUGEE NETWORK, NATIVE SEEDS/SEARCH, THE UA TUMAMOC DESERT LABORATORY, TUCSON CITY OF GASTRONOMY, OATMAN FARMS, AMERICORPS, UA COVERDELL PROGRAM, TUCSON INDIAN CENTER, AJO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, SAN XAVIER CO-OP FARM, ARIZONA SONORA DESERT MUSEUM AND SO MANY OTHER LOCAL INSTITUTIONS.