City folk give urban farming a try
April 13, 2010
Where did your breakfast this morning come from?
If you dig into the rising trend of urban farming, it could come from your own backyard.
Urban farming has become increasingly popular in recent years, and people are pushing its boundaries beyond a few tomato plants. Year-round vegetable, fruit and herb gardens, and chickens, goats and even bees are now being raised in people’s yards.
“The last couple years, we’ve seen a huge upsurge in people’s interest in growing food in the city,” said Liza Burke, communications director of Seattle Tilth, a nonprofit education group with classes in Seattle and Issaquah.
Such people come from all walks of life.
The demand for chickens has “become insane” at The Grange Supply in Issaquah, said Susan Saadati, who orders things including baby chicks for the company.
“Most of our customers are new to chickens,” she said.
Many people might be intimidated at the idea of raising livestock or even just lima beans in their backyard, but anyone can be an urban farmer, experts said. Read more
City gets conservation grants
March 23, 2010
City Council members accepted a pair of King Conservation District grants to improve Pickering Garden and mark storm drains. Read more
City officials pocket dollars for conservation
March 6, 2010
NEW — 6 a.m. March 6, 2010
City Council members accepted a pair of King Conservation District grants Monday to improve Pickering Garden and mark storm drains.
The council accepted more than $60,000 in grant dollars during a brief meeting.
The garden grant — $41,358 spread through 2011 — will be at the Pickering Garden to implement education efforts and improvement the site. The project includes a series of classes on landscaping, gardening without pesticides and herbicides, and natural yard-care techniques conducted by Seattle Tilth.
Bring questions to garden, historic roads open houses Thursday
June 24, 2009
NEW — 3:15 p.m. June 24, 2009
Pickering Farm Garden open house
Bring fresh ideas to a city open house Thursday night. City officials and Seattle Tilth staffers want to hear suggestions for improving Pickering Farm Garden.
The open house is from 5-7 p.m. at City Hall Northwest, 1775 12th Ave. N.W.
City officials formed a partnership with the Tilth to plant the seed for the garden’s vision, design and growth.
Officials have received several ideas for the garden, including establishing city demonstration gardens, offering hands-on educational opportunities for organic gardening, creating a hub of a connected community trail system that includes other community garden sites and connecting to a Gilman Boulevard edible landscaping parkway.
Pickering Farm Garden is located on the west side of Pickering Barn. City and Tilth employees hosted an earlier open house related to the garden June 11.
Bring fresh ideas to Pickering Garden open houses
June 8, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. June 8, 2009
City officials and Seattle Tilth staffers will host two open houses for people interested in improving Pickering Farm Garden.
The first open house is from 5-7 p.m. June 11 at City Hall, 130 E. Sunset Way. The second open house is from 5-7 p.m. June 25 at City Hall Northwest, 1775 12th Ave. N.W.
Issaquah launches movie nights focused on sustainability
March 15, 2009
NEW — 6 a.m. March 15, 2009
Continuing community dialogue surrounding sustainability, the city’s Resource Conservation Office is hosting the first in a series of free movie nights March 17.
The first movie showing will feature “Good Food,” directed by Seattle filmmakers Mark Dworkin and Melissa Young.
First shown to packed audiences at the recent Seattle International Film Festival, “Good Food” introduces viewers to local farmers, ranchers, distributors and restaurants who are building a sustainable food system in the Pacific Northwest.
