This year, we're adding 13 new gardens to the front yard tour - here's a sneak preview. Remember, the tour is self-guided and it's free. Just print a map from the Garden Tour Map tab and take the tour any time - spring, summer or fall. To see previews and descriptions of the participating gardens, click here. To learn more about native bees, honey bees and how to create bee habitat, come to the Bee Jamboree in front of Whole Foods on NE 15th and Fremont, from 10:00 to 2:00 on Saturday, June 29.

The Sabin Community Association spring general meeting starts at 6:30 pm on Monday, May 13 at the Sabin School Auditorium.  The meeting will highlight the Sabin Triangle project, the transformation of the concrete space at the southwest corner of NE 15th Ave & Prescott into a community gathering space. Board member elections will also take place at the meeting.

Come and meet your new board members and find out what the community association is working on!

About 50 people attended the April 21 event at Sabin Community Orchard, learning about honey bees from Tim Wessels and native bees from Mace Vaughn. We also planted 83 bee-friendly perennials and fruit-bearing shrubs and trees.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement in November 2012 warning that exposure to pesticides can result in cancer, decreased cognitive function and behavioral problems in children. They recommend that families learn about integrated pest management, which means seeking out the least toxic methods of dealing with pest problems in the home and garden.

The Oregonian's recent article on this topic provides specific tips for pesticide-free gardening, such as spraying plants with water to remove aphids, or picking slugs off plants by hand.

If you'd like to learn more about natural gardening techniques, come to the Sabin Bee-Friendly Garden Tour on Sunday, July 14 from 11:00 to 3:00. The tour is free and includes 15 bee-friendly backyards in the inner NE Portland neighborhood of Sabin. We'll have natural gardening experts on hand, to chat with you about non-toxic methods of pest control. We'll also have several experts on honey bees, native bees and other pollinators, to answer your questions about these critters and explain how to create healthy bee habitat in your garden. For more information, please see the Garden Tour tab on the Sabin Community Association website: sabinpdx.org

Earth Day is a perfect day for bees at the Sabin Community Orchard!  At this upcoming Sabin Bee-Friendly Garden event, folks can learn from the Xerces Society and local beekeepers about the pollinators in our
neighborhood and how our gardening choices help or hurt them.  Then, those who  want to pick up a shovel can help plant shrubs and perennials to attract bees to the Orchard—and some more fruit trees to take delicious advantage of all those bees.  Optional tour of the tickle bees at the Sabin School field afterwards,
weather permitting.  This event is made possible by a Neighborhood Small Grant from NECN and ONI.  All ages welcome!   

When: Sunday, April 21, 2:00-4:00 pm
Where: Sabin Community Orchard, NE Mason between 18th & 19th
RSVP if you will help plant: [email protected]

The first annual Sabin Bee-Friendly Backyard Tour is scheduled for Sunday, July 14 from 11:00 to 3:00. The purpose is to raise awareness about the importance of pollinators and share information about how to create healthy bee habitat in an urban garden. We are seeking a few more gardens to be on the tour - would you like to be included? Participating gardens must be bee-friendly, meaning that no pesticides are used, only natural methods of pest control. If you'd like to participate, contact Diane Benson at [email protected].

The Sabin Community Orchard just keeps growing better every year.  Last year, we harvested 156 pounds from the mature apple tree, the berry bushes bore fruit and the young trees became more established, thanks to the generous volunteers who took turns watering them throughout the hot, dry summer months.

This season, we plan to install educational signs in the Orchard, plant more fruit trees and other plants that will support beneficial pollinators and, of course, keep up the weeding.  Mike Scott, a horticulturist with more than 30 years experience, will be leading our March Work & Learn Party about perennial plant maintenance.

Monthly work sessions run from 2 to 4 p.m. the third Sunday each month and are held at the orchard, located at NE 18th and Mason. Don't forget your work gloves!

What's on Your Plate? is a documentary that follows two eleven-year-old multi-racial city kids as they explore their place in the food chain. Sadie and Safiyah address questions regarding the origin of the food they eat, how it’s cultivated, how many miles it travels from the harvest to their plate, how it’s prepared, who prepares it, and what is done afterwards with the packaging and leftovers. They discover programs that help struggling farmers to survive and provide affordable, locally-grown food communities, especially to lower-income urban families.

The film has been hailed by Michael Pollan, Kofi Annan, Marion Nestle, Alice Waters and other food activists.

Interested in growing food in public spaces, while working with your neighbors on a fun project?  Become a Sabin Community Orchard Steward! 

The Sabin Community Orchard is a collaborative project between the Portland Fruit Tree Project and the Sabin Community Association, designed to provide delicious fruits and berries - and an opportunity to learn about edible gardening.  It's located on a small city-owned lot on Mason Ave, between 18th and 19th.

Orchard Stewards commit to:
* attend an orientation meeting on Tuesday, February 12
* participate in monthly work & learn parties, from 2:00 - 4:00 on the third Sunday, February - November
* be the note-taker for one or two of the work & learn parties, and share your notes with others
* one mid-summer watering shift to keep the young trees and shrubs healthy

To apply, request an application by calling 503-284-6106 or by emailing [email protected] with "Sabin Orchard Steward Interest" in the subject line. Applications are due Friday, February 1. No experience is necessary, though gardening or orchard experience is a plus!