Well, we’ve been working hard through the winter, and like everything around us, it seems, we’re itching to jump into action.
Last fall, we dug beds, pulled weeds, set paths, and planted alliums (onions and garlic), bulbs, and cover crop. More recently, we’ve been pruning, and just set up a cloche over one bed to warm up the soil and start our earliest crops. We secured a huge donation of seeds from our good friends at Portland Nursery, and received a $250 grant from the generous folks of the Portland Enhancement Project. Between these two developments, we’ve got trays and trays full of seedlings started, got our soil tested for lead (picking up the results today!), and are working on this website and painting signs for the space to start making ourselves visible.
Coming up soon: We’ll be meeting at The Seedlot next Monday, the 20th from 1-4 to follow the northwest tradition of “planting our peas by President’s Day.” (Of course, being big pea fans, we’ll be planting them every week or so for a while, and then again mid-summer…). Really, it’s just an excuse to put ourselves out there and get things started! So please come by (SE 23rd & Clinton), lend a hand in the garden, introduce yourself, and go home with some baby plantlings.
We’re also working on a donation request for lumber to build a shed, compost bin, and terraces, and as soon as we find the best deal and a truck, we’ll be getting a load of compost and manure to give our beds a boost. Also making grand schemes about upcoming classes and workshops (for adults as well as kids), and looking into getting a food swap started. We’ll probably organize some sort of “grand opening” festivities around the equinox next month to really kick things off. So keep a close eye on us, the days are getting longer, and we’re in for quite a growth spurt.
