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King Conservation District, July 2018
Rainier Beach Farm Stand
Celebrates Its Grand Opening
The Rainier Beach Farm Stand held its Grand Opening on Saturday, June 16 and featured live music, food, activities and healthy, affordable fresh produce! Purchases through the season will support the community’s local farmers of color and cultural arts. For more information, email Liya Rubio at liya@rbactioncoalition.org or visit Rainier Beach Action Coalition's Facebook Page.​

The farm stand received a $75,000 grant from the KCD-Seattle Community Partnership to help spread awareness of and improve access to healthy, fresh food and to empower farmers of color and youth in the community.

The farm stand will be open every Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM through October.
It’s Time to Think About
Your Winter Veggie Garden
KCD’s Community Ag Crew encourages you to consider the benefits of cover cropping and to make plans to pick up a FREE sample bag of cover crop seed to incorporate into your winter garden.

In addition to improving soil structure by avoiding soil compaction/erosion from winter rains, cover crops help keep valuable nutrients in the soil, suppress weeds and create habitat and food for native pollinators.

Beginning August 1, KCD will be making available FREE cover crop seed to any backyard gardener who has submitted a soil test through KCD (also a FREE service through KCD!). You can pick up your seed and instructions at our office in Renton, our volunteer events or at the following farmers markets (look for the KCD booth):
  • Kirkland Farmers Market - Wednesday, August 8
  • Auburn Farmers Market - Sunday, August 12
  • Issaquah Farmers Market - Saturday, August 25
  • Bellevue Farmers Market - Thursday, September 6
  • Shoreline Farmers Market - Sunday, September 9
  • Ballard Farmers Market - Sunday, September 16
  • Wallingford Farmers Market - Wednesday, September 26
Join Us at the
King County Fair
July 19 to 22, Enumclaw
The KCD pavilion will be a beehive of activity for the third year in a row at the King County Fair ;in Enumclaw. The theme is Celebrate and Educate.

The fair is fun and informative for the entire family. Learn about resource conservation programs and services from KCD staff, and get photos taken with Bert the Salmon and Scoopy Doo.

Some of the partners that you will find in our area this year will be Puget Sound Energy, King-Pierce Farm Bureau, Washington State Department of Ecology, King County Noxious Weeds, Green River Coalition and King County Master Gardeners..

Find out great information about energy conservation, pollinators, soil nutrient testing, agriculture in King County, water quality. This year Green River Coalition will again be giving out some native trees and plants. Supply is limited so please stop by early..

We look forward to seeing you there!
KCD Brings Healthy Food Closer to Home
KCD has worked with the New Futures program at three different King County Housing Authority apartment complexes to bring fresh, healthy food closer to home for residents.

KCD helped build garden beds at Arbor Heights Apartments in Burien, donated delicious plant starts and taught students about the value of chicken poop (and soil science)!
Calendar of Events
July 7: Forterra Volunteer Day in the Interbay Neighborhood, Seattle
Help revitalize space adjacent to a bus stop and neighborhood cafe.
July 12: Better Ground Ambassador Orientation, Renton
Train to represent KCD at events like ​the King County Fair, Vashon Sheepdog Classic or CHOMP Food Festival (training held monthly).
July 14: KCD Native Plant Nursery Volunteer Day, Renton
Help KCD staff maintain trees and plants used in King County projects and earn native plants.
July 14: Where the Water Begins Workshop at Dumas Bay, Federal Way
Learn about ecological, geological and vegetation management issues associated with waterfront properties.
July 18: KCD Twilight Tour Stream Walk, Burien
Learn how using native plants can revitalize areas once taken over by invasive weeds.
July 19: Feast on the Farm, Carnation
Celebrate and learn how farmers are growing healthy food while embracing environmental stewardship.
July 20: KCD Native Plant Nursery Volunteer Day, Renton
Help KCD staff maintain trees and plants used in King County projects and earn native plants.
July 21: Columbia-Seward Tree Ambassador Work Party, Seattle
Help remove invasive weeds and protect trees.
July 26: Redmond Watershed Preserve Work Party, Redmond
Help remove invasive plants and restore native forest.
July 27: Dig in! at Kubota Gardens, South Seattle
Help restore the urban forest around Kubota Garden.
July 28: Restoration at Discovery Park, Seattle
Help remove invasive plants and spread mulch.
August 2: KCD Twilight Tour Stream Walk, Issaquah
Learn how using native plants can revitalize areas once taken over by invasive weeds.
August 4: FauntNeau Work Party, Seattle
Help spruce up the landscape near Fauntleroy Way SW & SW Juneau St.
August 4: Seattle Summer Cleanup - Salmon Bay, Seattle
Join other kayakers to help clean up Salmon Bay and the Ship Canal. ​
August 4: Duwamish River Puget Sound Stewardship Volunteer Day, Seattle
Help clean up and restore native plants along the Duwamish River.
August 7: Permaculture and Pollinators, Woodinville
Learn the importance of and how to support long-term pollinator health.
August 8: Twilight Tour at Longfellow Creek, Seattle
Learn techniques for managing weeds, selecting the right plants and attracting wildlife your property.
August 11: Pollinator Meadow Seeding at Sonju Orchard, Des Moines
Learn more about native pollinators and habitats that supports them!
August 11, 18 & 25: Plastic Pollution Workshop - Plastic Pollution and Policy, Seattle
Learn about plastic pollution and living a more zero waste lifestyle.
August 16: Beautify & Care for Your Streamside Property Workshop, Bothell
Learn ways to support wildlife, enhance property aesthetics and reduce maintenance.
August 19: Track Paddocks and Slow Feeders for Horses, Issaquah
Learn ways to keep horses healthy and mentally stimulated.
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New Toolkit for Cities, Modeled on Successful Deadhorse Canyon Project
In May, KCD led friends and neighbors of Deadhorse Canyon in Seattle on a tour of three backyards that homeowners and crews have restored by removing invasive plants and installing native plants. Modeled on KCD’s successful farm tour program, Deadhorse Canyon is a partnership between the City of Seattle and KCD to pilot how a peer-to-peer approach can result in healthier habitats on urban private property.

One outcome of this project will be a toolkit available to other cities interested in developing their own backyard programs or partnering with KCD’s Urban Forestry program to implement their own program. If you would like more information, please email urbanforestry@kingcd.org.
Where the Water Begins
July 14, Federal Way
Is your marine bluff or beach property eroding or jeopardizing your house? Do you want to manage vegetation to stabilize slopes while maintaining a beautiful view of Puget Sound? Join us on Saturday, July 14for Where the Water Begins, a FREE workshop developed for property owners along the marine shorelines of King County.

This workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about the ecological, geological and vegetation management issues associated with owning property Where the Water Begins. Hear presentations from local experts and stay for an optional field trip to see examples of all topics discussed. Register for a workshop near you. Click HERE to register.
Twilight Tour Stream Walks
July 18, Burien
August 2, Issaquah
Ever been curious about what it takes to return your stream to a more natural state and support fish and wildlife habitat, increase property aesthetics, and decrease maintenance needs? Then join us for one of two FREE upcoming Twilight Tours where you’ll see a shoreline restoration project that's using native plants to revitalize an area once taken over by invasive weeds.

Register for a tour near you:
Pollinator Meadow Seeding
at Sonju Orchard
August 11, Des Moines
Join us on Saturday, August 11, from 10 AM to Noon at the Sonju Orchard and Community Garden in Des Moines to learn more about native pollinators and the habitat that supports them! During this event, you can take a short class on the benefits of native pollinators and the process of installing your own pollinator meadow. 

After class, you will get the opportunity to spread native flower seeds throughout the orchard. The seeds included are camas, riverbank lupine, columbine ;and several species of grass. Seeding the orchard will involve mixing the seeds with a broadcasting agent such as sand, and spreading them by hand. This activity should not be very physically taxing. Click HERE to register.
Plastic Workshop Series
August 11, 18 & 25, Seattle
Can you guess how much trash enters our oceans every year? 8 million metric tons, which is the equivalent to a garbage truck every, single, minute. Join KCD in our first ever Plastic Workshop Series held over three consecutive Saturdays—August 11, 18 and 25 at the Ballard Homestead in Seattle. Learn about the effects of plastic pollution at the global and local level from researchers and experts. See what organizations are doing to stem the problem of plastic pollution, and steps you can take to help. Click HERE to register.
Track Paddocks and
​Slow Feeders for Horses
August 19, Issaquah
Join KCD on Sunday, August 19, from 1 to 3 PM at The Grange Supply in Issaquah for the Track Paddocks and Slow Feeders for Horses class. You will learn the concepts and techniques behind track paddocks designed to keep horses healthy and mentally stimulated. Discover how to set up a track paddock and what to keep in mind when doing so.

Slow-feeders allow for restricted, free-choice feeding over a longer period of time and keep confinement areas interesting for your horses and chore efficient for you! Click HERE to register.
Become a
Better Ground Ambassador
Are you interested in going to the King County Fair, farmer’s markets or CHOMP Food Festival? Sign up to volunteer with KCD as a Better Ground Ambassador! Orientation trainings are held each month. Click HERE for more information and to register.
Looking For a Career in Natural Resource Conservation?
KCD is hiring several full time AmeriCorps member positions including:
KCD Equipment
Loan Program
It’s about that time to drop some lime! Did you know that you can rent a new Rhino Limer Drop Spreader from KCD? We also have a poultry processing unit, no-till seed drill, manure spreader, hay probe and two weed wrenches for rent. Please visit the KCD Tools webpage to check availability and rent or borrow any of our equipment. Contact Kevin Watson for more information at farmservicesip@kingcd.org or 425-282-1952.
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