Blog
November 6, 2024 To say “deciduous plant” implies seasonal leaf senescence (leaf shedding), a process that helps the plant optimize photosynthesis and nutrient efficiency. Senescence is a good survival strategy for plants in that the abundant nutrients within the leaves are not lost, they are transferred to shoots and roots, readying the plant to spring […]
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 […]
Have Some Pride!
August 9, 2013 Here she is, our first apple. Gorgeous. Our two-year old Williams’ Pride produced 14 apples. This apple is highly thought of for good flavor – especially for an early ripening apple – and its ability to remain crisp and delicious for at least six weeks after harvest. William’s Pride was developed by […]
Mounds of Kiwis
July 26, 2013 After tossing around ideas about a variety of perma-agriculture methods for several weeks, on the 16th of July Ruth and Aaron strategically built a hugelkultur mound under the arbor to host some incoming kiwi plants from Kiwi Bob. Hugelkultur (German – lit. Mound Culture) is a method of soil amendment that removes […]