This year a cohort of 45 community leaders participated in Tilth Alliance’s Soil and Water Stewardship program to learn how to take care of our local environment and food systems. From March to November, we dedicated one weekend each month to learning, growing, and taking action to steward community gardens, schools, and parks throughout King County.

We delved into systemic issues that demand transformation to create a more equitable future. A deeper understanding of these topics empowers the Soil & Water Stewards to make effective changes on the local level. This year the cohort:

• Explored the complexities and injustices of global food systems and agricultural history with Deepa Iyer of Ayeko Farm, who left us with visions of a more equitable food future;
• Dug deep into soil science with queer ecologist Rodney Pond to find out how we can build and support healthy soil in gardens and restoration projects;
• Discovered innovative ways to conserve water using greywater systems with Laura Allen of Greywater Action, using rainwater cisterns with Allie VanBryce of Dynamic Waters, and drip irrigation with Anita Waghani of Tilth Alliance; 
• Investigated urban soils in King County and the contamination issues that impact local communities with Dr. Melanie Malone of UW Bothell; 
• Looked into regenerative design principles and techniques with designer/educator Katie Vincent, then learned about a living example of community-led design with Khalil Griffith of Beacon Food Forest; 
• Figured out the fundamentals of organic gardening and seed saving with  Marni Sorin and learned to identify edible weeds with Carey Thornton, who are both longtime Tilth Alliance educators;
• Toured the Brightwater wastewater treatment facility to learn the ins and outs of recycling water in King County with KayLani Siplin and Key Buckner;
• Digested information about various types of compost systems with Tilth Alliance’s trained Master Composter/Sustainability Stewards; and
• Tied the training together with presentations from three local Indigenous educators: Demarus Tevuk, who discussed the importance of rooting ecosystem restoration and gardening in Traditional Ecological Knowledge; Mariana Harvey, who taught about local cultural ecosystems; and Kendra Aguilar, who showed us how food sovereignty is medicine for our individual bodies, the environment and our communities. 

We didn’t stop at learning.

We rolled up our sleeves each Sunday to turn knowledge into action, making tangible improvements for our community partners. We supported community gardens, public schools and parks to transform these spaces and make meaningful contributions to neighborhoods in South and East King County.

Here’s what we accomplished together:

• Built accessible garden beds at King County Housing Authority sites in Burien and Kirkland, ensuring that residents of those communities, regardless of age and ability, can grow food and enjoy gardening;
• Planted 350 native plants in restoration and riparian projects, revitalizing natural spaces and supporting biodiversity at Riverton Park in Tukwila, McAuliffe Park in Kirkland and at Rainier Beach Urban Farm & Wetlands in Seattle;
• Sowed over 5,000 seeds, all destined to become food crops for community gardens and organizations via Tilth Alliance’s Culturally Relevant Plant Starts program;
• Expanded a fruit orchard where perennial crops will produce nutritious abundance well into the future;
• Harvested over 500 pounds of fresh produce from eastside community gardens for Hopelink Food Market;
• Constructed an outdoor classroom at the Griot Garden at Campbell Hill Elementary where students can learn about gardening throughout the year;
• Supported immigrant and refugee gardeners at Paradise Parking Plots, a World Relief garden in Kent, by removing blackberry and ivy in their restoration areas;
• Created pollinator-friendly gardens, helping to protect the insects that are vital to our ecosystem and food gardens;
• Installed drip irrigation systems at three community gardens, allowing them to thrive during dry seasons while saving valuable water and work; and 
• Grew community and established lasting alliances among diverse Soil & Water Stewards and gardens throughout greater King County. 

Our Soil and Water Stewardship family is growing strong and walking on this sacred journey together heals us, our community and our environment. It starts with understanding, and follows with action. The Earth needs us more than ever, and we are proud to work together in stewardship of the soils and waters that sustain us all. 

Interested in joining us in 2025? Find out more and apply now!

We would also like to thank our many partners and funders, who made this program possible. This program and the resources for our community partners are made possible with funding from: Cascade Water Alliance; the South King County Fund Environmental Grants Program from the Port of Seattle; and the WaterWorks Grant Program funded by King County Wastewater Treatment Division. For the Campbell Hill Elementary project, we also received generous support from GEHA, in partnership with our work with the national fruit tree orchard nonprofit, The Giving Grove.

Come join us in 2025!