ENA Garden Tour

by Elaine Nelson
The first-ever Eastside Neighborhood Association garden tour was held on the chilly Sunday afternoon of December 7. Approximately 25 people gathered at Tim & Heather McLeod’s house for a hot spiced cider before walking to several gardens around the Eastside.

It seems a little crazy to organize a garden tour for the beginning of winter, but it was a great opportunity to explore on what turned out to be one of the last nice days before the storm. We looked at compost setups, raised beds built from cinder blocks, terracing, chickens, edible and decorative gardens. Everybody learned a little something, met new people, and got a good walk in the bargain!

Thanks to Tim McLeod & Chad Akins for organizing, to Kate, Laura, Dave, Kathleen, Tom & those whose names I have forgotten for showing off their winter gardens, and to everyone who came out.

We’ll be doing it again this spring, on Sunday March 8. Location to be announced, contact Chad Akins at (360) 357-1407 or Timothy McLeod at (360) 870-5946, check the website, or join the ENA email list for details. We’ll be sure to have some treats, and have better transportation for the kids.

Clubs make a better neighborhood

Your neighborhood association is all about building connections between people to make the Eastside a better place to live. Clubs and other civic groups make those connections stronger! The ENA wants to see book clubs, garden clubs, walking groups, supper clubs and other associations grow and thrive.

We can promote your club or organization in the newsletter, on our website, or on our email list. Let us know if you’re looking for new members or holding an event, and we’ll spread the word. Contact pr*******@**************ia.org and let us know how we can help.

(The ENA does not promote partisan political organizations, and we reserve the right to refuse any request due to space constraints or other reasons.)

Fall Quarterly Meeting

Thursday, November 13th, 2008, 7:00 pm
Light and Life Church
1901 7th Ave SE

  • Introduction / Open Mic
  • Terra Commons Presentation
  • A small neighborhood solution to tough financial times.

Introduction

We will discuss board membership and February board elections, the new vandalism-prevention program, and provide a sidewalk update. ENA membership forms are available.

Open Mic

At the beginning of the meeting, we throw the floor open to you. Share your concerns, dreams, and kudos.

Terra Commons Presentation

Terra Commons is looking for sites within the neighborhood to host a hands on Edible Forest Garden Workshop. The workshop is free to community members and includes all the how to’s of designing the Edible Forest Garden – planting edible trees and shrubs, sheet mulching, mushroom inoculation, and installing drip irrigation. Edible Forest Gardens consist of three main layers – fruit and nut trees as the upper canopy, berries and other edible bushes as the middle layer and perennial vegetables and fruits as the ground cover.

A small neighborhood solution to tough financial times.

Despite recent uncertainty regarding our economic system, there’s a new trend picking up momentum in neighborhoods across the U.S. Citizens are banding together to create their own green communities. One example that can apply here in Olympia is the sharing of knowledge, tools, and resources about small garden food growing. At the meeting we will give an introductory talk about “Biointensive Gardening” and other sustainable practices that utilize materials in our own backyards! Imagine an annual ‘local garden tour’ to strengthen our collective plant knowledge, or even swapping surplus crops with someone one block away! Let’s work together both beginner and advanced Green Thumbs and have fun in the process!