Before I delve into your possible weekend itinerary in this week’s column, I first want to touch on the parklet idea presented by Ryan Sisson, civil engineer for the City of Cottage Grove, at last month’s Cottage Grove City Council meeting.
A parklet means converting an existing parking space into a small seating area where folks visiting downtown can sit, relax, and take in the atmosphere of our brick downtown. Quite a few folks showed up to speak in favor of the idea. There were a few concerned with safety or taking of parking spaces, but overall the feeling in the room was that this could be a good idea.
There are no specific plans to implement the parklet idea. The City is in the process of working on an overall parking plan and the query was simply to see if there was interest in including the idea of parklets into the mix. Stay tuned; you may one day be able to sit and relax where you used to park, without fear of getting a ticket.
Now, onto the weekend. As per usual, as if you don’t already have enough to do, there are some tempting possibilities to engage your time and interest this weekend in the Grove.
The Scion Swap and Seed Exchange is Sunday, March 8 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Cottage Grove Armory. This is the fourth year for this collaboration between The South Valley Farmers Market, Coast Fork Farm Store and the Agrarian Sharing Network. This association has interest in building the strength of our food security by bringing people that are growing vegetables and fruit types locally together to share knowledge of what varieties do best in our unique growing region. The scion swap and seed exchange allow for the actual plant materials to also change hands and get into the ground.
At this event, participants can learn the art of grafting fruit scion (bud wood) into root stock and can. If you are desiring to pick some of the many varieties of pear, apple, peach, or plum scion that are offered free, but feel hesitant to do your own grafting, relax. There will be rootstock available for a modest price and the grafters will take the job off your hands for you.
There will also be berry, fig, and grape stock available for rooting. Those who save seeds over the year can bring some favorites to share and swap.
The Agrarian Sharing Network is dedicated to using collaboration by volunteers to help to spread plant diversity and preserving heritage fruit varieties through friends and neighbors.
Bingo Night is Friday, March 6 at the still new Harrison Elementary School. Besides some exciting bingo action spiced up with local celebrity callers, delicious soup and spicy chili will be available for $3 a bowl. Over 100 donors have stepped up with some choice items as prizes, or winnable in the raffles or the silent auction. Sponsored by the Harrison Parent Club, money raised goes toward outdoor school and to support teachers and their classrooms. To see some prizes up for grabs, check out the event on Facebook.
The Cottage Grove Speedway Work Day is Saturday, March 7 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Your efforts to get the track spruced up will be much appreciated. To get there, turn off at the underpass at the W.O.E. sign on Highway 99 and go under the tracks. You can also take the backroads to 2150 N. Douglas St. If you have some tools you can bring those along and maybe some gloves, snacks and a water bottle. More info: 541-942-7561.
If you haven’t been to see the musical ”Rise of the Queens” at the Opal Center for Arts and Education, this is your last weekend window of opportunity. Written and directed by Hal Holbrook, this wild adventure story is the third of the series by Holbrook. Showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. for the Sunday matinee. Tickets are available at the door or at the Crafty Mercantile. Check out Pamela Farmer’s review of the show in this week’s edition.
Crafternoon will be held on Saturday, March 7 at the Cottage Grove Public Library. The Friends of the Library are hosting this weekly event where you can drop in with your own craft project to work on and socialize. All are welcome from 1-3 p.m. Bring your knitting, sewing or crafts.
Contact Dana at [email protected]
