Increasing Food Security, One Garden Bed at a Time

Increasing Food Security, One Garden Bed at a Time

As our Lawns to Lettuce team knows, some spaces–like a sunny lawn–are brimming with potential for an edible landscape. Other areas, however, need a bit of creativity to envision the possibilities. Luckily, our team has the imagination and technical skill needed to transform any space into a multi-purpose, edible wonderland.

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Looking Back on "Earth Month," Including a Webinar Archive!

Looking Back on "Earth Month," Including a Webinar Archive!

April was Earth Month, and last month, we were literally and virtually everywhere. Enjoy a sampling of our webinars and events held just during the month of April. If you missed any, feel free to watch the replays and share with friends and family to help educate them about protecting our home.

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Guest Post: Zsofia Pasztor on Our Current Food System's Collapse and How to Help

Guest Post: Zsofia Pasztor on Our Current Food System's Collapse and How to Help

Editor’s Note: On Thursday, August 13, we held our annual partnership event virtually and we honored to have Zsofia Pasztor from Farmer Frog join us to discuss her work in the center of this national crisis of food insecurity, and the changed world due to COVID-19. She called us from the farm and, like all of us, had challenges with coverage and clarity in this time of heavy internet and cellular use. Here’s her follow up message to those concerned with what they can do to help. - Kari Quaas, SCD

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Striving for Food Security During COVID-19

Striving for Food Security During COVID-19

When Joe Crumbley joined our team last year, he couldn’t have predicted that 2020 would be the year a global pandemic would create a national crisis for food security.

Unfortunately, 2020 is that kind of year. But during the COVID-19 health crisis, we are continuing to partner with local organizations in an effort to provide food security to families in Snohomish County.

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Edmonds Community Garden: Biodiversity Haven

Edmonds Community Garden: Biodiversity Haven

. Native plants used in traditional Native American recipes from this region are grown here and used in recipes for events like pow wows, often serving around 100 people each occasion. 

The anthropology, engineering and cooking departments are all involved in the garden curriculum. The amount of biodiversity they have in their small amount of space is impressive; this is a prime example of natural resource conservation implementation in a small scale urban agriculture setting. 

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New ECEAP Garden Beds will Teach Children, Feed Families

The garden bed sides are short enough for small children to get a hands-on learning experience.

The garden bed sides are short enough for small children to get a hands-on learning experience.

More families will be fed thanks to 6 newly-installed raised garden beds at the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Programs (ECEAP) location in Everett, owned by Volunteers of America.

The ECEAP provides free services like child health coordination and nutrition, family support and parent involvement, and early learning preschool. These raised garden beds will be used to teach children the value of gardening and where their food comes from, and the fresh produce grown on-site will go on to provide healthy, fresh meals for low-income families.

The recycled lumber stripped of nails and coating.

The recycled lumber stripped of nails and coating.

Better yet, these garden beds are made from recycled lumber from Down to Earth Community Gardens. In 2019, the Snohomish Conservation District helped Down to Earth Community Gardens reach almost 300 raised garden beds that have since gone to individual homeowners, apartment complexes, non-profits and food banks. 

This lumber, sourced from leftover piles at construction sites and shipping crates, is a great example of how we can reuse our materials to create something new and healthy for the environment and our communities.