by Meeshka Brand | Feb 24, 2017 | Community Events
This was our second time volunteering our time and labor at Chico Salmon Park in Bremerton. Just like last year, we had a great time! An added bonus was being fed homemade cookies made by one of the park’s regular volunteers.
L to R: Chico Salmon Park’s John Mikesell, Josh, Byron & Domingo
We constructed a small split rail fence, installed pipes for better drainage and laid mulch provided to the park by Asplundh.
Byron and a park volunteer hold the rail steady as Domingo and Josh secure it.
The park’s committed volunteers have done an amazing job creating a welcoming park where visitors can watch the salmon run in the fall or simply take a stroll and learn about native plants. The transformation that we’ve seen here over just a few short years is remarkable.
Domingo and Byron spread mulch.
We look forward to returning to the park this fall to view salmon on their journey to spawn! If you’re interested in volunteering with Chico Salmon Park, keep up with them on Facebook and sign up for one of their monthly work parties.
Check out more photos from our Community Service Day here.
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by Meeshka Brand | Dec 4, 2014 | Community Events
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Christmas in Kitsap County, we’ve got five ideas to help you feel that holiday cheer.
Colby decorates the tree.
1) The first is likely already on your list – go and get a Christmas tree! Here in the Pacific Northwest, there’s no shortage of places to get one. Vendors are set up in every major shopping area, and the big box stores carry them as well. We encourage you to skip the Home Depot tree and shop local. By doing so you support the people in your community and grow your local economy. For us, there’s no place we love more than Olmsted Tree Farms. They’ve been in business since 1968 and have six locations throughout Central, South and North Kitsap, including two U-cut farms.
BHS marching band photo at Winterfest credit Meegan M Reid/Kitsap Sun
2) Our second tip is to attend Winterfest in downtown Bremerton on Friday, December 5th from 5-8pm. Sweet Adeline carolers will be singing holiday tunes in the street, and the BHS marching band will make an appearance as Santa arrives by fire truck at the Naval Museum at 5:30pm. Kids and adults can catch a free, horse drawn carriage ride at Pacific & Burwell, and the tree lighting in Manette happens at 7pm. Shops and art galleries will be open late, offering hot cocoa and goodies so sweet.
Santa’s at The Vintage Housewife in Poulsbo on Saturdays in December.
3) Celebrate Christmas in Kitsap by – surprise, surprise – snapping a photo with Santa. Our sister Courtnee Stevenson is the owner of a brilliant home décor shop on Front Street in Poulsbo, The Vintage Housewife, where Santa will be on Saturdays throughout the month of December from 11am – 3pm. Stop by for a twofer – get some holiday shopping done while the kids get a photo with Santa. To add to all of this holiday fun, carriage rides are also available.
Hobbit-inspired, tiny house at The Brothers Greenhouses
4) Our fourth idea is to head to The Brothers Greenhouses in Port Orchard. If you’ve never been, Christmas is a great time to do so. Not only do they grow all of their poinsettias available for sale on site, but they’ve recently built a woodland, hobbit-inspired, tiny house, just in time for the holiday season! Tour the hobbit house, take a group photo, and shop for the garden lover in your life at their gift shop.
Winter Holiday Village photo credit The Bloedel Reserve
5) It seems that tiny is a trend for Christmas in Kitsap, as our final tip is to head over to The Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island to check out their winter holiday village. This is the fifth year that their treasured Visitor’s Center will be transformed into a miniature village comprised of handcrafted, intricately designed buildings and electric trains, sure to capture the hearts of young and old alike. This holiday exhibit is included with admission and available for viewing from December 12th – January 4th from 10am – 4pm.
From all of us at Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC, we wish you a fantastic holiday season and a very Merry Christmas in Kitsap!
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Thanks for reading our blog. Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC is a Kitsap County landscaping company that offers landscaping, decorative concrete and lawn maintenance services to homes and businesses across Kitsap and Pierce counties.
by Meeshka Brand | Nov 1, 2014 | Community Events
We had a fantastic time at the Kitsap Community and Agricultural Alliance’s Kitsap Harvest Dinner last Saturday at Olympic College, filling our bellies with fresh, locally sourced food and hanging with Elise and Sam of The Brothers Greenhouses. It was our very first time attending the dinner, and now that we know just how delicious the food is on offer, we’ll definitely be back!
A variety of dishes were available for sampling – guessing, I would say over 30 – served buffet style, cooked up by local chefs. The most incredible thing I tasted that night was the clam chowder created by Jeff McClelland of Harbour Public House. My mouth is watering as I type this. It was the best clam chowder I’ve ever had and puts Ivar’s to shame. As a side note, I am so grateful that Colby and I made the choice to no longer be vegetarians. Because what is clam chowder without bacon?
I also really loved the rabbit. I have to admit, eating rabbit that night was slightly challenging for me as I once had a bunny for a pet when I was a little girl. But it was so juicy and so tender that my guilt was squashed by my delighted taste buds. I wish I could give credit where credit is due, so if anyone reading this knows which chef was responsible for the rabbit, please log in to Facebook and leave a comment below!
Also very excellent was Monica Downen’s chantrelle mushroom ragout. I love discovering new foods and new flavors, and while I’ve tasted chantrelles before, this dish was a party in my mouth. Was it the chantrelles or how they were prepared that was the cause of all that excitement? Or perhaps it was the mix of all the other vegetables in the dish that created such culinary dynamism? Who knows. It was so good that I went back for seconds.
Of course, no meal is complete without dessert. As full as I was, I helped myself to two servings of Viking Feast Ice Cream. My first serving contained all three flavors in one cup; my second serving contained only the best: pumpkin lord. I’m not sure what exactly pumpkin lord is, but I trust that the label in the picture below is correct.
While I was enjoying my ice cream, simultaneously, I was in a bidding war with number 65 for the Silent Auction prize of ‘Lunch with Mayor Patty Lent.’ It was a very close call. If I hadn’t gotten up one final time to ensure that I was indeed the highest bidder, I would have lost. I am so happy that I my competitive nature was with me that night, because sometime soon, I will be lunching with Mayor Patty Lent!
Though it was a short event, it was a fun and memorable evening. We look forward to next year’s Kitsap Harvest Dinner feast.
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Thanks for reading our blog. Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC is a Kitsap County landscaping company that offers landscaping, decorative concrete and lawn maintenance services to homes and businesses across Kitsap and Pierce counties.
by Meeshka Brand | Aug 20, 2014 | Community Events
The Manette Edible Gardens Tour is one of my favorite garden tours of the year, mostly because of its local, homegrown feel. Manette community members come together to organize this annual event, opening their gardens and landscapes for the public to experience first-hand. For a donation of $5, one has access to the most welcoming gardeners who freely share the knowledge they’ve accumulated over the years.
Last August, I took my niece and nephew with me so they could see food being grown and available in one’s own back yard. By the time we left Manette, they had handfuls of garden booty! (Turns out, gardeners are incredibly generous people.) The tour is a great experience for children, and this year’s tour included activities such as face painting and a scavenger hunt.
Colby accompanied me this year. While we didn’t see all of the twelve gardens on offer, we received a wealth of great composting tips at Nano Farm.
compost at Nano Farm
Coffee grinds layered on top of your pile will hide smells, hopefully keeping animals away. Don’t add receipts to your compost; something in them kills the worms. Also, place a bucket of water next to your bin to wet your carbon before putting it in the pile. This is a great way to keep things moist.
We were very impressed by Nano Farm which belongs to homeowners Eugene and Deborah. Upon walking up to their home, we were greeted by a spread of their garden bounty, which included canned and pickled items.
Nano Farm features sustainable watering systems, a chicken coop, fruit trees, bees and more.
Managing this garden is more than a part-time job and Eugene, a great steward of his land, is up to the task in every way. He was, after all, part of a grassroots coalition that helped to “legalize chickens” in Bremerton. Using simple yet incredibly effective technology, he captures water from his garage to water his garden. Being retired, he also has the time to keep bees.
Beekeeping at Nano Farm
It was a great afternoon. We appreciate seeing folks doing what they love and doing it well. Cheers to the good people of Manette and everyone involved with the Manette Edible Gardens Tour!
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Thanks for reading our blog. Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC is a Kitsap County landscaping company that offers landscaping, decorative concrete and lawn maintenance services to homes and businesses across Kitsap and Pierce counties.
by Meeshka Brand | Aug 19, 2013 | Community Events
The 2nd annual Manette Edible Gardens Tour de Coop happened earlier this month on Saturday, August 3rd. My company for that day was my 6-year-old nephew, Preston, and 3-year-old niece, Olive.
I would be lying if I said that I did not have an agenda. My goal was to not only give them an unforgettable experience, but to also plant a seed in their young minds that growing food is an awesome thing to do.
Photos from the day are below. Enjoy!
Olive spotted a pumpkin.
This generous man led Preston and Olive to the peas being grown in his family’s garden, and was kind enough to share some with them.
The chickens were a highlight of the tour.
Despite the fact that this garden was not on the tour (it was featured in 2012), this wonderful gardener shared handfuls of peas and carrots with Preston and Olive.
Garden booty!
Next year’s tour will happen on Saturday, August 2nd. If you’re interested in learning about composting, integrated gardening, urban bee keeping, and small space gardening, it’s not to be missed!
If you live in the Manette area of Bremerton and want to be featured on the tour, contact manetteediblegardens@gmail.com.
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Thanks for reading our blog. Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC is a Kitsap County landscaping company that offers landscaping, decorative concrete and lawn maintenance services to homes and businesses across Kitsap and Pierce counties.
by Meeshka Brand | Jul 26, 2013 | Community Events
Bainbridge in Bloom celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this month, and we were there to participate. It was our very first time enjoying the self-guided tour, which featured five Bainbridge Island gardens in five different neighborhoods.
If we would have gotten our act together early enough in the day, we would have had the time to see all of them. What we did see was nothing short of spectacular.
Astilbe may be in bloom, but the understated star of this bed is Daphne odora ‘Marginata.’
Live musicians for garden lovers to listen to as they stroll. Bainbridge in Bloom is a class act!
Astrantia ‘Ruby Wedding’ complements the house beautifully.
The leafy, tropical glory that is Rice-paper plant, at just the right scale.
Texture, color, and blooms
Did you attend? Let us know which garden was your favorite in the comments section below.
Click here to see more photos from the 2013 Bainbridge in Bloom tour.
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Thanks for reading our blog. Northwest Construction & Landscape, LLC is a Kitsap County landscaping company that offers landscaping, decorative concrete and lawn maintenance services to homes and businesses across Kitsap and Pierce counties.
