Demonstration Plot 2/12 then 7/12

Recently we compiled all of our harvesting records from our demonstration plot at the Sumner Community Garden.  The plot is roughly 180 ft2, and fits most of a “half share” of a Living City plant subsription.   Although we are still harvesting a variety of cool season crops from the plot,  to date we were able to harvest over $772.00 worth of organic vegetables from that small plot.  How did we grow so much food?  Our garden is well-planned, carefully maintained, and expertly tended.

Our 2013 course series beginning on February 9th can teach you how to have an abundant and successful garden.  We provide plants, seeds, mentorship, and hands-on learning. Download the  Livingcity registration packet 2013 to learn more about our program today!

Living City will be interviewed on KBOO Radio next week, Monday, Dec 17, from 10:15 am to 11 am Pacific Time.  Barbara Bernstein, host of Locus Focus, came to our July 2012 class and saw that our work is aligned with her mission of promoting food justice.

We’ll be talking about gardening year-round in Portland, nuts and
bolts of our program, and how our sustainable business model serves
our social justice mission. If you’re in the Portland area, tune your
radio to 90.7 FM. If you’re not here, I thought you might like to
know what we are up to; go to www.kboo.fm and click “Listen”. If you
miss it, we’ll post a link to the archived recording on the Living
City website.

Eat from your garden year round!  (and get a jump on 2013)

Is your garden winding down for the winter?
Wish you could enjoy the flavor, vibrance and nutrition of just-picked
vegetables year-round?  You can!

Come get some tips in an abundant winter garden.

Class includes:

- soil building
- winter vegetables: harvest tips, recipes, tasting
- season extension
- planning tools
- and more.

Each participant will leave with a sample planting calendar and log
sheet.  To get the most out of the workshop, bring a list of what you
want to grow this year and a short statement of your garden goals.

We will mostly be walking around the garden looking at things, so
dress comfortably for outdoors.

When: 1-3 pm Saturday, December 1
(Please arrive a few minutes early, as we will begin promptly.)

Location: 4446 NE Going St. Portland.  Frequent service on Trimet #75,
easily accessible by bike.  Off-street bike parking available.

Instructors: Rachel Freifelder and Sarah Canterberry (Bios below)
Cost: Free
This class introduces Living City’s 9 month program in the Year Round Harvest.
www.livingcitypdx.com

Get a head start: Fall Garden Planning

Want your garden to yield more food with less work? Plan now and get a jump on year-round abundance!

We will discuss:

• How to grow food year-round in Portland’s mild climate
• Different needs of different vegetables – and the best planting time and location for each one
• Saving water and time
• Working with your soil
• Mapping your garden
• Reading planting calendars, seed packets and seed catalogs

..and more.

To get the most out of this class, please bring a map of your garden site.

When: 1-3 pm Saturday, November 10th

Please arrive a few minutes early, as we will begin promptly.  We will spend time walking around the garden looking at things, so dress comfortably for outdoors.

Location: 4446 NE Going St. Portland.  Frequent service on Trimet #75, easily accessible by bike.  Off-street bike parking available.

Instructors: Rachel Freifelder and Sarah Canterberry
Cost: $25

As we dry our last tomatoes, check our pumpkins for ripeness, and
cover our winter spinach, comes the time to start preparing and
planning for the coming year. As your garden rests, the hardworking
worms break down your compost and build the soil. Come spring, when
it’s too wet to dig, your beds will be ready to plant.

Learn expert techniques for soil care, tailored to our Pacific
Northwest maritime climate.

We will also cover:

-tools and tool care
-garden ergonomics to save your body
-garden design: making the most of your garden site

and other tips for fall garden management

This class will be mainly outside, so please dress for the weather.

When: 1-3pm Saturday Sept 29

Location: 4446 NE Going St. Portland. Frequent service on Trimet #75,
easily accessible by bike. Off-street bike parking available.

Instructors: Sarah Canterberry, Rachel Freifelder, (bios below)
Cost: $25 – work-trade available, but must be approved by the
Wednesday before the class. Call to discuss.
This class is part of Living City’s program in the Year Round Harvest.

Class is limited to 20 students. Please call 503-849-9466 to reserve
your spot, or email info@livingcitypdx.com. And tell your friends!

We know that a garden prepared in the Fall, protected from the Winter rains, gets a JUMP on Spring, for year round abundance!

Want to learn more? Click here to download the 2012-2013 Registration Packet.

Grow Your Own!  10 month Course in Growing, Harvesting and Cooking

Register Now!  Classes begin September 29

Program Includes:  Seeds and Plants, Mentorship, Classes, Community Building

Back by popular demand! we will be offering our vegetable fermentation workshop a second time.

Want to make your own sauerkraut, kim chi and other delicious and nutritious vegetable ferments?

This workshop includes:
- hands-on practice
- grounding in history
- novel recipes and tasty samples
- resources for free and low-cost equipment

Bring a jar and take it home full of pickles!

This class will be outside, so please dress for the weather.
(If it is pouring rain we will move inside.)

Location: Rachel’s Garden 4446 NE Going St., Portland. Frequent service on Trimet #75,
easily accessible by bike. Off-street bike parking available.

In this survey of food preservation techniques, we will discuss:

Every garden has challenges – and you can learn to work with them.
This garden tour will show how we work with our site’s challenges, and give you ideas for designing your most abundant food and herb garden.

We will cover:
- finding more space for your food plants
- working with shade and sun
- saving water
- building soil
- edible landscaping
- companion planting
- which plant goes where?
…and more.

When:   Thursday August 23; tour 6:30-7:30pm, Q&A follows

Location: 4446 NE Going St. Portland.  Frequent service on Trimet #75, easily accessible by bike.  Off-street bike parking available.

Instructors: Rachel Freifelder and Sarah Canterberry
Cost: Free

Information available on Living City’s 9 month program in the Year
Round Harvest.

How can you take another step toward true community food security? Learn to grow and harvest your own vegetable seeds and plan your garden for seed growing.

This class will cover:

• Easiest vegetables to grow to seed
• Choosing best individual plants to save seed from
• How to harvest seeds
• How to know if your seed will breed true

In our abundant organic garden, we will discuss both easy and advanced crops and associated gardening techniques.   Participants will get hands-on experience at harvesting and processing homegrown seed.   We will also discuss community-level seed sharing.

A seed swap will follow the workshop.  Feel free to bring seeds to share.  Some homegrown seeds will be available to take home.

Have a favorite open-pollinated tomato plant?  Bring a ripe tomato and we will help you to process the seeds for best plant growth.

This class will be outside, so please dress for the weather.
(If it is pouring rain we will move inside.)

When:   6-8 pm Thursday, August 2nd

Location: 4446 NE Going St. Portland.  Frequent service on Trimet #75, easily accessible by bike.  Off-street bike parking available.

Instructors: Sarah Canterberry, Rachel Freifelder
Cost: $25 – work-trade available, but must be approved by the
Wednesday before the class.   Call to discuss.
This class is part of Living City’s 9 month program in the Year Round Harvest. Class is limited to 20 students. Please call 503-849-9466 to reserve your spot, or email info@livingcitypdx.com. And tell your friends!