Day 2: Experience 1: Rooftop Garden Tour

Today began with a rather wet and windy tour of the rooftop Urban Garden at Pike’s Place. Our lovely tour guide, Mollie, informed us that the Urban Garden was created in May of 2013. The 2,000 square foot garden reactivated and beautified an underutilized rooftop patio in the heart of the Market and is maintained by a group of volunteers. The garden provides fresh fruits and veggies to local foodbanks and senior centers, and a quiet reprieve for tourists and visitors, away from the hustle and bustle of the market. The herbs and vegetables provide a lush break from the urban landscape of downtown Seattle and the market. Well-known Pike’s Place restaurant Maximilien has contributed pea vines, mint, rosemary, thyme, chives, green onions, dill, parsley, sage, chard, and kale amongst the garden’s raised flower beds and tubs. Mollie’s tour of the garden reminded us of the importance of eating local and of creating a smaller carbon footprint.

 Pike's Place entrance.

 Mollie starts our tour.

 The Urban Garden oasis on Pike's Rooftop.

 Mollie reminded us of the importance of eating locally sourced produce.

 The current total yield from the garden this year, all of which goes to local charities.

 We chopped these yesterday!

 A new green to try.

 The big wheel on a rainy, cold Seattle day.

 Chefs in the Chef's Garden.

 Jenny S., Liv, Maya, and Abby in front of the Big Wheel.

 Locally sourced produce in Pike's Place.

 Practicing angles from yesterday's photography lesson.

 Beautiful rainbow carrots.

 Practicing the overhead shot from yesterday's photography lesson.

 One of my favorite veggies--asparagus.

  Citrus at Manzo Produce.

 Colorful organic pasta.

 More pasta, 45 degree angle shot.

 Dragon fruit and blackberries.

 More berries, 45 degree angle.

 Berries up close.

 Berries, even more up close.

 Green and purple asparagus.

 A kind of broccoli I have never seen!

Brussels sprouts--overhead shot.