WELCOME TO THE REES & SUMACH COMMUNITY GARDEN WEBSITE

REES & SUMACH COMMUNITY GARDEN HAS  WAITING LIST FOR THE 2013 SEASON
The Rees & Sumach Community Garden plots are currently full for the 2013 season.   However, the garden maintains a waiting list for interested gardeners, from which available plots will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

We also refer interested gardeners to the new Walla Walla University Community Garden located on Birch Street in College Place a half block north of Whitman Drive. For information on the WWU Community Garden, see their Facebook page, or call the university.

The Rees & Sumach Community Garden is located at the corner of Rees and Sumach streets on land donated by Whitman College, and features 30 individual plots, 10' x 20' each, and several common areas. Applications should be sent to Rees & Sumach Garden at PO Box 1222, Walla Walla, or delivered to 717 N. Main. See the link on this page to our Application Form.

The garden is sponsored by the North Main Area Neighborhood Association. Community sponsors and members are also needed to help provide ongoing support for the project. See our Membership and Sponsors link.

This site features garden progress and rules, information on membership and sponsorships, and useful links to other community gardens and associations.

Leadership for the Rees & Sumach project is being provided by neighborhood resident Dan Clark, who serves as garden coordinator. Others involved in leading specific work areas include neighbors Ross Osborn, Norm Osterman, and Barbara Daniel, and community members Marti Buck and Andrea Workman.

Garden membership includes access to a listserve for sharing gardening questions and information.

For more information, contact Dan Clark at 522-0399, or email rees.sumach@charter.net.
See the links above for application forms, membership & sponsorship, garden rules in English & Spanish, and links to other gardens and groups.

Garden Progress

We had a great first season for the garden in 2010, and a fine second and third season in 2011 and 2012.

Here's what we've accomplished so far:

---Negotiated and signed a lease for the garden site with Whitman College
---Obtained sponsorship by the North Main Area Neighborhood Association
---Obtained insurance through a partnership with Walla Walla 2020
---Received outreach assistance from Commitment to Community
---Obtained parking area fill from the City of Walla Walla
---Established twelve initial working groups for garden organization
---Appointed a garden coordinator and a garden master
---Received an initial grant from the Walla Walla Friends Meeting
---Adopted a work plan and time table for opening the garden
---Adopted garden rules
---Adopted a garden layout
---Began to enrich the soil
---Installed a garden sign
---Began the application process for individual plots
---Rototilled the full garden site several times, working in compost materials
---Adopted a budget and resource plan
-- Assigned plots
---Organized & offered gardening classes
---Installed a fence
---Installed an irrigation system & pathways
---Built a toolshed
---Planted 30 individual and 5 common area plots.
---Received several additional grants, private donations, and community memberships
---Donated hundreds of pounds of produce to local food banks each year
---Beautified our neighborhood
---Had a great time meeting our neighbors, increasing our gardening skills, and harvesting and sharing our produce.
---Installed a beautiful sculptured archway into the garden
---Installed a green house.

There are many community gardens in the northwest and elsewhere whose experience we can all learn from. Here are links to over 100 established community gardens in three of our northwest cities:

http://www.seattle.gov/Neighborhoods/ppatch/ (Seattle, 68 gardens)
http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=39846 (Portland, 32 gardens)

Please pass this information on to others who might be interested.

Happy gardening,

Dan Clark, Coordinator
Rees & Sumach Community Garden
PO Box 1222WallaWalla WA 99362
509-522-0399
rees.sumach@charter.net