By Kate Halstead, WSU Extension
EVERETT, Wash. – This event has been canceled and may be rescheduled for the spring.
The desire to eat healthy and help local food banks has prompted many neighborhoods to start community gardens. But some struggle to attract volunteers and keep going. A director of a successful garden will speak about the project 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the Washington State University Snohomish County Extension Cougar Auditorium in McCollum Park, 600 128th St. SE, Everett.
In “Growing with a Purpose: Building a Community Garden,” Wilbur C. (Andy) Anderson will discuss how the community garden at Bethany Covenant Church in Mount Vernon, Wash., got started and has kept going for nine years, including how volunteers are cultivated and retained and the basics of administration and organization.
The cost is $10 per person. Register online at http://GrowingWithAPurpose.brownpapertickets.com or download a form at http://snohomish.wsu.edu
/Growing-With-A-Purpose and mail with a check. For more information, contact Kate Halstead at 425-357-6024 or khalstead@wsu.edu.
Donations for the garden will be accepted in honor of the late Treena Kerr, wife of Graham Kerr (the Galloping Gourmet and a supporter of the WSU Extension Growing Groceries program, sponsor of the talk).
Over the years, Anderson and volunteers have expanded the Bethany Covenant Church community garden to include: 3,300 square feet of raised beds with trickle irrigation and an injection fertilizer system, a greenhouse, a tool shed and a covered tomato growing shelter. In addition to supplying vegetables for volunteers, weekly fresh food care packages are available for many area families from mid-June through the end of September.
Anderson grew up in Hood River, Ore., on a fruit farm, earned a bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University in horticulture, worked as a research technician at OSU and earned a Ph.D. in plant science/physiology from the University of California, Riverside. He worked as a research horticulturist on vegetable crop production at the WSU Research and Extension Center at Mount Vernon 1969-99. In retirement, he enjoys working with people and gardening.
Contact:
Kate Halstead, WSU Snohomish County Extension, 360-794-6081, khalstead@wsu.edu
