The Saturday volunteer shift at the farm began with what Scott Behmer described as the “releasing of the bees.” Dozens of mason bee cocoons stored over winter were brought out and inserted into lengths of hollow bamboo. At the same time, their houses were being prepared with tightly rolled paper tubes. They would soon be filled with pollen from the garden by the newly hatched bees.
Scott is the coordinator of Solid Ground’s Giving Garden at Marra Farm in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood. He handles all aspects of the farm’s operation, from planting to picking. But the harvests don’t happen without the combined efforts of dozens of volunteers who come out on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from early spring to late fall to help with everything from preparing the ground to weeding to building trellises to supporting the bees.
Appeal in the variety of jobs
On this particular weekend, half a dozen of us turned out to work, including 12-year-old Yuki and her parents, Yoko and John. The Bothell family had first visited last fall, helping to put the garden to rest for the winter, and were back to experience the farm in the springtime.
As John explained, “They offer a great chance for us to drop in and do a variety of different jobs on the farm. It’s not the same thing every time, which has been fun for my daughter.”
Added Yuki, “I like seeing the sprouts from the seeds we planted on the previous visit. I like thinking about how they’ll grow to help people.”
Marra Farm covers more than 8.5 acres of the city’s Marra-Desimone Park The Giving Garden sits ¾ of an acre, share the rest of the park with a vibrant P-Patch community, Young Women Empowered, Salsa de la Vida, Mien Community Garden, and a community chicken coop. Part of the park is also accessible open space for the community. Giving Garden is much like a giant P-Patch dedicated to supporting Solid Ground’s mission to help disadvantaged communities meet their basic needs. The farm produces thousands of pounds of food annually, distributed via food banks and through the organization’s partnership with Sea Mar Community Health Centers.
After placing the mason bee houses outside the tool shed, we moved on to planting carrots and radishes — creating furrows, dropping in the seeds, and covering. With so many hands, the work flew by.
Volunteerism suited for families
Volunteering at Marra Farm is uniquely suited for families. Unlike many organizations that have age restrictions for volunteers or require regularly scheduled hours, Marra welcomes families of all ages and with no long-term time commitment. Volunteers simply sign up on the Solid Ground site and show up.
“We know a 5-year-old probably won’t make it through a full volunteer shift,” Scott said. “We are happy for them to be there as long as they can, take as many snack breaks as they need, and leave when they need.”
After lunch, we snacked on sorrel and pea shoots, another perk of working on the farm. “Kids will eat anything they can pick,” Scott said. “They’re at that younger age of developing and just need to keep trying things.”
For the remainder of the time, we split into groups, one half weeding along the edge of the vegetable beds, and the other building a seven-foot-tall bean trellis from bamboo stalks and twine.
Work at the Giving Garden is one small, tangible way to make a meaningful impact on the large problems of poverty and food insecurity in our region, while also fostering connections with other volunteers.
As John put it, “It’s been a chance for Yuki and I to meet a lot of interesting people from different communities, some long-time folks and some people just dropping in. Just getting to see how many different people care about the community has been great.” Yuki added: “Even if you get your hands dirty, it’s still fun.”
The day ended back at the tool shed, putting tools away. The sun was out, the sky was blue, and there were already a few bees exploring the houses we’d set up. We left satisfied, knowing that we’d made a little progress toward Solid Ground’s goal of helping our neighbors access fresh produce, and that the next group of volunteers would likely see sprouts from the seeds we’d planted.
Know before you go
Volunteers are welcome weekly, March to November, on Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. No gardening experience necessary. Dress for the weather (layers, boots, rain gear, sunscreen, hat). Equipment is provided — including gloves. Bring a lunch, snacks, and a water bottle — additional water provided.
