It was my pleasure to acknowledge Alice Deane and Bob Levinson this year for all of their contributions to the startup and success of the Master Gardener Demonstration Garden. Many Master Gardeners have contributed over the years, including Lauren Levinson (1992), Fiona and Richard Norris (2002),Alice Dean (2005), Kris Bayas (2005), Jody Burns(2005), Marilyn Kline (2007), Susan Mahoney (2007), Dot Vanderveer (2011), Kathy Clowers (2007), and most recently Sandy Ryan (2017) and Kim Meyer. Alice and Bob have stayed with the project for many years and continue to support the Demonstration Garden by working in the garden and fund raising.
WSU Master Gardeners in Friday Harbor had long wished for a space to showcase how to grow area-appropriate plant varieties, different models of raised beds and composting resources all using the research-based recommendations from Washington State University. There were a few things on their list of must-haves, namely a water source, and usable land. Bob and Lauren Levinson, active WSU Master Gardeners from Bellevue had spent many hours working in a volunteer demonstration garden in Bellevue saw the benefits to the community and were dedicated to making it happen in Friday Harbor. In 2004, Bob went to the Senior Center with the request of using a portion of Senior Center property for a community demonstration garden. Don Galt, then the Senior Center Advisory Board Chair, quickly recognized the community benefit and rallied the Board to approve dedicated space for the new garden. The Senior Center granted WSU Master Gardeners 2200 square feet adjacent to the Family Resource Center for the garden. Work commenced, and it was a lot of hard work. Alice Deane, Bob and Lauren Levinson, Jody Burns, and a group of other WSU Master Gardener came out with hoes, shovels, and a lot of muscle power to clear the space and get started. The WSU Master Gardener Program received a grant from The San Juan Island Community Foundation for $3200 to purchase the materials to get started. The Kiwanis club donated the funds and materials to build a wheelchair accessible bed. It required hiring workers with jackhammers to work the soil, it was so compacted. By 2005, the space was cleared, an 8-foot deer fence was installed around the perimeter of the garden, and Master Gardeners set to work building various types raised beds. It was important for volunteers at that time to showcase the types of raised beds with different types of materials, so that we could demonstrate what people could choose to use in their own gardens. Some beds were made of stone, some of pre-made raised beds, and some from lumber. A 3-bin compost system was purchased through another community grant from Public Works .
Today, volunteers consistently harvest over 1,000 pounds of fresh, organic produce every year, all of which is donated to the Friday Harbor Food Bank.
WSU Master Gardeners in Friday Harbor had long wished for a space to showcase how to grow area-appropriate plant varieties, different models of raised beds and composting resources all using the research-based recommendations from Washington State University. There were a few things on their list of must-haves, namely a water source, and usable land. Bob and Lauren Levinson, active WSU Master Gardeners from Bellevue had spent many hours working in a volunteer demonstration garden in Bellevue saw the benefits to the community and were dedicated to making it happen in Friday Harbor. In 2004, Bob went to the Senior Center with the request of using a portion of Senior Center property for a community demonstration garden. Don Galt, then the Senior Center Advisory Board Chair, quickly recognized the community benefit and rallied the Board to approve dedicated space for the new garden. The Senior Center granted WSU Master Gardeners 2200 square feet adjacent to the Family Resource Center for the garden. Work commenced, and it was a lot of hard work. Alice Deane, Bob and Lauren Levinson, Jody Burns, and a group of other WSU Master Gardener came out with hoes, shovels, and a lot of muscle power to clear the space and get started. The WSU Master Gardener Program received a grant from The San Juan Island Community Foundation for $3200 to purchase the materials to get started. The Kiwanis club donated the funds and materials to build a wheelchair accessible bed. It required hiring workers with jackhammers to work the soil, it was so compacted. By 2005, the space was cleared, an 8-foot deer fence was installed around the perimeter of the garden, and Master Gardeners set to work building various types raised beds. It was important for volunteers at that time to showcase the types of raised beds with different types of materials, so that we could demonstrate what people could choose to use in their own gardens. Some beds were made of stone, some of pre-made raised beds, and some from lumber. A 3-bin compost system was purchased through another community grant from Public Works .
Today, volunteers consistently harvest over 1,000 pounds of fresh, organic produce every year, all of which is donated to the Friday Harbor Food Bank.
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