St. Joseph’s will hold its annual plant sale May 22 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in White Salmon, featuring Gorge-hardy plants from Vanguard Nursery.
Kelly Brown photo
WHITE SALMON — St. Joseph’s will hold its 17th annual plant sale on Saturday, May 22 across from Harvest Market in White Salmon, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The sale features Gorge-hardy vegetables, herbs, annuals and perennials provided by Vanguard Nursery.
The annual event began in 2003, when Dr. Alicia Giminez had the idea of doing a plant sale fundraiser for St. Joseph Church in White Salmon. As a busy doctor and raising two kids, her happy place was in her garden. It was a labor of love, and a place for peace, starting seeds in her sunny greenhouse, and growing the plants to sell to the local community.
Ramona Galban driving the tractor, and Maria de la Serrano hitching a ride.
Kelly Brown photo
Rosa and Ramona checking plants in the greenhouse.
Kelly Brown photo
But soon, it became impossible to keep up. Enter Vanguard Nursery in White Salmon. In 2006, Vanguards began supplying plants for the St. Joe’s fundraiser.
In the late 1920s, Theodore Boggs started farming along the Columbia, before dams were build up and down the river. The farm stretched out much further south than it does today, since the dams took away much of their acreage. In 1982, Bob Landgren opened a small nursery on his great-grandfather Theodore’s land. Soon after, his sister, Sandy Dickey — of the Dickey Farms family — joined him.
While people talk about supporting local businesses and organizations, this event takes it a step further: It’s a local fundraiser, selling plants grown locally, by a local business, with local employees, benefiting the local community. The plant sale is now considered a community event in White Salmon.
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