family friendly

Want your garden to yield more food with less work? Plan now and get a jump on year-round abundance!

Learn to:

Grow food year-round in Portland's mild climate - year after year

Save time, money and water 

Plant each crop at the right time and place  

Map your garden

Understand planting calendars, seed packets and seed catalogs

..and more.

To get the most out of this class, please bring a map of your garden site and a list of what you hope to grow.

This class introduces our 2016 program in the Year Round Harvest

www.handmadegardenspdx.com/year-round-harvest-course/

The German School project is on Beaverton Creek. Beaverton Creek has been treated much like a ditch for many years, but neighborhood groups, and volunteers, with support from Clean Water Services, have begun to turn it around. The German School site is a half acre dominated by invasive Reed canary grass, English ivy, and Himalayan blackberry. Students and crews have begun to remove the invasive plants. Volunteers will plant native plants along the stream corridor and in the wetlands, providing shade to the stream and improving water quality. Tools and gloves will be provided on site. Drinking water will also be provided but feel free to bring your own water bottles. This can be messy work, so please wear appropriate clothing and sturdy shoes.

Register online here: http://solveoregon.org/get-involved/events/beaverton-creek-german-school...

Join the Rock Creek Partnership on Saturday, March 12th in Happy Valley for our fifth annual Watershed Wide Event! We'll be planting a wide diversity of native trees and shrubs to create a hedgerow on the property that will attract native pollinators and contribute to watershed health. No experience is necessary and all are welcome -- families, neighbors, and friends! There will be live music, a delicious variety of breakfast snacks and coffee/tea provided to all volunteers, as well as raffle prizes! The staging site will once again be the Galaxy Barn at Pendarvis Farm - site of the renowned Pickathon Music Festival. Parking is limited at the Pendarvis farm so we ask that all volunteers meet us at the nearby Happy Valley City Hall where shuttles will bring you to the farm. Plan to arrive by 8:30-8:45am at City Hall to leave enough time after arriving at the farm to get registered and assigned to a crew, as well as to enjoy hot coffee and breakfast treats. The event will wrap-up around 1:00pm. Rock Creek is an important tributary of the Clackamas River, which provides high quality drinking water to more than 300,000 people and provides critical habitat for many sensitive species of plants, fish and wildlife. The Rock Creek Partnership works with landowners to revitalize streamside habitats by removing invasive species, such as blackberry and ivy, and replanting the areas with native vegetation. Restoring native plant communities grows a canopy over our creeks, which filters drinking water, provides wildlife habitat, and increases property value.

Register online here: http://solveoregon.org/get-involved/events/watershed-wide-event

Linnton Creek is a principle stream in Forest Park, one of the main trail heads in the north end of the park, and its confluence with the Willamette River will have a new lagoon, as part of the the 27 acre Linnton Plywood Mill site's restoration as animal habitat (a Superfund mitigation site). We are restoring the creek trail head, removing ivy and blackberry, planting natives, and installing an interpretive sign, trash can and custom (and amusing) dog waste bag dispenser designed by noted artist Ivan McLean. Part of a broad effort to eliminate dog waste from the park, this site is particularly important as the creek will flow into a new lagoon designed as a resting place for salmon fry, where clean water will be crucial. At the moment the main effort is ivy removal and the planting of almost 300 native plants. Hot and cold beverages, pastries, tools and gloves are provided. We'll be having a celebration of the project's completion in June. Activities include: Invasive Plant Removal, Native Planting.

Register online here: http://solveoregon.org/get-involved/events/linnton-creek-project-march

Women in Science Day provides a great opportunity for young women in grades 6-12 in our community to learn about careers and opportunities from successful women in the field of science. We will begin the day at the Portland Community College - Rock Creek campus Event Center in Portland with breakfast and a presentation on science careers as well as a chance for the girls to discuss careers and opportunities with the mentors. Following the breakfast session, we will walk out to the Rock Creek SOLVE-adopted restoration site to plant trees and shrubs as a part of our stream restoration project. What better way to learn about the opportunities in the field of science that await young women in our community than hearing about them from women in those fields?

Register online here: http://solveoregon.org/get-involved/events/women-science-day