Our month long Seedmoney Donation Campaign starts Nov 15th. Your donation, whatever the amount, will fund programs that provide free vegetable starts, seeds and small grants to giving gardeners around our city.  Last year these gardeners grew 42,000 pounds of fresh organic produce for local food banks and community feeding programs.   Donate here: https://donate.seedmoney.org/7769/seattle-giving-garden-network-2022   to keep this work moving forward!   Don’t delay! Our campaign ends December 15th.

It’s important to tell the city what your GG has Donated. 2020’s harvest exceeded 20 tons of fresh, organic, local produce given to food banks and mission kitchen programs in Seattle. We know even more was grown and given because we provided seeds and starts to programs which do not participate in reporting to the city, including gardens supported directly by the food banks, and food bank clients. We’re thinking that despite the heat and dry weather 2021 was even more productive. Please respond to the city’s survey for 2021’s produce pounds: that way we know that the Giving Gardens will be given the credit so totally deserved.

They grew very well indeed. (Thanks Delridge GG and Hillman City GG for sharing some harvest pictures.)

SGGN’s committed Ballard Sprouts volunteers grew and distributed more than 22,000 vegetable starts to Giving Gardens, Food Bank clients and kitchen gardens. An experienced and passionate gardener is requesting seeds for distribution to the Giving Gardens and food banks in 2022. Giving Gardeners were reimbursed their expenses for tools and rabbit fences. Despite the best efforts of local rabbits, the Giving Gardeners themselves are continuing to harvest TONS of produce for food banks. It’s joyful work, outdoors — please consider your own opportunities to help out in 2022’s spring.

Our deepest gratitude for the support of our crowd-funding campaign in November. Thanks to you the Sprouts planting and distribution program continues, the seeds from donors will be distributed, and we can help the Giving Gardens with maintenance needs. Funds are used for seed-starting mix, seeds, transplanting soil, and heating mats; additional funds are used to support the food bank giving gardens themselves with replacement wood for raised beds, repair of water systems, and purchase of small tools. We are so grateful to the local nurseries City Peoples, Urban Earth Nursery,  West Seattle Nursery, Swansons,  Sky Nursery, and Bellevue Nursery — and to Renee’s Seeds/Cornucopia and to Territorial, Burpee, and…

Some of the Gardens want to extend the veggie growing season so that produce can be provided (nearly) year-around. We agreed to try growing a limited number of starts for those who’re going to brave the rains, slugs, and grey days. We’ve started collards, two kinds of chard, tatsoi, and Winter salad greens including lettuces. These WERE ready to go the week of August 12 and a notice was sent to the giving gardens through the listserve. Do let us know how your own winter gardening experience unfolds.

The first six trays of sprouts -- there will be many more

Despite the recent snow and ice: we gardeners know we need to begin planting. We shared wisdom and seeds on February 16. Thanks to donors: Swansons, Skye, Bellevue Nursery, City Peoples, Urban Earth Nursery, Magnolia Garden Center, Burpee, Renee’s Garden and Johnny’s Seeds.