Erica Browne Grivas March 22, 2022 6:00am

Tucked in next to I-5 between NE 58th- 60th Streets grows a remarkable, little-known community garden. The official name is Northeast 60th St. Park, but members call it “Freeway Estates Community Orchard (FECO).”

In 2010, a group of neighbors worked to transform 12,000 SF of highway right-of-way from scrub growth and trash into a productive, welcoming oasis of fruit trees, native plants, garden beds, benches, and garden art. Unlike most “p-patch” community gardens, most volunteers do not have their own garden beds – they are tending and maintaining the garden for the community. Over half of the planting beds are dedicated to growing food bank produce. With a focus on sustainability, it features Washington’s only gravity-led drip irrigation system, thermal (no-dig) composting, and pollinator-supporting plants grouped in cooperative “guilds”.

Community events are a big part of the garden’s mission to bring people together. The annual fall Cider Fest featuring the garden’s fruit is one. Kicking off spring, on Saturday, March 26, FECO is hosting a plant sale featuring vegetable and flower starts, as well as native plants and seed giveaways. Note the sale goes from 10:00 am through 1 pm or “until we run out”!

The garden welcomes volunteers and donations of needed supplies.

Work parties are held:

Every Thursday and Friday at 10:00am

The 2nd and 3rd Saturday each month from 10:00am – noon

Learn more at https://freewayestates.org/contact/.

Erica Browne Grivas September 25, 2021 9:23pm

Tangletown’s small but mighty Restaurant Row has a new player. Billed as “PNW comfort food,” Restaurant Christine just opened in the space recently left by the Himalayan Sherpa House at 2227 N 56 St.

The website’s sample fall lunch menu includes meat and vegetarian options, like a burger with gouda and truffle aioli, harvest risotto featuring beets and goat cheese, as well as clams vongole and a shrimp po’ boy.

For those missing Tibetan momos and soup, The Yelp entry for Himalayan Sherpa House – which had been in Tangletown since 2014 – indicates it plans to reopen August 2022, but its website offers no information as to where. Greenlaker reached out for comment.

Welcome to Green Lake, Restaurant Christine!