L'Italo-Americano

SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 36 L'Italo-Americano L ocated in every quadrant of the c i t y , S e a t t l e ' s P-Patch com- m u n i t y g a r - dens are not only part of a beloved citywide program but also one of the oldest community gardening pro- grams in the country. This year the P-Patch program celebrates its 50th anniver- sary. Launched in 1973 as part of the national back-to-the- e a r t h m o v e m e n t , t h e P - Patch program began with a single plot. Within a year, there were 10. Today, those numbers have grown to 91 c o m m u n i t y g a r d e n s – a n astonishing 33 total acres — with more than 3,600 people actively tending a garden. In 2021, it was the fifth-largest community gardening pro- gram in the country by den- sity (per 1,000 residents). How did this exemplary p r o g r a m s t a r t ? I t w a s a l l t h a n k s t o E r n e s t o P i c a r d o — t h e P i n " P - Patch." At the turn of the 20th century, Picardo left his tiny village of Salza Irpina in Campania bound for Ameri- ca. At first, he thought he m i g h t p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e K l o n d i k e G o l d R u s h , b u t i n s t e a d e n d e d u p i n t h e N o r t h w e s t a n d t u r n e d t o farming. Before long, his two younger brothers, Sabino and Orazio, joined him. B y 1 9 2 2 , t h e P i c a r d o ' s were farming land in South Park along the Duwamish River. A few years later, they s w a p p e d t h e i r h o u s e i n South Park for a plot in Seat- t l e ' s " f a r n o r t h , " t o d a y known as Wedgwood. Back then it was called the Raven- na swamp. The brothers sold the veg- e t a b l e s t h e y p r o d u c e d t o small grocery stores in the area and delivered them to the produce stands at Pike Place Market. After World War II, the next generation of Picardo's was not as inter- ested in farming. Bit by bit, the family started to sell off small parcels of land. They r e t a i n e d a b o u t 2 0 a c r e s , however, and continued to grow vegetables. In 1973, a neighbor of the Picardo's, Darlyn Rundberg, a p p r o a c h e d t h e P i c a r d o family and asked if she could use a small portion of their farm for a community gar- den. Rundberg was inspired by events like Earth Day, which had started in 1970 as a w a y t o r a i s e a w a r e n e s s about the environment and the need to protect the plan- et for future generations. This was also the time of the "Boeing bust" when many families were economically affected by massive Boeing lay-offs. W h e n t h e P i c a r d o ' s agreed, Rundberg recruited students and families from nearby Wedgwood Elemen- tary School to work the soil and plant food crops. During the first two years, Puget C o n s u m e r s C o - o p ( n o w known as PCC Community Markets) ran the Wedgwood garden. It was such a suc- cess that city officials took n o t e . S e a t t l e d e c i d e d t o acquire the farm and start its own community garden- i n g p r o g r a m . A l t h o u g h i t took months to work out the legal logistics, by 1974, after a trial period, the P-Patch program was born. The program thrived dur- i n g i t s f i r s t d e c a d e , a n d those lucky enough to have a P-Patch garden quickly set down roots. They installed water systems, tool sheds, and fences. Some neighbor- h o o d s w e n t f u r t h e r a n d beautified their sites with outdoor sculpture, mosaic tiles, and decorative bench- es. The program might have continued quietly as a popu- l a r l o c a l o p t i o n , b u t t w o t h i n g s h a p p e n e d i n t h e 1980s. Four P-Patch sites w o n n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y gardening awards, which put them on the national radar. Then in 1987, Seattle hosted the national conference of the American Community G a r d e n i n g A s s o c i a t i o n which attracted participants from around the country. Conference attendees were wowed by the P-Patch gar- dens, by now proliferating throughout the city. After the conference ended, they e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y r e p o r t e d back to their own communi- ties and before long, com- m u n i t y g a r d e n s w e r e sprouting up from coast-to- coast. Over the years, each P- Patch has taken on its own d i s t i n c t c h a r a c t e r . S o m e h a v e p i c n i c t a b l e s a n d benches where visitors can relax and enjoy a bite. Oth- ers have a garden area just for children, while still oth- ers use raised beds so older residents or those with dis- abilities can participate. Gar- dens in Asian American or Hispanic communities might grow the specific herbs and vegetables needed for those cuisines. Education work- shops are often held. P-Patches are open to all, there are no locks or gates. People can stroll through the gardens, admire the colorful flowers, and marvel at the r a n g e o f v e g e t a b l e s a n d herbs growing. Most P-Patch gardeners are happy to stop and chat, sharing advice or a n s w e r i n g q u e s t i o n s . O f course, it goes without say- ing that picking the vegeta- b l e s o r f l o w e r s i s n o t allowed. These days the program is run by the city's Department of Neighborhoods with an annual budget from the city's g e n e r a l f u n d . I t s g o a l s r e m a i n t h e s a m e f i v e decades later: promote envi- r o n m e n t a l s t e w a r d s h i p , build community, and devel- op self-reliance. Throughout the recession and then the pandemic, P- Patch gardeners supplied produce and herbs to food b a n k s a n d h o t - m e a l p r o - grams in the area. In 2022 alone, gardeners contributed 44,000 pounds of food used to ease the lives of individu- als experiencing food insecu- rity. Although the P-Patch pro- gram is firmly rooted and recognized nationally as a model community gardening program, the escalating pop- u l a t i o n a n d d e v e l o p m e n t boom that Seattle is experi- encing has introduced new challenges. But whatever the f u t u r e h o l d s , o n e t h i n g r e m a i n s t r u e : t h e l o v e , respect, and passion for the l a n d s o i m p o r t a n t t o t h e P i c a r d o f a m i l y h a v e b e e n c a r r i e d o n f o r 5 0 y e a r s t h r o u g h t h e s m a l l u r b a n oases known as the P-Patch gardens. Gardeners of all ages and abilities are welcome at Seattle's P-Patch community gardens (Photo: Picardo Farm P-Patch Facebook) Picardo family's generosity leads to 50 years of community gardens RITA CIPALLA

• Cover