Happy November, Gardeners!
Seed Donations
Firstly, I am happy to share that we have had some seed savers drop off seeds for donation over this last month. Some may not be aware that there is a donation slip meant to accompany a donation. This provides us with the information needed for those checking out the seeds. It is such a gift to be able to share, especially when it is from our very own patrons!
If you were one of the generous patrons to donate any of the following, would you please reach out to me so I can fill in the missing information for the donation?
Bat Box
You may already be aware, but the city of Sandy has installed a bat house in Bluff Park. I feel so grateful that the city was able to provide additional support to our neighborhood bats. Amy Lytle, who leads our Bee City initiative, consulted with Beth from OSU’s Bat Hub in Bend, and got expert advice on the placement of our bat house. She said it could take a couple of years for the bats to move in, but once they do, it could support up to 300 bats (if I remember correctly). If you would like to learn more about the work being done by Beth and her colleagues, please visit The Northwest Bat Hub’s website.
Pruning Trees
Fall is often a good time to get your trees pruned. I felt very empowered to prune my own ornamental trees, last year, with a pole saw I rented after attending a 10-Minute University webinar put on by the Clackamas County Master Gardener Association. Thankfully they have their event recorded and if you would like to watch it you can find it here with other videos on pruning in the garden:
https://clackamascountymastergardeners.org/10-minute-university/pruning/
Book Recommendation:
“The Seed Keeper” by Diane Wilson
Lake Oswego Public Library had this book as their Lake Oswego Reads program pick and I am so glad they did. I was introduced to it when we had their traveling art exhibit at our library so I decided to give it a read, too. The book follows a girl from the Dakota tribe and the story of her journey into womanhood. This line from the publisher’s website sums it up quite perfectly, “weaving together the voices of four indelible women, The Seed Keeper is a beautifully told story of reawakening, of remembering our original relationship to the seeds and, through them, to our ancestors.”
https://www.ci.oswego.or.us/loreads/lake-oswego-reads-2023-videos
Thank you for being here,
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