Mission: Sustaining Grounds for Community Growing
What is the Howell Collective Garden? and what is a P-Patch?
P-Patch is the name given to community gardens that are managed by the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods P-Patch Community Gardening Program. A community garden is a space where neighbors come together to strengthen cooperative networks and steward – plan, plant, and maintain –a piece of open land. Community gardens are a source of pride among residents and a visible product of land stewardship and a healthier urban environment. Traditionally, they involve individual gardening plots for which community members pay an annual fee. The Howell Collective uses a management model without individual plots and is designed, planted, maintained, and harvested together by members who join the community garden. Planning for the Howell Collective Garden started in 2007 as an element included in the community plan for Seven Hills Park. Since then, our garden has come a long way!
The Howell Collective garden is open to the community in many ways. We invite you to walk the paths and enjoy the plants and wildlife. As community members, your voices and opinions are always welcome. Please visit our blog or speak with any member present in the garden. Our monthly meetings are open to the public.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Howell Collective, please visit
the official P-Patch website and get on the wait list! The sooner you sign up, the sooner you can join!
Totally nice work activating community space! We will be visiting and checking in for sure.
Hi all: It’s great that you are converting the parking lot to a garden. Keep up the good work. Could you please increase the contrast of the type on your website to make it more accessible for those with low vision? Thanks.
Check out what is happening to Skagit County agricultural land at our website. Skagit lost 3,000 acres in 2008 to state agencies and others who wanted to convert the farmland to habitat and NOT FARM the land. We have 83,000 acres in production with more than 80 different crops and roation is vital to the health of the soil and the high productivity of these lands. You probably all know about tulips and raspberries, and we also have a large portion of the world’s seed crops for brassicas (brussel sprouts, broccoli, Asian vegetables, spinach, cabbage, beets, etc.) which need long rotations before replanting in the same spot. Please help us stop conversion of 396 acres of prime agricultural lands (zoned Ag-NRL) to a commercial wetland bank which will return $31M to its developers. Thanks for helping save Skagit!
Hello!
I just happened to stumble upon the Howell Collective, and want you to know that I thought of exactly the same idea, and am right there with you. I’m doing it on a bit of a smaller scale, by starting a community garden for the Biltmore apts on Summit and John. It’s a 60 foot garden with the same open idea you guys have (no invdividual plots or wait-lists). I keep wanting to start gardens on all the unused land that’s ALL over the hill. I’m so glad you guys were able to get some funding for this. I’m thinking of writing to the mayor to possibly create a larger-scale project, possibly involving new jobs, etc. I would love to become involved with your collective and help as much as possible!
Thanks,
Emily
i live on 12th and howell and I want to know what i can do to help out.
Hello,
I live in Capitol Hill, and I am very interested in participating in the p-patch project. I have never gardened before, but I really want to learn. I love to cook, can, and I’m currently teaching a research writing class at EDCC with the theme: the politics of eating in America. I think it would be such a great experience to participate in this collective! Please email me with more information about your venture.
Best,
Lauren Fink
Would love to be apart of the collective. Let me know what needs to be done
I also would love to be a part of this. Please let me know when I can get started: ).
Hi there, how do I find out how to get a plot? I must garden, If there are no opportunities, then I would love to help out .
Wonderful content to your web site. However, the contrast of print is way too light for easy reading – particularly by anybody over the age of 45. I know because I worked in the field of low vision rehabilitation for 41 years.
I walk by with my dog and would love to be a part of this community. Please let me know if you are accepting more members or if I can volunteer time.
Hey there!
We have classes once a month or we are usually in the garden Thursdays as a group. But anytime you see someone poking around weeding or whatnot talk to them and any member can tell you how to get involved.
Hello. I live in the neighborhood and am interested in getting involved in the garden. How does one become a member etc? I stumbled on your lovely garden today and chatted with Gabriel Behrend who pointed me in this direction. I realize it is late in the season but I would like to be involved next season, if nothing else.
Thank you!
Linda Sahlin
Hey Linda, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The best way to get involved at this point is to go to the City of Seattle’s P-Patch website and sign up to get on the wait-list. Here is a link: http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/ppatch/signupPpatch.htm