Blog

March 26, 2024 Geurrilla gardening is an ancient practice that began centuries ago when property became a commodity, versus a community resource. It is practiced all over the world! These days, you can ask permission to plant on a site or you can just do it and hope that you or your plants don’t go […]

The Orchard Year In Review

December 27, 2013 Congratulations to all of you for pulling off some terrific accomplishments this year. We hosted three parties, with more than 100 people attending each, showcased our trees during a pruning education class, and we are nearly complete with our City funded Community Orchard Design Process. Hats off to those of you who […]

I Have My Mushroom Log. Now What?

November 19, 2013 I am walking the neighborhood today, prying off flyers from telephone poles, recalling Sunday’s crazed mushroom event at the orchard. There was generosity. Mark came and inoculated two logs that were each about six inches long! Might not work. Then he way overpaid, but refused the change. Thank you, Mark. There was […]

Curtains, please!

November 13, 2013 Freeway Estates Community Orchard Final Public Design Review Event Friday, November 15 7:00 -9:00pm at the Hearthstone Retirement Facility 6720 E Green Lake Way N (E Green Lake Way N and 1st Ave NE, just west of Spud Fish n Chips) It’s been a busy year! This final design event is the […]

Bob for Apples

November 5, 2013 It’s election day and we are voting for Bob (click on photo at right). On the day of our recent Cider Fest, the ‘political office’ of apples included pears. Pears have a higher water content than apples, (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/sci/tech/7501420.stm). As such, during the Bob for Apples event, the pears were sitting at the […]

Third Annual Cider Fest

October 17, 2013 The weather forecast predicts perfect weather for Saturday afternoon. Please invite your friends to join us for cider, popcorn and friendship. We will also unveil the most recent architectural design drawing for our orchard space. In November of 2010, the orchard became a 1/4th owner of an old fashioned cider press. Ingela […]

Got Burrs?

October 10, 2013 Our three year old Chestnut Tree pleasantly surprised us this year by popping out 14 burrs! Our Maraval cultivar (Castanea Sativa x Castanea Crenata) boasts some of the most beautiful male flowers of any edible Chestnuts. (See photo) Catkins can hold the flowers of both sexes, with the males in the upper […]

Design Review Meeting Soaked With Enthusiasm

October 2, 2013 Twenty seven people gathered on the cold rainy Saturday morning of September 28 to review three designs from Barker Architects’ design team. Many warmed up with coffee or hot chocolate. In attendance were Mark Huston, P-Patch Trust Board Member, our fiscal sponsor, and Rich Macdonald, Supervisor of the Seattle P-Patch program. Justin […]

Saturday, Sept 28 – Architectural/Permaculture Hoedown

September 25, 2013 All are encouraged to come and help review three designs from our architecture/permaculture team. The designs are based on input from the community, WSDOT and SDOT. See insert. Sat Sept 28, 10-noon, Public Design Review Lunch will be served. Rain, no shine Door Prizes, Hot Coffee Sun Oct 13, 2-4 Work Party. […]

We Are Not Alone

September 5, 2013 We have a cousin in the York Neighborhood of Bellingham. Mary Loquvam and Byron Bagwell are the instigators of York Farm and this year they are harvesting storage vegetables: potatoes, beans and winter squash. The farm has taken the place of a fallow piece of land along the Washington State Department of […]

“It Feels Like No One Is Telling You What To Do”

August 21, 2013 A resident from Willis House (nearby senior housing) walked into the orchard Saturday. She strolled slowly and deliberately, gazing ahead, then to one side, then the other. She told me she had Sunday music commitments and would not be able to attend the Sunday design input meeting. I took the opportunity to […]