Garden at Solid Ground’s Giving Garden at Marra Farm to help grow food for local food banks.
About Community Food Education (CFE)
CFE envisions a city where people have equal access to healthy and culturally appropriate food. We work with and in communities to grow and share food that is fresh and nourishing.
CFE fosters community connections through gardening education, sustainable food production, environmental stewardship, and raising awareness about good nutrition and food justice. We also fight hunger by providing low-income individuals with seeds and materials, and supporting backyard gardeners in donating fruits and vegetables grown in King County.
About Marra Farm
Located in the Duwamish River Valley, Marra Farm comprises 8.7 acres of preserved farmland in Seattle’s South Park neighborhood – home to both ethnically diverse immigrant communities and a high concentration of commercial industry. Solid Ground’s CFE program, one of many community partners who steward the land, operates a Giving Garden that does education work while growing food for the community.
Giving Garden Volunteer
Work at our Giving Garden at Marra Farm by building soil, preparing vegetable beds, planting vegetable starts and seeds, weeding by hand, composting, watering, harvesting, washing produce, and distributing produce to the community food bank and other locations. Many of our volunteers start with limited or no gardening knowledge and learn as they go, so we welcome you with whatever level of gardening skills and knowledge you bring. Families welcome!
Time Commitment
We have drop-in hours, where volunteers are always welcome. Please let us know when you’re coming so our farm staff can plan the work in advance. Contact marrafarm@solid-ground.org or 206.694.6828.
- Marra Farm drop-in hours are Tuesdays and Fridays 9am-2pm, Saturdays 10am-2pm.
Work Trade
If you struggle to afford fresh produce, you are welcome to trade two hours of volunteer time at the Giving Garden for a bag of fresh produce. Just let our farm staff know when you come that you would like to participate in work trade!
Training
Volunteers will be oriented to the farm site at the beginning of their first day volunteering. No experience necessary – our staff will train you on any gardening activity you will do.
What to Bring*
Please bring a water bottle, lunch/snacks, and clothes and shoes for working outside in all weather: raincoat, warm socks, sturdy shoes, sunhat, etc.
*Special safety considerations for COVID-19*
- We recommend bringing your own gardening gloves if you have them. Otherwise you’re welcome to use ours and they will be laundered in between use.
- All common touch points as well as tools are being either sprayed with a bleach solution or washed with soap and water at least once per day.
- No more than 15 people will be allowed to work on the farm at a time.
- Social distancing of six feet or more will be observed while working on the farm.
- We’re adapting as new best practices come forward!
Please use this self-screening tool before every in-person training or volunteer session to keep yourself and others safe:
Qualifications
- Generally, this role involves standing, kneeling, bending, walking, and lifting up to 10 pounds. Solid Ground does and will make accommodations for people of differing abilities.
- Interest in organic gardening and working outdoors
- Friendly, reliable, and self-motivated
- Ability to follow directions and work collaboratively with staff and other volunteers
- Enjoy working with people from diverse backgrounds
To Apply
1) Complete One-time Volunteer Intake Form: Giving Garden Volunteers do not need to apply using a Solid Ground application. Before volunteering, please fill out our One-time Volunteer Intake Form. You can also download the Word version of the form and bring it with you on your first day: Volunteer Intake Form.
2) Underage Volunteer Waiver: If bringing family members under 18, please fill out this one-page form.
3) Sign up to volunteer! Visit our Community Food Education Calendar to register for volunteer times that work best for you.
4) Contact us with any questions at volunteers@solid-ground.org or 206.694.6825.
BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color), and people with the lived experience of food insecurity are strongly encouraged to volunteer.
Solid Ground believes poverty is solvable. Volunteers play a critical role in helping us meet basic needs, nurture success, and spread change – so everyone in our community can achieve their full potential.
