On Saturday April 6, vendors, educators and volunteers came together to fill the Grange Hall with plants, garden décor, farmers market products, and opportunities to learn about gardening.
The seed exchange was a lively focal point, as was the Grange cookie table with wildflower seed bombs to boot!
Downstairs the kitchen was filled with children making nature mobiles and later in the dining room presenters shared their wisdom about no-till gardening and living soil.
Customers and learners filled the hall throughout the day. We even had visits from the neighboring farmers’ cats!
There was a good feeling of community connection throughout the day brought about by love for gardening and plants. This comment from Lane deMoll sums it up:
I just want to say to you all what a wonderful event yesterday’s was!! I felt so strongly held in community on many levels. Sweet sweet several hours. Thank you all so much for the work you put into it and for your on-going work for the Grange building! It is truly a place for our Nehalem Valley community to continue to grow from the seedlings that many have planted over the years.
Many thanks to our vendors, teachers and volunteers:
• Kyle and Britt at Moss Creek Farm for beautiful spring plant starts
• Ron Van Dongen for his gorgeous and exotic plants
• Jose Camerena’s plant starts and shrubs
• David Hendricksen and Kelly White for cider and tea
• Hope Stanton for her native wisdom and plants
• Tammi and Lance for their meat
• Deanne for all her garden books
• Karla for her eclectic collection of garden art
• Matt and Lori for their eggs
• Autum for her flower wisdom, bean seeds, and dahlias
• Jody and Gary Lewis for their ironwork
• Barbara McLaughlin and Janice Soots for the seed exchange
• Joe Meyer for his soil presentation and microscopes
• Jared Gardner for sharing about compost on his farm
• The Sharpenator, Dave Rockey
• Bonnie and Roger Neugebauer for the creative art project with the kids
• Presenters Teresa Retzlaff and Joe Meyer
• Tiffany Bay and Vivi for the soup and cornbread to nourish the volunteers and vendors
• All the Grange seed bomb and cookie makers – Constance, Jody, Marie, Fay, Emily, Evelyn, Jennifer, Vivi, Tammi, Peggy
• All the Grange volunteers that held the day together – Ken, Sunshine, Bob, Watt, Jody, Gary, Trav, Vivi, Tammi, Constance, Karla, Jennifer
On Sunday April 7, the Grange held a free heritage apple tree grafting workshop. The workshop is part of a multi-year project to identify and preserve our Nehalem Valley heritage apple trees.
David Hendricksen from Carola Wines + Cider led the workshop with assistance from Jim Fanjoy and Trav Williams. We had a really nice turnout of apple tree enthusiasts from around the community. The Grange Hall was filled with folks trying their hand at learning the craft of grafting, while sipping on David’s apple cider and eating other treats. With deft knife work and flying wood chips, it looked like a whittling convention!
Many thanks to
• David Hendricksen
• Jim Fanjoy
• Trav Williams
• The Tillamook County Cultural Coalition for funding this project
