Lettuce Link

Sadie from Lettuce Link gave us the lowdown on the organization at last weekend’s meeting.

LL is one of Solid Ground’s 28 programs. Its mission is to increase access to fresh produce for people with limited education and to share information about gardening. It has a 3/4-acre giving garden called Marra Farm, helps organize the Community Fruit Tree Harvest, and works with about 30 P-Patches to donate fresh produce to food banks. Last year, P-Patch gardeners donated 27,000 pounds to food banks. In addition to us, other sources of veggie starts include Seattle Tilth, several schools and private growers.

Contacts

• Neither scheduled volunteer can make your assigned shift – Abby
• Due to unforeseen circumstances, you need to drop out of the group – Abby
• Supplies are running low (potting soil, seeds starting mix) - Cyrus & Sadie
• Technical or mechanical problems in the greenhouse or with water/hose (leaking, won't turn on) – Cyrus
• Transplants are ready to be picked up for delivery to p-patches – Sadie
• Volunteer has a car and is interested in assisting with pick-up and delivery to p-patches – Sadie
• Problems with the plants (pest/disease issues) - Cyrus and Sue (Cyrus - do you want to be included on this?)
• Running out of space in the greenhouse and outside - Cyrus, Sue and Sadie
• Have news to share of volunteer events that others might be interested in - Abby

Veggie line-up

Thanks to Sue, we’ve had better coordination with Lettuce Link this year, leading to a better understanding of vegetables are in highest demand. Here’s or tentative list of veggies:

• Kale and chard (for Earth Day giveaway)
• Pea
• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Cilantro
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Pak choi
• Collards
• Brassicas
• Mustard greens
• Basil
• Cucumbers
• Onions

Volunteering logistics

Fifteen of us attended last weekend’s greenhouse training at Solid Ground. We got to know each other a bit more and learned more about the group’s connection to Lettuce Link, the logistics of the volunteering and how to take care of veggie starts.

Here are some of the important details about volunteering:

• Greenhouse volunteering begins Monday, March 8th
• The greenhouse is behind the gate at the end of the long driveway at Cyrus’s house
• It’s important to close the gate when you leave
• Feel free to do your volunteering anytime between 7:30 AM and 7:30 PM
• A bathroom will not be available
• Please park about a block away to not disturb the nearby neighbors