stewardship

Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 26th 2014. The 6th Annual Barn Dance & Barbecue, presented by Whole Foods Market with support from Organic Valley, and One PacificCoast Bank  begins at 4:30 pm. We'll have great food,Widmer Brothers beer and Lady Hill wine, a silent auction with Portlander's favorite goodies, and of course live music and square dancing.

The event kicks off with the Scavenger Hunt and tours of the award-winning  Sauvie Island Organics farm. Families will search the farm for everything from pollinators to edible flowers, while learning about how their food is grown.  A winner chosen at random will be handsomely rewarded. Don't forget to snap some photos and enter Portland Nursery's Fun Farm Photos contest.

Dinner, courtesy of the soon-to-open New American, will be served at 6. The Barn Dance menu offers guests a sneak peak at New American's offerings. Don't forget to save room for dessert, courtesy of Organic Valley dessert at 6:45.

At 7 pm, get ready to kick up your heels.  Music Sponsor One PacificCoast Bank presents the Square Dance featuring Ned Leager and the Whole Grain Crackers.

Individual tickets are $30*, children under 12 are $5 and a limited number of table sponsorships will be offered for $450.

In Partnership with the Confluence Environmental Center, the Community Orchards Coordinator (COC) will enhance the capacity and impact of Portland Fruit Tree Project's Community Orchards program. In collaboration with volunteers, partners and staff, the COC will plan and facilitate Community Orchard events, providing learning opportunities for participants while maintaining and improving the orchards. The COC will conduct outreach to recruit diverse participants and partners, and will build volunteer leadership for each orchard site. Additionally, the COC will establish a new partnership to begin developing a new community orchard in outer East Portland. This position will build on the successes of previous AmeriCorps members. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS (to include, but not limited to): 
? Coordinate tree care, site maintenance, and educational events at Sabin Community Orchard and Fruits of Diversity 
Community Orchard, in collaboration with partners and lead volunteers. 
? Coordinate harvesting at orchard sites and fruit distribution 
o Conduct pre-harvest site visits and fruit assessments 
o Co-lead harvesting events, coordinate logistics and materials. 
o Distribute fruit to people in need through food pantries and other partners 
? Coordinate Tree Care Team (TCT) at Green Thumb Community Orchard: 
o Recruit volunteers, and conduct orientation for TCT members and TCT leaders 
o Support team in performing ten tree care sessions throughout the 2015 season 
o Coordinate logistics, communications, and materials/tools 
? Conduct outreach to engage diverse program participants 
? Coordinate and support volunteers in leadership roles: 
o Recruit, train & support lead volunteers for community orchards and tree care teams 
o Convene and facilitate leadership team meetings 
? Support partners growing fruit trees through Community Orchard Affiliate program 
? Continue the development of new Community Orchard partnership in East Portland 
o Facilitate community planning sessions 
o Recruit participants 
o Begin to plan and implement planting, maintenance and educational activities (in collaboration with 
volunteers and partners) 
? Secure project materials as needed 
? Maintain tracking/information systems and administer participant surveys 
? Assist with program reports and program evaluation ? Complete and submit all necessary Confluence/AmeriCorps paperwork and reports in a timely manner. 
? Attend and complete all Confluence/AmeriCorps training and service requirements including orientation, training's, 
team meetings and national service days. 
? Wear Confluence uniform and/or appropriate identifiers and required safety gear while performing service or 
attending official events. 

The 2014 Rural Living Field Day is set for Saturday, August 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Howell Territorial Park on Sauvie Island.  To register, just visit the West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District website at www.wmswcd.org and click on "Events." The cost is only $15 per person or $20 for families.  Morning beverages and snacks will be served as well as a fully catered lunch! 

Rural Living Field Day is a fun event for rural landowners and this year the event is sponsored by West Multnomah, Tualatin and Columbia Soil & Water Conservation Districts and the Oregon Small Woodland Association.  Our partners include the Scappoose Bay Watershed Council, the Oregon Forest Resource Institute, the Skyline Ridge Neighborhood Association and the Sauvie Island Community Association. The event features speakers addressing a wide variety of issues that face rural homeowners, farmers, and land managers every day.  Topics include wildlife, forests, pollinators, invasive weeds, orchards, riparian restoration, crops and soil health, and manure composting. 

Speakers include:

Tonia Lordy, Home Orchard Society
Mike Cloughesy, Oregon Forest Resources Institute
Michael Ahr, West Multnomah Soil & Water Conservation District
Chas McCoy, Scappoose Bay Watershed Council
Roslyn Gray, Natural Resource Conservation Service
Chip Bubl, OSU Extension
Liz Ruther, Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife
Dean Moberg, Natural Resource Conservation Service
Megan Denton, Able Farms
Evan Gregoire, Boondockers Farm
Amy Love, Love Farm Organics

The location of the event will give participants the opportunity to visit a stream riparian area, a woodland stand, an orchard, a working organic farm and barn.  Folks will participate in some hands-on demonstrations and will be able to ask the experts about specific concerns during the break-out sessions.  Whether you're a seasoned landowner or just starting your own farm, this is the event for you!

Rural Living Field Day is also a great time for landowners to meet each other and share concerns and ideas about their properties and operations, and make valuable professional and personal contacts.

Join the next Blandford Ivy Pull team and save native plants and trees in this urban forest.  

Where? Southwest Corner of Blandford and Macarthur  Plenty of parking in the lots across the street.

Why? Meet your neighbors and help get rid of English ivy, holly, Himalayan blackberries and other invasive species that are choking out native plants and trees. 

What to bring? Wear sturdy closed-toe shoes. Bring work gloves. No tools required. But if you have a shovel, pruners, Pulaski/grubhoe, loppers and/or pruning saw, by all means bring them! Water and a snack also a good idea.

RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/blandfordcanyon

If you have questions,  or would like to be notified of future ivy pulls, please e-mail or call Henry (503) 804-9643 or henrysessions@gmail.com 

Each Thursday come rain or shine Washington Trails Association (WTA) hosts a trail work party somewhere in SW Washington. Come join us as we maintain, restore and even build new trails!

No prior experience is necessary, just a willingness to lend a hand. All events are free, but registration is required. We provide all tools and instruction, plus post work party refreshments.

Bring your own work gloves, sturdy boots, lunch, water and pack plus whatever clothing is appropriate for the weather. (long pants are required).

All events begin at 8:30 am and end not later than 3:30 pm back at the trailhead.

Here are some projects/places we're working on in 2014

• Beacon Rock State Park
• Cape Horn, Columbia River Gorge
• Vancouver Lake Park
• Whipple Creek Park
• Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
• Lacamas Heritage Trail

Agenda information and registration is available on WTA's website at www.wta.org. Registration typically opens a month prior to the work party.