Seattle’s summertime sunshine is well on its way, if not quite reliably as yet, and being outdoors is finally starting to seem appealing again. Whether you've already started hiking the trails, riding your bike through downtown without a helmet, or sunbathing at Greenlake, there’s something to do for everyone—including your gardening friend. Or maybe that’s you!
This Sunday, Nurturing Roots will hold a Farm Work Day event at their Beacon Hill location, where you can find over 80 varieties of herbs, plants, and produce. These go directly to Black families and families of color “who have experienced displacement and/or negative effects of our food system,” said Executive Director Nyema Clark, who founded Nurturing Roots in 2016. “We also currently provide produce to our volunteers, surrounding neighbors, and those in need of organic options. We expect to have more species that reflect the culture of those in the community.”
Clark, who is a member of the Black Power Epicenter collective on Beacon Hill, works with organizations including Highline College, Roots of All Roads, Africa Town Clean Greens, and the Rainier Beach Action Coalition to expand the reach of Nurturing Roots's harvests.
“We are focused on addressing social determinants of health including issues around race, class, food access, health, education, and our natural habitats,” said Clark. “Enriching a diverse population of people with generational ties to South Seattle will facilitate a more culturally vibrant community.”
If you’re willing to get down and dirty, the collective will be planting new starters, spreading upcycled burlap bags, mowing the lawn, and weeding on their property throughout the work day. But if you lack a green thumb like me, there are still more ways to help.
“We are always looking for ways to collaborate or be connected with organizations committed to empowering those in need,” said Clark. “We currently have a massive amount of invasive species that are spreading onto our lot and need to be removed, if anyone is able to help with funding or removal service. We are also always in need of tools, and as we hope to soon renew the contaminated soil that plagues our nationhood, we often need clean soil, compost and manure donations. We also are committed to organic farming practices because or farm is located on beacon hill we hope to soon renew the contaminated soil that plagues our nationhood, we often need clean soil, compost and manure donations.”
