Germinating an Organization and a Garden Continued from Page 1
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ORGANIC GARDENING . URBAN ECOLOGY . COMPOSTING . RECYCLING VOL 31 NO 1 . FEB/MAR 2008 In spring of 1978, volunteers broke heavy sod to make Seattle Tilth’s first garden beds, in front of the cement basketball and tennis courts yet to be broken up and removed. The park’s summer Anna Lappé to house is seen at right. Keynote Seattle Tilth @ 30: Germinating an Tilth’s 30th Organization and a Garden Anniversary Event Carl Woestwin On March 13, seeds will be planted for ….. And all the while Ektachrome film in search of examples. I Tilth’s next generation. Celebrating our Great clouds are moving me across the sky found them in abundance. 30th Anniversary, Seattle Tilth hosts Chippewa Tribe Steve Solomon was introducing adapt- Anna Lappé, national bestselling au- ed Northwest varieties at Territorial Seed thor of “Grub: Ideas for an Urban Or- Little did I know in the spring of 1977 Co. in Cottage Grove, Ore. John Jeavons ganic Kitchen.” With her mother, Frances that fate was moving me to the gardens was experimenting with ultra-intensive Moore Lappé, she co-founded the Small at Tilth. I was in my final semester of the food production in Willits, Calif. Biody- Planet Institute and co-authored “Hope’s Horticultural Science program at Wash- namic-style gardening was a showpiece Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet.” ington State University, studying fruit of the campus at the University of Cali- Anna Lappé’s combination of youth and and vegetable production. The 500-page fornia-Santa Cruz. The Integral Urban enduring relationship to the work started soils textbook devoted two pages to or- House in Berkeley demonstrated the de- by her mother (author of “Hope’s Edge” ganic matter in soil; organic farming was tails of compost and composting toilets, and “Diet for a Small Planet”) perfectly not a serious subject at WSU. I wanted urban chicken and rabbit production, evokes the sense of Seattle Tilth’s work be- to know more! So, I asked for and was raised-bed gardening, beekeeping— even ing stewarded by a new generation, after granted an independent study of urban, worms for silk production! Community 30 years of being nurtured by those who organic agriculture, and set off down the gardens in San Francisco abutted free- broke up concrete to plant gardens. West Coast with my Pentax camera and ways and high rise buildings. Lappé is respected for her work on sus- tainability, food politics, globalization, Continued on page 5 Continued on page 4 PAGE 2 SEATTLE TILTH ASSOCIATION FebRUARY/MARCH 2008 Transitions Seattle Tilth Association is a non-profit organization After15 years of amazing leadership, Colleen and an urban chapter within Tilth’s regional network. Quinn has ended her work at Seattle Tilth. Our Mission Statement Seattle Tilth inspires and educates people to garden Colleen joined the staff in 1993 as a hotline organically, conserve natural resources, and support educator, and served as interim program local food systems in order to cultivate a healthy urban manager for both Green Gardening and environment and community. the Backyard Composting Programs Board of Directors Sara Coulter in 1998. She became program manager Justine Dell’Aringa for the Natural Soil Building Program Nancy Evans in 2001. Colleen’s extensive knowledge Robert Rosencrantz of Seattle Public Utilities goals resulted Olga Shargorodska Cathy Tuttle in the award of two five-year contracts Willi Evans Galloway for educational services supporting the Eric King Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline and the Treasurer Brandon Pemberton Vice President Erin Randall Master Composter/Soil Builder Program Renee Rhone and other projects. She plans to take time President Craig Skipton for travel and a much-deserved respite Olga Shargorodska, Robert Rosencrantz Andrea Tousignant (above) and Cathy Tuttle (not pictured) have Liza Turley from deadlines and budgets. Secretary Nick Vikstrom joined the Seattle Tilth Board of Directors. In order to move closer to family in Staff Members Portland, Kathy Dang has left our staff af- Cathy is organizing several sustainability Emily Bishton Natural Soil Building Program (NSB) ter six years as garden coordinator. Kathy projects, including Sustainable Wallingford and Liza Burke Natural Soil Building Program created new Permaculture offerings, de- Spokespeople, a bicycle advocacy group. She Laura Matter Natural Soil Building Program Karen Luetjen Executive Director veloped Spanish language classes and led brings to the board an extensive background Emi Morgan Program Assistant the project to add a green roof to the Tilth as a Pro-Parks planner and researcher for Charlotte Moss Bookkeeper green house. Sustainable Seattle. Olga is Knowledge Services Laura Niemi Demonstration Garden Coordinator Amy Ockerlander Natural Soil Building Program Andrea Cummins has departed after Team Leader for PATH and has volunteered Angelina Shell mc/SB Volunteer Coodinator three years on the Natural Lawn & Garden with Tilth for several years. She plans to help Lisa Taylor Children’s Garden Coordinator Hotline to take a position as biologist for us with intellectual property projects. Robert Office Hours and Phones the Army Corps of Engineers. Andrea pre- is owner of Rose Properties and serves on Monday–Friday, 10 am–5 pm or by appointment the Seattle Great Cities Initiative. He will help 206-633-0451 Office Phone pared for this position by completing the 206-633-0450 Fax UW Wetlands Science and Management ensure that Seattle Tilth’s proactive mission 206-632-1999 Executive Director Program over the last year while working stays in the forefront of sustainability plans in 206-633-0224 Natural Lawn & Garden Hotline part-time for Seattle Tilth. the community. 206-633-0097 Master Composters/Soil Builders 206-633-5045 Volunteer Line Save These Dates! Web site Children’s Garden 20th www.seattletilth.org Our 30th year is filled with events and cel- Anniversary Reunion & Picnic E-mail ebrations, old and new. Join us for these Send to [email protected] Saturday, Aug. 9, 4-8 p.m. upcoming events, all free and open to the Meridian Park at N. 50th St. Address public. Seattle Tilth Association, 4649 Sunnyside Avenue Seattle Tilth Harvest Fair & North, Room 120, Seattle, Washington 98103 25th Annual Edible Plant Sale Seattle Tilth Newsletter Tomato Tasting: Your Bill Thorness Editor Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, Locally Grown Food Festival Sarah Kulfan Design/Production May 4, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Seattle Tilth Newsletter is published by the Meridian Park at N. 50th St. Meridian Park at N 50th Street Seattle Tilth Association. Readers are encouraged to submit articles, ideas for articles, original artwork, Ribbon Cutting for Teaching Volunteer Now for and other commentary. All material should be Garden Enhancements mailed c/o The Newsletter to the address above or Thursday, June 12, time TBA Flower & Garden Show e-mailed to [email protected]. Submissions will be printed as space allows. Seattle Tilth reserves Seattle Tilth Gardens, Good Shepherd Center Seattle Tilth will have a corner booth at the the right to edit for interest, length, and style. Reception and brief program featuring the Northwest Flower & Garden Show on Feb- work of the UW Neighborhood Design Build ruary 20-24. If you’d like to help recruit new Studio to create community-inspired features members and get a free ticket to the show, call for the Seattle Tilth Teaching Gardens. This Meredith Dineen at the Tilth Volunteer Line, Tilth \'tilth\ n [ME, fr. OE, fr. tilian to till] process has been supported by the Seattle (206) 633-5045, ext.1, or email her at mer@ (bef. 12c) 1 : quality of cultivated soil f5.com. Neighborhood Matching Fund. 2 : cultivation of wisdom and the spirit FebRUARY/MARCH 2008 SEATTLE TILTH ASSOCIATION PAGE 3 Tilth in the News Seattle Tilth’s November garden clinic and Natural Lawn and Garden Hotline were featured on the “Garden of Weedin” blog at Ecometro.com. Oregon Tilth’s November ‘07 issue of In Good Tilth featured Kathy Dang’s article on Straw Bale Gardening. The Tacoma News Tribune quoted Tilth in two “Soundlife” features in September. On Oct. 11, Seattle P-I’s reporter Lisa Stif- fler concluded her five-part series about her experiences as a first-time gardener, mentioning that she called Seattle Tilth for advice and intended to sign up for the Comprehensive Organic Gardener course next spring. The October issue of Parent Community members turned out to review drawings of proposed improvements to Seattle Tilth’s Map listed Seattle Tilth as a resource for teaching gardens in Wallingford. The process is being led by former board member Nicole Kistler, educating children on plants and plant who is a landscape architect. safety in their article “Protecting Your Garden Mapping Project Measures Child: Safety at Every Age & Stage.” Seattle Tilth’s Greening Impact Craig Skipton, Board President Attendees at our recent events may have How many acres of the Seattle metro area noticed Seattle Tilth members putting are organic because of Seattle Tilth's dots on a big Seattle area map. We’ve members? done this at the last annual meeting, Ed- How many pounds of organic produce did ible Plant Sale and Harvest Fair. It was big Seattle Tilth members grow last year? fun and piqued people’s curiosities. Well, Who gardens organically in my neighbor- it is time for us to come clean. hood? We are in process of creating a system Where is there an organic gardener in my to track the geographic and physical im- neighborhood that I can go and talk to pact of Seattle Tilth. Last year we passed for advice? Seattle Tilth’s first ever strategic plan, and Where are the Tilth founders’ gardens? part of that plan seeks to measure the im- We are ambitiously seeking to add all pact of our activities as an organization.