Grow Your Own
Growing and harvesting your own produce is one of the best things you can do for both your mental and physical health. You feel this first-hand when you're out in the garden, and now studies have begun to tease out the science behind this. From soil microbes warding off depression to therapeutic horticulture, it's not just the food you grow, but it's the act of growing it that is healing. Don't wait, read on below to find out how to get help starting your own healing garden space!
Gardening Groups
- Growing Organics - An offshoot of TRFW, meets for monthly potlucks year round, outside at area farms in the warmer months.
- Organic Grower's Club - An OSU volunteer-run club that is open to community members. Regular work parties happen at their 2 acre plot off of Hwy 34.
Gardening Education
Classes
Books and other publications
- OSU Master Gardeners
- Permaculture Design - A free open online course through OSU
- Permaculture Design Certificate - Semester long course online through OSU
- Shonnards Nursery - Garden center in Philomath that offers a variety of classes on gardening and beekeeping throughout the year
Books and other publications
- Garden Resource Guide - Published by the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition, great local resource for our region
- Veggie Planting Calendar - Specifically for the Pacific Northwest region, compiled by staff at Portland Nursery
- Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades - by Steve Solomon, founder of Territorial Seeds
- Four Season Farm - Several books on year-round gardening as well as cookbooks by Elliot Coleman and Barbara Damrosch
- Gaia's Garden - A guide to home-scale permaculture by Toby Hemenway
- Building Soil: A Down-to-Earth Approach - Home-scale help for improving and maintaining soil health
Local Seed Sources
- Adaptive Seeds - Organic seed company in Sweet Home. Also check out their Seed Ambassadors Project and their Winter Garden Chart for planting timing
- Wild Garden Seeds - Organic seed company in Philomath
- Peace Seedlings - Organic seed company in Corvallis
- Nichols Garden Nursery - Nursery and seed source in Albany
- The Thyme Garden - Nursery and seed source in Alsea
- Territorial Seed Company - Seed company in Cottage Grove
- Siskiyou Seeds - Organic, non-GMO, open-pollinated heirloom seed company in southern Oregon in Williams
- Irish Eyes Garden Seeds - Organic, non-GMO seed company in Washington state specializing in potatoes
- Lane County Propagation Fair - Annual spring seed swap and scion share held in Eugene
