The Underwood Community Gardens begins its third season with all 21 garden spaces leased and a new Board of Directors: Sally M. Stillman, President; Molly Hamlin, Vice President; and Kirby Richards, Treasurer. Like most Community Gardens, UCG is a gardener-led organization that relies on all participants to enhance the community experience.
The mission of the Underwood Community Gardens is to offer Underwood residents the opportunity to work, learn and grow together through shared gardening and to enrich our community with programs focused on local food economy, nutrition, cooking, and food preservation.
The 2015 calendar of events of public presentations, workshops, and special occasions include three first-quarter Garden Chats: a hands-on reminder of drip systems and composting and a launch the new season social evening for our gardeners — both in late March— and a Plant Sale, Seed Swap, Small Farms Booth, and Seed Science and Bird House Painting for Kids in April. Future events include canning workshop “Jams, Jellies, and Chutneys” in June and the annual August gathering of Eating from Our Gardens.
It’s been a mild winter, and many gardeners are now beginning starter plants and planning our organic raised-bed gardens. Aromatic herbs and ornamental edibles are two of the options for some of our gardeners. Of course, the effort to grow and harvest year-round is another challenge.
Underwood Community Organic Gardens, located behind the post office in the Underwood Community Park, are made possible by Skamania County (Community Health and General Services), Washington State University (WSU) Extension Service, the residents and gardeners of Underwood and The Gorge, the Underwood Community Council (UCC), and both CEKC and WGAP.
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