What is Ballard Sprouts?
At its heart, Ballard Sprouts is about growing vegetable starts to support food justice in our community. We start seeds, nurture them into healthy plant starts, and then donate them to Giving Gardeners—volunteers who grow produce for local food banks—or directly to the Ballard Food Bank, so patrons can grow food for themselves.
This spring, we re-launched this project with a small greenhouse and successfully grew around 400 plant starts. Thanks to generous neighbors and growing community interest, we now have exciting opportunities to expand!
New Garden Space: A Big Opportunity
A neighbor has offered most of his backyard for seed starting and a giving garden. The space already has raised beds, a shed with tools, and a great spot for a greenhouse. There’s a lot of potential—but also a good amount of work to do before we can get planting.
You don’t need a green thumb to help. If you're new to growing food, this is a great way to learn.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities
Sunday, July 20 | 2–5 PM | Weeding Work Party
Location: Near 65th & 23rd
We’ll start by clearing garden beds and paths to prep for fall planting. If time allows, we’ll also begin prepping the future greenhouse site.
Saturday, July 26 | 10 AM – 2 PM | Planting + More Weeding
We should be ready to start seeds, and there will likely be additional garden cleanup needed.
Ongoing Help Needed
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Watering & Garden Care:
Once we’re planted, we’ll create a regular schedule for watering and tending the garden. If you're interested in taking a recurring shift—or being a substitute—please let us know. I’ll likely use SignUpGenius to coordinate.
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Greenhouse Build + Grant Help:
We're currently sourcing materials and writing simple grants to fund the greenhouse. If you’re handy with tools or have experience with grant writing, I’d love your help.
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Scheduling Support:
As our volunteer list grows, we could really use someone to help coordinate shifts and events. If organization is your thing, this is a great way to support!
Contact jenny@sustainableballard.org or RSVP here to let us know how you'd like to be involved. Your time and energy mean so much to this project and the neighbors it serves.