Orca Plant Sale
Yesterday was the Orca school plant sale. All year students at Orca participate in the Orca garden, helping to plant seeds, nurture seedlings, and contribute in whatever way they can (artistic cement stepping stones, painted bird houses, driftwood mobiles, you name it) to projects that culminate with the annual plant sale. This is a huge fund-raiser for the school, which helps support the programs Orca families value so much. I've been waiting for the plant sale to see what I could get there before starting on my re-beautification project in my yard.
The plant sale seemed to have a great turnout. The weather was good (sunny if just a little cool) and in addition to the plant and garden offerings, there was a band, a stand run by the Nutrition committee selling foods (to benefit Orca's before- and after-school care program), a stand selling Orca t-shirts and someone selling jewelry (presumably for another fund-raising program, though I don't do dangly earrings so I didn't stop to look).
I bought a gorgeous painted wooden planter box filled with colorful flowers, several types of tomatoes, a "pasta bag" which was parsley, basil, some onion seeds, tomatoes in a reusable shopping bag from PCC Market, some cucumbers, some purple basil, a few other random seedlings, a sweet little birdhouse painted by an Orca student, and a large birdhouse mounted on a pole (that I hope will be attractive to the birds who keep trying to nest in my laundry room vent).
For my Mother's Day present to myself (last year it was to replace my microwave) I decided to sign us up for a CSA. This is something I've considered several times over the years but this year I really feel we're in a good position to really make proper use of such a subscription. I have no serious travel scheduled between now and August, so I signed us up for 10 weeks of whatever bounty is abundant. If it works out as I hope it does, I'll extend us through July and take a hiatus during August (when the crazy travel begins again).
We've been subscribers to that same CSA for several months and LOVE it. I doubt you will be disappointed!
Be sure to use the "Add Additional Box Contents" feature on their website to get your hands on a bar of Theo Chocolate's coconut-curry chocolate. (Theo chocolate, which is made from scratch in Fremont, is also sold at some local grocery stores.) Coconut Curry has a truly unique flavor and, like their other chocolate, is out of this world.
Jenny
I think we may need to take a fieldtrip to Seattle sometime soon to purchase some Theo Chocolate! The first year Paul & I lived in our house in Alexandria, VA we joined a CSA. It was very cush (they delivered to our doorstep) and they put together a newsletter with recipes and other tips. I loved getting a new box of goodies each week and because we like pretty much every vegetable and fruit out there, we ate everything provided. If we didn't have a substantial kitchen garden, I would definitely join another one here in Portland.