The monthly Workshop series will start back up in March! Thank you to all our volunteers for a great season!
Emerson Street Garden is a narrow city lot located in Portland at 822 NE Emerson Street. It was placed in trust with OSALT in October 22,2008 by Multnomah County to remain as a community-based garden for future generations. The site is a typical old residential lot in NE Portland. That means, among other things, that it is contaminated with lead. This is very common on sites where older houses have stood.
Youth Involvement at Emerson Street Garden
Youth engagement and leadership development is critical to make this garden succeed. Young people from all backgrounds should be able to determine the development of their environments and have access to healthy, fresh food.
Summer 2009, 13 youth from the Blazers Boys and Girls Club tended a temporary container garden on the site. On June 24, the kids planted peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, salad greens, herbs, and flowers and nurtured their growth over the summer.
In 2010, youth and children from the neighborhood dug in the dirt, planting winter crops, organizing residents in the neighborhood to participate.
In 2011, 8th Grade King School class led by science teacher Derek Grant, learned about the design cycle and helped build the outdoor learning center. Students consulted City of Portland Water Bureau engineers and architects, along with their clients, the Emerson Working Group, turning the community concept of an outdoor learning center at the Emerson Garden into a feasible design and final construction.
In Spring of 2011, 30 7th and 8th graders from da Vinci Arts School, led by teacher Christy King and artist Joe Sneed, learned about N/NE Portland history through local historians and storytellers, such as O.B. Hill, and toured historical sites, and made comic books with Dill Pickle Club about significant historical figures and events of the local black community. This class designed and helped build a raised garden bed and front gate to Emerson Garden that incorporates artwork, space for poetry and local history. Click here to see pictures of students at the garden.
Also in 2011, Team Green, consisting of 10 2nd and 3rd graders from King School’s SUN Program, led by Joe Sneed and art teacher Suzy Root worked the garden. They learned how to garden, planted, conducted a science experiment and learned about local history. They visited with Mr. Paul Knauls, long-time neighborhood resident and owner of Geneva’s Shear Perfection Barber-Beauty Salon. View some videos of their experience:
King School Students and Mr. Paul Knauls, Part 1
King School Students and Mr. Paul Knauls, Part 2
Friends of Emerson Street Garden can be seen working in the space every Saturday from 1pm to 3pm weekly, unless harsh weather says otherwise. Please come out, visit the garden, and get involved! Our aim is to have community members who are driving decisions on the design, community outreach, development and long-term maintenance of the Emerson Street Garden.
Friends of Emerson Street Garden is always open to new, interested participants. Experience with gardening is not necessary. We encourage people of color, youth and seniors to participate!
EMERSON GARDEN NEWS
Volunteers are needed to lead: MONTHLY WORKSHOP SERIES AT EMERSON STREET GARDEN
2013 Schedule:
March 30: Garden Layout April 27: Seeds and Starts
May 25: Compost and Soil June 29: Herbal Wonders
July 27: Summer Celebration August 31: Canning and Preserving
September 28: Intro to Fall/Cover Crops October 26: Harvest Celebration
Come learn gardening skills through hands on activities in the
garden, and learn about your community!
This workshop series is FREE!
All ages are welcome!
If you would like to learn more about the Emerson Street Garden and how you can help, please email:
rouse@pdx.edu
Or contact Groundwork Portland:
(503) 662-2590
LOCATION:
Emerson Street Garden
822 NE Emerson Street
Portland, Oregon
Thanks to Emerson Street Garden’s Partners!
We invite your partnership! Please get in touch Cassie Cohen at 503.662.2590 or cassie@groundworkportland.org.
Partners & Donors
| Blazers Boys &Girls Club | Growing Gardens | Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. |
| Boanerges Group, LLC | Healthy Aging Coalition | Pace Analytical Services,Inc. |
| Center for Science Education, PSU | Independence Gardens, LLC | Parr Lumber |
| City of Portland Brownfield Program | I’ve Been Framed | Petit Provence |
| Columbia Art &Drafting Supply | King School | Reflections Coffee House |
| Elevated Coffee | Multnomah County, County Digs Program | Oregon Tradeswomen,Inc. |
| Flying Hammer Productions | NE Multicultural Senior Center | Star Rentals |
| GeoEngineers, Inc. | New Seasons | Sunderland Recycling Facility |
| GeoSyntec Consultants | Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods | Sweet Things Bakehouse &Coffee Bar |
| American Center for Sustainability | Oregon Sustainable Agricultural | TestAmerica |
| da Vinci Arts School | Land Trust (OSALT) | The Ujima Center |