West Seattle, Washington
23 Tuesday
With two days to go till Thursday night’s open-house celebration at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse, one of its major tenants, the Fauntleroy Children’s Center, is welcoming some outdoor cleanup help today – a small herd of goats. Four of them were at work on various ivy-and-other-invasive-infected spots around the back parking lot when we stopped by, so no big group shots, but FCC’s Kim Sheridan says, “They should be here for the day, cleaning up our planting beds and miscellaneous greenery that needs their attention.” (The one in our photo was taking a quick break to stare – wistfully? – at the nursery stock on the other side of the fence from his designated ivy patch.)
Aviva at Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle reports this morning that Garden Helpers training is off and running, and soon the GH volunteers will be ready to help you get going with growing:
Want to grow your own food but don’t know where to start?
We can help!
Garden Helpers is a new program from Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle. Experienced gardeners, trained by Seattle Tilth, can provide you with free, in-person advice to design, install, or maintain your own vegetable garden. Whether you have a backyard garden, P-Patch, or container garden, Garden Helpers are mentors who can help you get started on a garden, choose the right plants, and answer all of your questions about growing your own vegetables.
If you live in West Seattle or White Center and would like help from a Garden Helpers volunteer, call us at (206) 762-0604 or send us an e-mail at info@gleanit.org. For more information, here are the Garden Helpers Frequently Asked Questions>. This program is funded by a grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.
(Photo courtesy CHoSS)
A few more things happening in addition to Summer Streets (car-free day) on Alki, which began with the West Seattle 5K (WSB coverage here) — Just after 11, we stopped by Holy Rosary Church, to check on Bicycles for Humanity – volunteer Karin Goncalves said they were accepting donated bikes till about 12:30, but if you missed the window, as noted here earlier, a few other churches are part of the effort till late today (see the list here). Also right now, a couple of big fundraising sales, including plants from Furry Faces Foundation:
They’re raising money for animal advocacy (including spaying/neutering) with plant sales till 4 pm at 3809 46th SW (map) – adoptable pets are there today too! Also from the West Seattle Weekend Lineup:
*PENCIL ME IN FOR KIDS’ FIRST FUNDRAISER OF THE SEASON: 3-5 pm at West Seattle Eagles (4426 California SW) – Creative Memories, Party Lights, Tupperware with 10%-50% of proceeds going to Pencil Me In For Kids (mission explained here).
*SALES AT COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF WEST SEATTLE AND SHOREWOOD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: Both have rummage sales. CSWS (22nd/Roxbury) till 4 pm, Shorewood (on 28th SW just south of Safeway) till 5 pm.
*FINAL PERFORMANCE OF “TELL ME ON A SUNDAY”: 3 pm at ArtsWest (WSB sponsor) in The Junction.
Full house in the Bridge Park Retirement Community (WSB sponsor) great room this afternoon as a Northwest gardening luminary came to High Point to share his secrets: Gardening expert/writer/seed-seller/TV personality Ed Hume. Topic of the day: Container gardening.
It’s hotter than ever now because you can do it anywhere – you don’t have to have a big chunk of land to turn into a garden. (West Seattle Nursery co-promoted today’s event and provided plants.) Hume’s been sharing gardening knowledge for more than 30 years, and continues to maintain a busy public-appearance calendar – if you missed him at Bridge Park today, here’s where to find him next.
West Seattle’s Croft Place Townhomes (map) was one of three hubs on Saturday for the first-ever “Spring Into Bed” – a citywide one-day volunteer work party to build new food gardens all around the city. With Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association leading the charge, the plan was to build 10 gardens – here are the raised beds going up early Saturday afternoon at Croft Place:
After five hours of garden-building, volunteers were invited to South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) for a celebration with food and music. Highlights elsewhere in the city included, according to a news release from Mayor McGinn’s office, an expansion of a container garden on City Hall’s 7th-floor balcony, where 60 pounds of donated tomatoes were grown last year.
Time’s running out to get in on a new Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle program – here are the details from Community Harvest’s Aviva:
Gardeners: Here is a great opportunity to improve your skills in growing vegetables, and help people grow affordable, healthy food!
Garden Helpers: Connecting new gardeners with community mentors
Community Harvest of Southwest and Seattle Tilth are excited to offer a new program to train community members to mentor new gardeners in West Seattle and White Center.
If you would like to help others grow their own food, then consider becoming a Garden Helper! Training will consist of a free 5-week, 30-hour course on organic gardening and teaching adults, Thursday evenings (7 – 9 PM) and Sundays (9:30 AM – 2 PM) from May 20 through June 13. Mentors will then volunteer 30 hours (or more!) and help novice gardeners grow their own food. Volunteers should have some vegetable gardening experience, a desire to work with others, and an encouraging attitude.
We’re also looking for people who want help growing their own food! Mentors will provide free, in-person assistance to help budding gardeners get started in backyard, P-patch, or container gardens.
Community Harvest’s website has more information, applications, and even Frequently Asked Questions, or contact us at info@gleanit.org or 206-762-0604.
This program is funded by a Small and Simple grant from the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods.
From last night’s Highland Park Action Committee meeting: Urban gardening was in the spotlight, and Aviva from Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle (photo right) spoke to the group. She talked about CHoSS’s origins, with local fruit-tree gleaning, which gathered more than three tons of fruit for the White Center Food Bank last year. Now the organization’s added many other activities, including classes over the next few months, training gardeners to go out and work with neighbors over the summer to get more gardens started. The Edible Garden Tour‘s on the schedule again this year; Aviva says 4 gardens are signed up and they’re looking for more. You can contact Aviva through the CHoSS website at gleanit.org … ALSO AT HPAC: SDOT will soon start surveying traffic on the east leg of SW Holden in Highland Park (map); HPAC has requested traffic calming in the area and the survey is the next step … HPAC chair Dan Mullins recapped Saturday’s meeting about the West Seattle (Westcrest) Reservoir Park project (the three design concepts are now posted on the project webpage); Kay Kirkpatrick and Monica Cavagnero talked about kinetic-sculpture artist David Boyer, who’s been chosen for the “1% for Art” feature at the site … And it was reported that last Saturday’s Highland Park Improvement Club wine event was a big hit.
Highland Park Action Committee meets the 4th Wednesday of each month, 7 pm, preceded by potluck/mingling, at the historic Highland Park Improvement Club building.
First, the beer part of Beer Fest – Cole and Tyler from Prost West Seattle are at West Seattle Nursery, where proceeds from their beer sales till 5 pm today will benefit the West Seattle Wildlife Habitat Project (as will a portion of today’s WSN proceeds). They’re selling pretzels, too, and spreading the word about their upcoming World Cup viewing sessions – if Germany or the USA is playing, you’ll see the game at Prost, starting with USA vs. England (11:30 am June 12), provided the game’s not outside legal serving hours (6 am-2 am). Back to today’s nursery event: If you don’t know every little detail about the WSWHP – Dolly and Grace are there to answer questions:
You can also join the West Seattle Wildlife Habitat Project group on Facebook to stay connected with this effort to eventually get the entire peninsula certified as wildlife habitat – just like Alki was, last spring (here’s our story about the May 2009 celebration).
If you haven’t been to Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle‘s plant sale on the north side of South Seattle Community College (6000 16th SW), you’ve got till 4 pm. We dropped by early on to grab a photo; remember they’re also taking donations for the West Seattle Tool Library – non-gas-powered tools in good working order earn you a free veggie start, one per family. Also seen at the sale – Sustainable West Seattle got a new cider press!
Find out more about the Tool Library by going here, and keep tabs on other Community Harvest activities – you can become a member now, too – by going here.
(Tonight’s glorious sunset, photographed by David Rosen from SlickPix Photography)
Perfect spring day/night, some sun, a little rain. In the mood for gardening? The next big event is tomorrow afternoon at South Seattle Community College‘s north side, when Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle presents its spring plant sale, focused on veggie starts. And you can get a FREE veggie start if you are one of the first 75 people to bring tools to donate to the new West Seattle Tool Library (one freebie per family)! Tools must be in working condition and cannot be gas-powered. The sale’s from 1-4 pm, unless you are a Community Harvest member, in which case you get an hour’s head-start on everyone (you can show up at noon and join right before you shop, or buy your membership online right now – go here). Plants are $2.70 for members, $3 for nonmembers. Proceeds help support Community Harvest’s work getting more fresh local produce to more people – last year alone, they harvested and donated more than three tons of surplus home-grown fruit to local food banks!
Residents in some parts of West Seattle will come home today to find a surprise like that – 2 bags of free Cedar Grove Compost along their curb, maybe leaning against their streetfront garage. It’s the kickoff to a six-week-long giveaway promotion with Cedar Grove and Seattle Public Utilities – even if you don’t find the free compost outside your home, you’ve got another way to pick yours up – more on that shortly. Cedar Grove is made from recycled Seattle yard waste – yes, the stuff you put out on the curb in the big bin, or huge paper bags. Besides the residential dropoff, they also delivered a huge pile to the Delridge P-Patch on 25th SW. Before all this, there was a promotional show-and-tell this morning at the south-of-Admiral home of avid recyclers and gardeners Kirsten, Matt and Harrison Whittemore, who posed for WSB with cat Swaggr (note the nicely mulched garden behind them):
They are avid recyclers and gardeners. If you don’t have free compost bags waiting outside your home, you can get a coupon by going to cgcompost.com, redeemable at locations including the South Transfer Station in nearby South Park; if you don’t want to use your free bags, donate them to the White Center Food Bank, which serves part of West Seattle and can use the compost for edible gardening.
Gene and Patrick from Sustainable West Seattle are showing off two of the tools donated already for the West Seattle Tool Library , part of what’s happening during West Seattle Nursery‘s 27th annual open house (donate a tool, get a 20% off WSN coupon!), which continues till 3 pm. The open house features special, free speakers too – at 1 pm, it’s about urban chicken-raising; at 2 pm, orchids. Full details on the West Seattle Nursery website; WSN is on the northwest corner of California/Brandon (map). ADDED 1:49 PM: The chicken-raising talk got some extra promotional oomph courtesy of Elliott (in the chicken suit) and friend Charlie:
It’s on the WSB Events calendar but an extra shout-out might give you advance warning to go clean out your tool cabinet/garage/etc. – We last updated you in January about the West Seattle Tool Library, a Sustainable West Seattle project that’s getting close to reality. This Saturday, during West Seattle Nursery‘s 11 am-3 pm open house, you can bring a tool to donate, and get a full-day, 20%-off discount coupon for regularly priced WSN items, as long as the tool meets these qualifications: In working order; not gas-powered. (The Tool Library will open soon on the South Seattle Community College [WSB sponsor] campus.) The WSN open house features guest speakers too, on topics from orchids to chicken-raising – full details here.
Galen at West Seattle Nursery says they accidentally left a cart like that one outside the gate last night – and this morning, it was gone. “We know it’s our fault for leaving it out, but we would really appreciate it if anyone sees it around town and recognizes it to let us know. Or, if whoever took it would kindly bring it back, we would be eternally grateful – absolutely no questions asked.” (The nursery’s at California/Brandon – map – 935-9276 – and even now on Twitter, @wsnursery.)
PICK UP PRODUCE AT SOUTH SEATTLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Candace Oehler from SSCC (WSB sponsor) sends word that the school’s been chosen as the latest CSA Neighborhood Pickup Site for West Seattle. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, and in this case a system in which you sign up with local growers to buy shares of what they grow. SSCC has signed up with Local Choice Food Box, which has its main farm in Redmond. While the program is at its heart for SSCC staff and students, we’re told it’s open to EVERYONE in West Seattle who wants to take part. You can sign up here. And if you sign up by March 1 – next Monday – put “early signup” in the coupon-code box at checkout, and there’s a 5% discount. Questions? erik@growingwashington.org
WEST SEATTLE GARDEN TOUR UPDATES: The South Seattle Community College Arboretum is among the WSGT’s beneficiaries this year. Also on the list of beneficiaries, just announced, are Highland Park Elementary School, the Duwamish Longhouse Rain Garden, Seattle Tilth, and the ArtsWest Theater Education Program. And there’s still time to sign up to be a Garden Tour sponsor – find out how, here.
Sunny, warm, perfect day to think gardening, and that brought so many people out to Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle‘s first-ever Seed Swap ‘n’ Sale, the seeds were gone about halfway through the three-hour event. Community Harvest’s Aviva summarized it in a comment tonight on our morning preview story:
Thank you to those who came out to the Seed Swap ‘N Sale…and apologies to those who came after we were sold out. By 2:30 we had sold ALL of our 650 packets of seeds. Should have known…with it being the year of Urban Agriculture.
AND THANKS TO THE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN! I’m grateful to all the gardeners who brought in their old seed packets for re-distribution and for the old tools…keep an eye open for their transformation! We will be doing a Veggie Start Sale in mid-April. Will have more seeds then.
Gardening wasn’t the only topic on the table:
(Photo courtesy Karen Berge)
From left, that’s Karen Berge, Deborah Greer and Cindi Barker – they brought along the traveling display of info about the West Seattle Emergency Communication Hubs (a project that’s an ongoing WSB sponsor – find their ad on the right sidebar to access the hub info at any time). Be sure to go here to find out where your nearest “hub” is, just in case.
And still another sign that what winter we had, appears to be in the rear-view mirror (knock wood): Thanks to Scott for the news that the Garden Center at South Seattle Community College (WSB sponsor) is scheduled to open for the season today, 11 am-3 pm. It’s on the north side of the campus; here’s a map. (This is also where Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle will have its first annual Seed Swap and Sale a week from Saturday; more info here)
This morning we’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor, and per our tradition, they get to tell you about their business: Monetti Landscape Design and Construction, LLC, is a full-service landscaping company based out of West Seattle, specializing in the design, construction, and maintenance of residential landscapes in West Seattle and the greater Seattle area. 
Their specialty is integrating artistic innovation with strong craftsmanship to create aesthetically pleasing and functional outdoor spaces. Founder and Manager Mitchel D. Monetti has been in the horticulture and landscaping business for over 17 years. After earning a degree in Horticulture and Design, and having apprenticed with some of the best in the business, he founded Monetti Landscape Design and Construction, LLC, in 1999. The Company prides itself on its customer service, attention to detail, and its ability to complete almost any job without the use of subcontractors. Whether your taste is contemporary, Mediterranean, classic Northwest, formal, relaxed, drought-tolerant, or anything in between, Mitch sees his role as the ‘facilitator’ of the clients’ wants and needs. While offering innovative ideas, he listens closely to the client in order to create the individualized result sought by all. In addition to design/build services, the company also offers landscape maintenance programs using only chemical-free, eco-friendly practices. Monetti Landscape Design & Construction, LLC, is a member of WALP (Washington Association of Landscape Professionals). To view some of their past projects you can go to their website at www.monettilandscape.com. Please call 206-938-5400 or e-mail monettilandscape@earthlink.net to schedule a free initial consultation.
We thank Monetti Landscape Design & Construction, LLC, for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our sponsor team, and info on joining, all here.
With the weather so relatively warm this month, many are already in the gardening mood. Here are 2 more reasons to start thinking ahead:
SEED SWAP: Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle‘s Seed Swap ‘n’ Sale is now less than three weeks away — Saturday, February 20, 1-4 pm at South Seattle Community College, near the north entrance. Aviva from Community Harvest says they’ll be selling seed mini-packets for 75 cents each, and there’ll be a table for free seeds, plus “lots of varieties of beans, peas, lettuce, beets, corn, etc. from Territorial, Seed Savers and Fedco.” The full seed list is here; Community Harvest members can pre-order with this form. The college’s Garden Center will be open that day too, Aviva adds, “with Green starts in Jumbo 6 packs: Arugula, Parsley, Red Velvet Lettuce, Mizuma, Kale and more.” E-mail info@gleanit.org with questions.
GARDEN TOUR SPONSOR SEARCH: The West Seattle Garden Tour is looking for 2010 sponsors. Here’s the announcement:
The West Seattle Garden Tour is celebrating its 16th year on Sunday, July 18, 2010. The gardens have been chosen and now it’s time for our annual sponsorship drive. The WSGT is a non-profit organized under section 501 (c) (3) and each year the WSGT donates all net proceeds from the Tour to local educational and horticultural projects and community gardens. We hope to make the 2010 Tour our most successful yet and this success relies heavily upon sponsorship of the Tour and continued community support. Over the next few months our dedicated volunteers will be contacting West Seattle and surrounding community businesses for sponsorship opportunities. There are a variety of sponsorship levels available to choose from, each with its own benefit package. If your business is interested in becoming a 2010 WSGT sponsor, please contact us at: info@westseattlegardentour.com and we will be happy to send you a sponsorship packet.
The Department of Neighborhoods’ P-Patch program has sent around a document showing a big achievement by Fauntleroy’s relatively little Lincoln Park Annex P-Patch (uphill from the tennis courts). The document from Solid Ground tracks the amount of food donated by each P-Patch and its gardeners. For starters, as this chart shows, the P-Patch had by far the biggest amount donated per acre:
The garden also ranked second in the number of pounds of food donated by gardener, 51. Overall, P-Patches around the city gave more than 13 tons of fresh food to people in need; see the full report here.
WEST SEATTLE HELP FOR HAITI: West Seattle Christian Church (42nd/Genesee) is collecting donations for Haiti at its services (9 and 10:45 am) today and next Sunday; West Seattle Unitarian Universalists will raise money with a soup lunch after today’s service (10:30 am, so lunch around 11:45), Masonic Hall (40th/Edmunds); in Morgan Junction, Beveridge Place Pub hosts Dogs for Docs, raising money with sausages, hot dogs and veggie dogs plus a silent auction and raffle, benefiting Doctors Without Borders, 4-7 pm, 6413 California SW; in White Center, Full Tilt Ice Cream donates all of today’s profits (Columbia City and U-District locations too). Ongoing drives are listed here (let us know if something’s missing!).
ORCHARD MEETING: As mentioned here yesterday, everyone interested in a potential Community Orchard for West Seattle is invited to a meeting at 4 pm at Duwamish Cohousing, 6000 17th SW.
WEST SEATTLE FARMERS’ MARKET: A new item debuts today: Wild Alaskan Spot Prawns (frozen) from fishing vessel Hat Trick ($22 for 2 pounds). Market managers say this’ll be offered every other week through the winter. Read on for today’s full Ripe and Ready list of what’s new:Read More
Another invitation from Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle: Tomorrow night, you’re invited to the first meeting to discuss a potential Community Orchard in West Seattle. Community Harvest’s Aviva says they got about 50 positive responses to the survey they did recently (linked in this WSB story), so they’re moving ahead with pursuing the idea. Bring your ideas – or just come to listen and learn. The meeting’s at 4 pm tomorrow (Sunday) at Duwamish Cohousing, 6000 17th SW (map). Questions in the meantime? info@gleanit.org
Aviva from Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle answers the question …. “PLAN!” Which leads to these announcements she wanted to share (including a survey for you to take, even if you’re NOT a gardener):
Community Harvest of Southwest Seattle has been very busy planning. Based on the 180 responses to a recent WSBlog survey, CH will be partnering with Seattle Tilth to bring some favorite hands-on gardening classes to West Seattle. Other classes will be offered as well in cooking from the garden and tree pruning. In the next few months:
* Cooking Seasonally From Your CSA – Saturday 1/30 2PM – 4PM
* Indoor Seed Starting with Tilth – Saturday 2/20 10AM – Noon
* Traditional Preserving with Lactic Fermentation – Saturday 2/20 10AM – Noon
* Fruit Tree Pruning – Saturday 2/27 10AM – NoonSeveral spaces will be reserved in each class for participants who would like to volunteer in place of paying the class fee.
View the entire list. Tilth’s Comprehensive Organic Gardening Class will be offered in West Seattle as well.
[second announcement] A Community Orchard in West Seattle…Just Imagine!
Abundant fruit trees and native edibles…a diverse habitat for wildlife… a pleasant place for people to gather…a demonstration garden of trees and vines which thrive in our climate… classes on fruit tree horticulture and preserving foods…Yes, this could be possible in West Seattle. Does this interest you? Give CH your feedback by answering this quick survey (go here).
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