Cultivating Communities Program

Cultivating Communities' goal is to help establish safe, healthy communities and economic opportunity through the development of community gardens and community supported agriculture (CSA) enterprises in Seattle Housing Authority public housing communities. It is a partnership between Friends of P-Patch, City of Seattle P-Patch Program and the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA).

Cultivating Communities Program operates in four SHA communities: Rainier Vista, Yesler Terrace, High Point, NewHolly, and several non-profit housing communities including Mt. Baker Village and the Brighton Apartments. The program works closely with the respective community councils to set priorities for garden development.

The program, which began in 1995, now has sixteen community gardens within six low-income housing communities providing organic gardening space for 150 families. The program includes three youth gardening sites with 70 youth involved. Most of the gardeners are recent immigrants, primarily from Southeast Asia and East African. The gardens provide food for their families and friends and help provide a sense of community. Most of the gardeners participate in community building events such as work parties and pot lucks. The gardens help to promote healing for those who have experienced the stresses of war.

More on Community Supported Agriculture

What is the benefit of subscribing to a CSA?

A CSA is a marketing technique where local farmers provide fresh produce to paying subscribers. The subscribers receive a bag of seasonal produce each week. By purchasing a subscription, you get to see where and how your food is grown, and are guaranteed fresh, organic produce. You help to guarantee an income for local farmers. The growers also have an opportunity to practice their English speaking skills with their customer. You will have an opportunity to sample unfamiliar produce, and learn new recipes.

The Friends of P-Patch Cultivating Communities program is looking for households interested in purchasing subscriptions for weekly organic produce grown by Seattle Housing Authority Residents participating in community supported agriculture (CSA) enterprises in Rainier Vista, NewHolly, and High Point communities.

Cultivating Communities is a collaboration of the Friends of P-Patch, City of Seattle, City of Seattle P-Patch Program and the Seattle Housing Authority. Earth Ministry assists with CSA subscriber marketing through local churches

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Cultivating Communities also helps to provide supplemental income for 16 Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) households through three Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) enterprises. The gardeners grow produce that is marketed primarily by subscription to families living in surrounding neighborhoods. The income generated from the sale of subscriptions is divided among the gardeners. In 2002, fifty paying subscribers received a bag of fresh organic produce for 22 weeks. The interaction between customers and gardeners helps the gardeners practice their English skills and links them to the broader Seattle community. The customers have a better sense of people living in low-income communities, as a result, the gardeners are gaining skills, experience , and confidence that will help them adjust to life in the United States and become productive citizens. The enterprise is also helping to build community among the gardeners themselves.

Garden Locations

South Seattle garden locations are the Rainier Vista Garden at 33rd Avenue South and South Oregon Street and the NewHolly Most Abundant Garden at 37th Avenue South Park. In West Seattle, the High Point Market Garden is located at 32nd Avenue South and SW Juneau.

The NewHolly Most Abundant Garden has two (2) additional locations in north Seattle and central Seattle.

NewHolly Market Garden

The NewHolly Most Abundant Garden has an on-site location and two (2) additional locations for pick-up. Pick-up time for the on-site location is Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. May 22nd to October 16th. The north-end pick up site is St. Andrews Episcopal Church located at 111 NE 80th Street on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to dusk, from May 24th to October 18th and a central area location at St. Therese Catholic Church at 3416 E. Marion Street is on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, May 25th to October 19th .

Rainier Vista Market Garden

The Rainier Vista Sunrise Garden is located at 33rd Avenue south and south Oregon Street. Pick-up time is Thursday 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., May 22nd to October 16th.

High Point Market Garden

The High Point Market Garden is located at 32nd Avenue SW and SW Juneau Street on Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., May 21st to October 15th.

NewHolly Marketplace

Every Tuesday from June 24th to September 16th, you can come to the NewHolly Neighborhood campus and purchase a variety of organic vegetables, flowers, flowers, treats and trinkets.

The produce list includes: bok choy, cucumber, Swiss chard, mustard greens, garlic, radishes and many other vegetable. All of this organic produce is priced at $1.00 or less.

The participants are formerly from Cambodia, Vietnam, Eritrea, and Ethiopia. The vendors open their stands by 3:00 p.m. and close by 7:00 p.m.

The venue is alot smaller than the Columbia City market and other local markets. It is a starting place for gardeners to prepare to sell at larger farmer markets.

The NewHolly Marketplace is located in the plaza of the NewHolly Neighborhood campus (32nd and south Myrtle streets)

The NewHolly Marketplace is a great venue for entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services.

The Farmers

Aun, Ton and their five children all fled Cambodia in 1979. After spending 10 years in a refugee camp in Thailand, they found their way to the United States, and to Holly Park.

Today, the family is actively involved in their community. Aun and Ton take English classes at NewHolly Neighborhood Campus. Aun is proud of her American citizenship that she earned in 1998 with the help of Atlantic Street classes at NewHolly.

Ton volunteers in the NewHolly Community gardens growing vegetables like cherry tomatoes and bok choy. His beautiful bamboo fences protect the garden from winds and foraging animals. Planting gardens throughout the community also helps keep the community safe.

The children love the NewHolly branch of the Seattle Public Library. You can see them at the Teen Center and Family Center activities organized by the Atlantic Street Center at the NewHolly Neighborhood Campus. They also look forward to the art program run the Children's Museum of Seattle.

Recipes

Shrimp with Mustard Greens

Ingredients A
1-pound shrimp, shelled and de-veined, butterfly cut down back
1 teaspoon salt
1-tablespoon sherry wine
2- tablespoons cornstarch
dash sugar

Ingredients B
1 pound mustard greens, sliced into 2 by 1-inch pieces. If mustard greens not available substitute Oriental mustard greens such as takana, gai choy or karashina
1 clove garlic, minced
a few grating of fresh ginger
1 teaspoon salt
dash sugar
2 tablespoons oil for frying

1. Marinate shrimp in ingredients A
2. Heat wok on high heat. Add 1-tablespoon oil. Slosh around. Add garlic and ginger. Stir-fry a few seconds. Add mustard greens. Add = teaspoon salt, dash sugar. Toss-fry about 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Keep crisp. Place on platter.
3. Clean wok. Reheat over high heat. Add 1-tablespoon oil. Slosh around. Stir-fry shrimp for 2 minutes. Place on top of pre-cooked mustard greens.
4. Serve with soy and mustard sauce for dipping.

Support Us

Volunteers are needed to: clear the plots; turn over the soil; assist with building compost bins, fences and gates; install irrigation systems; sow seeds; harvest, wash, package, and deliver produce to sites.

For the marketplace, assistance is needed in setting-up and breaking down tables and assisting gardeners with produce sales.

Volunteers are also needed for web support.

Make a gift. Donate to Cultivating Communities through Friends of P-Patch.

For more information please contact Martha Goodlett, Program Manager, at (206) 684-0540.