Sustainable Ballard

Est. 2003 · Seattle
Get Involved

Category: Uncategorized

  • Join us at the next Ballard Social on May 21

    Join us at the next Ballard Social on May 21

    7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
    (always the 3rd Wednesday of the month)

    WHERE:  Ballard Pizza Company, 5107 Ballard Ave NW, 98107

    ** Complimentary Cocktail!  **

    That is correct!  Gratafy.com has approached Ballard Social and is kindly offering everyone who attends a complimentary glass of wine or beer!

    This month we will meet at Ballard PIzza Company in downtown Ballard. We’ll meet up in the bar area. Anyone interested in their free drink (beer or wine) just needs to bring their smart phone to the event (they’ll redeem it through Gratafy.com). We did it last month and it worked great!

    NOTES:  When you walk in, just look for a group of people standing up and talking. Ask if it’s the Ballard Social, they will probably say yes.

    There will be at least one host there, introduce yourself to her, she’ll introduce you to more people in the group. Everyone is there to meet their neighbors so don’t be shy, just introduce yourself!

    (P.S. Entry is free, everyone buys their own drinks / 21 and older)

  • Help City Fruit care for trees on public land – Next work party on May 22

    Help City Fruit care for trees on public land – Next work party on May 22

    City Fruit is a Seattle non-profit whose main mission is to harvest surplus fruit from trees on private property and donate the fruit to food banks, shelters, and feeding programs.  A second mission is to care for fruit trees on public land, such as Seattle parks.  The goal is to make these trees healthy and productive so that they become a predictable source of fresh, organic produce that can then be donated to our hungry neighbors.

    The orchards they steward include Pipers’ Orchard in Carkeek Park, Meridian Playfield in Wallingford, the Burke-Gilman Trail between the University Bridge and past Gasworks Park, plus other orchards in Queen Anne, central and SE Seattle.

    City Fruit has an ongoing need of volunteers to help with the care of the trees in these orchards. Different orchards require different tasks, depending upon how long the trees have been stewarded. Mid-May to mid-June is a very busy time for volunteers as they put “footies” or paper bags on the apples to keep them worm-free. All fruit care practices are organic and free of chemical pesticides and herbicides.

    The next work party is on May 22, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Amy Yee Tennis Center.  To learn more about this and other volunteer opportunities, visit the events page on the City Fruit website.

    Contact: Barb Burrill, City Fruit Orchard Steward Coordinator

  • Check out the Edible Garden Series from Seattle Public Library – May 6, 13, 20

    Check out the Edible Garden Series from Seattle Public Library – May 6, 13, 20

    The Edible Garden Series includes events and presentations for all ages on edible gardening, food advocacy, and sustainability at locations around the city.  Here are upcoming opportunities at local branches of the Seattle Public Library:

    Tuesday, May 6, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
    Greenwood Branch
    Family Night: Urban Gardening for Kids – Explore the fun of urban gardening! Bring your kids and help us plant a variety of flowers and edible plants that will beautify our outdoor deck.

    Tuesday, May 13, 6:45 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
    Ballard Branch
    Read Your Greens: Children’s book author and good food advocate Katherine Pryor will lead a conversation about taste buds, gardening and the importance of trying new foods. For ages 4-7.

    Tuesday, May 20, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
    Greenwood Branch
    Cool Season Gardening: Spring is not too early to think about cool-season gardening. Learn tips from Bill Thorness, local author of “The Cool Season Gardener.”

  • Support Fresh Bucks! – May 13

    Support Fresh Bucks! – May 13

    Farmers Market Dinner and Live Auction

    Proceeds benefit the Fresh Bucks and Cooking at the Farmers Market Adventure programs.

    Enjoy a fabulous menu featuring fresh, local ingredients from Ballard Farmers Market, prepared with love by Chef Jason Stoneburner of Stoneburner Restaurant. This rising star chef can be seen sourcing ingredients for his Stoneburner and Bastille menus from Ballard Farmers Market vendors every week, year-round!

    Buy Tickets or Donate Now!

    Bid on exciting items, from unique food experiences, to glorious getaways, to fine dining and fine art in our live auction, featuring auctioneer extraordinaire Jason T. Haynes of Haynes Auctions. Just watching this good ol’ Kentucky boy do his thing is worth the price of admission.

    Fresh Bucks: When people use their Food Stamps benefits (a.k.a., SNAP) at farmers markets, the Fresh Bucks program provides coupons, worth up to $10 per market visit, to match their SNAP benefits used. These coupons are exclusively for purchasing fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables directly from our farmers. It puts more healthful food in their hands while supporting local farms and farmers markets!

    Cooking at the Farmers Market Adventure: We are developing this cooking and nutrition education program for kids in partnership with: the Seattle Public SNAP-Ed nutrition education for elementary school children; the Green Plate Special Summer Camp, which teaches gardening and cooking to middle school children in Seattle; and the community Food Banks and Senior Centers located close to each or our markets. We will work together to provide community access to information about good eating habits, and how farmers markets foster those habits. With the help of these partners, and with your generosity, we will implement the Cooking at the Farmers Market Adventure this summer at our three farmers markets in Ballard, Wallingford and Madrona.

    With your generous support, we will extend these programs through winter and involve local children and families in activities that will get them as excited about eating from the farmers market as we are!

  • Ballard Urban Design Framework Community Meeting – May 7

    Ballard Urban Design Framework Community Meeting – May 7

    What’s happening now?

    The City of Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development is working with the community to address changes in Ballard and help create a vision that will shape growth and guide new development.  We are at the beginning of our work, gathering your thoughts on the opportunities and issues now and in the future.

    We will use your ideas to shape recommendations.

    Get engaged online – participate online in a conversation to create a vision that will shape growth and new development in Ballard.  Visit Imagine Seattle and

    • Give input on a number of topics from open space to housing affordability in Ballard
    • Share your ideas through social media

    Join us at the Open House
    Date: Wednesday, May 7th
    Time: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Presentations at 5:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.)
    Location: Ballard Public Library (5614 22nd Ave NW)

    See more ways to participate.

    For more information:

    David W. Goldberg
    Senior Planner
    City of Seattle Department of Planning & Development
    (206) 615-1447

    Aditi Kambuj
    Planner
    City of Seattle Department of Planning & Development
    (206) 615-7911

  • Jane’s Walk – May 4

    Jane’s Walk – May 4

    Join the East Ballard Community Association for a lively neighborhood walk through Ballard that explores urban greenspaces of all shapes and sizes, through a mix of residential blocks,
    commercial pockets, and the historic industrial core. This two-hour walk will start at 14th Ave NW and NW 70th Street (come early for coffee at Honore Bakery!), where we’ll look at the location of a future ‘Parklet’. Speaker stops along the way include the present and future greenway, micro-housing and urban density, raingardens, transit, a SNAP emergency HUB, and the Ballard Open Space plan. The tour will end at the Reuben’s Brews taproom in industrial Ballard. Metro Rapid-Ride a block away provides a bus link back to the start.

    When: Sunday May 4, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; join us beforehand for coffee and pastries at
    Honore Bakery on 1413 70th St NW.

    Start Location: 14th Ave NW and NW 70th St (in front of Delancey’s)
     
    Finish Location: 14th Ave NW and NW 53rd St at Reuben’s Brews taproom

  • Seattle Community Climate Forum – May 5th

    Seattle Community Climate Forum – May 5th

    Moving the Needle: A Community Conversation on Sustainability Metrics.
    Join Mayor Ed Murray, Councilmember Mike O’Brien, City staff and community members like us for the 2nd Community Climate Forum on May 5th. Mayor Murray will present Moving the Needle, Seattle’s environmental progress report, then Councilmember O’Brien will facilitate a community conversation with Peter Steinbrueck, Joel Sisolak and you about neighborhood-level sustainability indicators.

    How do we measure sustainability?
    How can we get the most from the data we collect?
    Which metrics tell us if we’re moving in the right direction?

    Light Cinco de Mayo dinner will be provided.  RSVP requested.

    Monday, 5/5 @ 5-7 pm
    Bertha Knight Landes Room, Seattle City Hall – 600 4th Ave

  • Ballard Prepares: Disaster Drill – May 17

    You are invited to help at the May 17, 2014 Practice Drill
    Seattle Emergency Communications Hubs

    Community groups and emergency volunteers will participate to test neighborhood emergency preparedness.

    Please stop by your nearest Hub on May 17th to see how the Hubs work and what role you can play. There are two ways you can participate:

    • Come be a “citizen actor” as we practice preparedness for a disaster in the Seattle area. We need people who can drop in for a time and play the role a citizen in need. We will provide scripts for you to use.
    • Part of our practice is to do on-the-job training for new hub volunteers. Please come and we’ll show how neighbors can help each other in the event of a disaster.

    The Emergency Communications Hubs will join the City’s Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) ham volunteers to simulate a volcanic explosion’s impact on Seattle, especially if the wind blows ash towards the city and resulting lahars impact infrastructure. “It’s all about neighbors helping neighbors” said Carl Leon, one of the drill organizers. “We set up neighborhood Hubs where people can come to get information and share resources or skills to help those who have been affected.”

    The ACS volunteers will practice sending situation reports of conditions in each neighborhood from the Hubs into the City’s Emergency Operations Center. In a real event, that information could be used by City response planners to assess conditions throughout the city and develop response plans. Inter Hub communication will also be practiced.

    Saturday, May 17 at the locations listed below, 9:00 am to noon. Feel free to drop in for all or part of the drill.

    These Hubs are participating in the drill:
    Ballard Loyal Heights Park
    Ballard Gilman Park
    Ballard Shilshole Marina
    Capitol Hill Jubilee Women’s Center
    Capitol Hill Volunteer Park (near Asian Art Museum)
    Broadview Luther Memorial Church
    Fremont History House
    Lake City Fred Meyer south parking lot
    Maple Leaf Park
    Magnolia West Magnolia Playfield
    Queen Anne West Queen Anne Playfield
    Rainer Beach United Methodist Church
    West Seattle Ercolini Park

    All Hub locations will welcome visitors and people who would like to learn and participate.  For more information about becoming a Hub volunteer, contact Cindi Barker, 206-933-6968, or Cheryl Dyer.

    For information about becoming a Ham radio operator or member of ACS, contact Carl Leon.

    Websites for more information about neighborhood Hubs and ACS:
    Seattle Emergency Communications Hubs
    Seattle Auxiliary Communications Services

  • Street Tree Stewardship Training – May 17

    Street Tree Stewardship Training – May 17

    Seeking Tree Lovers – Become a Tree Ambassador!

    Never fear young street trees, the Tree Ambassadors are here! Volunteers in the Street Tree Stewardship program adopt street tree plantings and help our young trees thrive. Street Tree Stewardship volunteers plan work parties and recruit volunteers to mulch, weed, and care for the trees that are essential to making our neighborhoods walkable, sustainable, beautiful, and healthy.
    Next training:
    Saturday, May 17
    10 am – 3 pm (lunch included)
    Meadowbrook Community Center, 10517 35th Ave NE, Seattle

    Apply Today!
    Together we can make sure everyone in Seattle has a tree to hug. Apply here
    Questions? Contact the Street Tree Ambassador program at (206) 615-1668 or email.

  • Culinary Herbs Workshop – May 17

    Culinary Herbs Workshop – May 17

    U.W. Botanic Gardens, Center for Urban Horticulture
    3501 NE 41st Street

    10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Saturday, May 17, 2014
    Presenter: Joan Helbacka, Master Gardner

    Contact: Email or 206.685-8033

    Many herbs are easy to grow both in the ground and in containers. Some are evergreen so it is possible to have fresh herbs available year around. WSU King County Master Gardener Joan Helbacka discusses herbs that thrive in our area including information on growing, propagating and using a variety of herbs for cooking and as landscape plants.

    Cost: Free! But please RSVP online or call 206.685.8033.