Many of us wish we had a house with a yard. Living in the city isn’t always conducive to growing fresh veggies. That is why, 35 years ago, the city began the P-Patch Trust, a non-profit organization that acquires, builds and protects community gardens in Seattle.
A P-Patch is a piece of land, open and free to the public where anyone can grow their own small fruits, vegetables, flowers, or herbs. The "P" originally stood for "Picardo", after the family who owned Picardo Farm, part of which became the original P-Patch.
The P-Patch Trust runs programs which benefit all Seattleites, such as community gardening, market gardening, youth gardening, and community food security in the city. The P-Patch community gardeners give back to the city by supplying 7 to 10 tons of produce to Seattle food banks each year. The P-Patch program only allows organic farming techniques to be used on these plots. You are not allowed to sell what you grow, only share it or donate it.
They provide you with organic fertilizer, water, and tools at most sites. All you have to do is care for your plot. Most plots are year-round, and the gardener is responsible for planting, weeding, watering, harvesting, and winterizing.
There are 55 P-Patches in the city. So find one near you and get started! But, be warned; sometimes, you have to get put on a waiting list before you get a plot.
