This year I’m coordinating a workshop series with Beach School Garden and Sustainable Overlook (a committee of the Overlook Neighborhood Association). We’re offering a series of monthly workshops on practical ways to relocalize our food system, help our pollinators and build community. The series starts with seed saving, fruit tree pruning and native wildflower gardening. Everyone and all experience levels welcome.
February
Fruit Tree Pruning and Care with April Jamison
Sunday, February 17, from 12-3 pm
Beach School Garden, 1710 N Humboldt St.
Sliding scale $10-25 Details and registration here.
Demystify winter fruit tree pruning with this hands-on workshop with orchard expert April Jamison of Garden Ecology. We’ll start by getting familiar with the basics, and then we’ll have a demonstration and practice time, giving the school garden’s two apple trees some thoughtful and loving care.
In this class you will learn:
• Tools of the trade
• When & why to prune
• Types of cuts & how to make them
• Step-by-step process
• Tips on training, restoration, and more!
Bring gloves and your favorite pruning tools such as hand pruners, folding saw or loppers if you have them. Dress for the weather.
March
Seed Swap Brunch
Saturday, March 2
9:30 am Brunch, 10:30-1 pm Seed Swap
Alice Busch’s House – 2224 N Willamette. Portland OR 97217
Free! Details and registration HERE.
Get ready for spring and summer by joining our seed swap. It is intended to help our up and coming gardener gather enough seeds from those of us saving – that they can SAVE money by sharing in our bounty! Whether you have seeds to share – or are coming to collect seeds to plant for our coming gardening seasons – you are encouraged to join us and our crew of aspiring and experienced gardeners. If you have seeds to share – bring them, if not, bring containers/envelopes to take home seeds you plan to nurture into bountiful crops of beauty and food 🙂
If folks will be joining us for brunch they should arrive by 9:30am and bring an a brunch item to share: French press ground coffee, cheese(what kind), a veggie (what kind), a syrup (kind), eggs, or fruit (what kind), non dairy milk/cream substitute (what kind),
Alice will provide: compostable plates, utensils, washable napkins, teas, half & half, bacon, potatoes, and pancakes (please let us know if you would like a gluten-free pancake option.)
Wildflower and Pollinator Workshop
Saturday, March 30, 12-3 pm
Beach School Garden, 1710 N Humboldt St.
Sliding scale $10-25 Details and registration here.
Bees need habitat, and habitat needs tending. Engage the human impulse to tend the land in this hands-on workshop at the new 1,000 sq. ft. meadow garden at Beach Elementary. Explore the Willamette Valley native meadow plantings and see early season pollinators in action. You will learn:
- Weed and native plant identification
- Tending practices and a little about the background of this important ecosystem in our region – and how you can start your own low-maintenance/low-water use meadow patch to help bees.
- Take home native wildflower seed!
Bring gloves and your favorite weeding/digging tool. Dress for the weather. Ages 10 and up.
Childcare provided at no cost for kids 5-10. Please register online.
Questions? mulysa@resiliencedesign.com
Instructor Mulysa Melco is an ecological landscape designer, horticulturist, and artist with a lifelong passion for plants and exploring our connection with the land. She teaches botany and ecology classes for the Portland Underground Graduate School.
Upcoming workshops might be on worm composting, gardening with kids and more.
Have a suggestion for a topic you want to learn about in community? Email mulysa@resiliencedesign.com
