2007 Year End Message from Peggy Acott

I’m amazed at how quickly 2007 has gone by. As I compile all the facts and figures that make up my annual report, I get the opportunity to also remember the stories in this past year and reflect on the year’s accomplishments:

The year-end leftover seed distribution has taken place; the promise of food and flowers for next year waiting silently in little paper envelopes. Thousands of packets of seeds, which our vendors generously credited us for and allowed us to donate; seeds which would otherwise be destroyed simply because they are unsellable in the next year, are distributed instead to over 20 schools and low-income neighborhood gardening groups. A packet of seeds is a small thing. But it can mean the promise of discovery to a child, food for a family. I want to thank these vendors for their generosity.

Right now, school gardens all across the city are sleeping under the protection of cover crops, straw and leaf litter, waiting for the first planting of the spring. These young gardeners are far from idle. They are starting to plan, learn about the plants they want to grow, devising schemes for how they’re going to trellis their peas and beans and tomatoes; and drawing colorful garden plans. Compiling their wish lists to send to me as the weather warms….

The Food Works crew had their most successful season yet, both at the farmers market and at the amount of produce they were able to distribute to the elderly and needy families in their communities. They continue to inspire me. You can read all about them in the Food Works profile.

Sunnyside Environmental School continued to set the bar for imaginative and creative garden use of a relative small, urban school landscape.

Growing Gardens’ Youth Grow program ignited the love for gardening in ever more students this year. Likewise, the Portland Community Gardens’ summer youth gardening program kept young hands busily in the dirt in the non-school months. Read about Portland Community Gardens' Children's Garden.

I received many wonderful handwritten and illustrated notes from students, as well as letters and emails from teachers and parents, telling me of their garden adventures. Pictures arrived both by email and in envelopes.

Then there was the email I received from a woman who knew first-hand the healing power of gardening, as it helped her through a period of depression. She wrote to thank me for the donations of plants we made to a group helping those with similar challenges….

2008 marks my 10th year as Community Outreach Director at Portland Nursery. I continue to be proud of what we have been able to accomplish in the community; growing ever more young gardeners, helping in a small way to provide a safe and stimulating outdoor environment in which they can learn and grow and discover the wonders of creating and working in a garden, growing fresh food and flowers for themselves as well as a give-back to their community.

May we all have abundant gardens in the New Year!

Peggy Acott, Community Outreach Director