Other News
Apr 25, 2025: New Daily Service Schedule, Growing Ridership & Other Insights on County’s Pilot Transport Services
Apr 24, 2025: Building and Land Use Permits, Long-Range Planning Projects, & Staff Recruitments: DCD Leadership Provides Spring Update
Apr 4, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Transportation Element, Plan Intro, & Administration Piece Ready for Review
Mar 19, 2025: San Juan County Establishes Interim Inter-Island Transportation Services as RFP Process Continues
Mar 7, 2025: 2025 Comp Plan Update: Climate Element and Draft Official Map Amendments Available for Review
Mar 6, 2025: Governor Ferguson announces plan to restore Washington State Ferries to full service by this summer
Mar 4, 2025: Public Meeting: Land Bank Using Prescribed Fires to Manage Wildfire Risks & Restore Ecosystems
Feb 19, 2025: San Juan County Seeks Proposals from Transportation Service Providers for Pilot Project
Feb 12, 2025: Call for Candidates: Three-Day Special Filing Period for Lopez Metropolitan Park District Commissioners
Jan 19, 2025: Four districts, six unions, three PTAs, and county leadership all agree: legislators must take action to fully fund education no
Dec 19, 2024: San Juan County Parks and Fair Announces New Camping Software; Delaying Reservation Availability
Dec 10, 2024: County Council Considers Extending Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste to Allow for More Collaboration
Dec 5, 2024: San Juan County to Consider Updated Interlocal Agreement with Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District
Dec 2, 2024: San Juan County Council Sets Public Hearing for Cultural Access Sales Tax at Dec. 10 Meeting
Nov 25, 2024: San Juan County Celebrates Completion of Lopez Skate Park and Calls for Inaugural Skaters
Nov 7, 2024: How Has Extreme Weather Impacted You? Participate in the County’s Climate Resilience Planning Effort
Nov 1, 2024: UPDATE: Sea Wall Repairs Temporarily Close MacKaye Harbor Dock and Boat Ramp on Lopez Island
Oct 22, 2024: DRAFT North Shore Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Oct 21, 2024: Reminder: You’re Invited to Attend Open Houses for the 2025 Comp Plan Update This Fall
Oct 1, 2024: LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF THE SAN JUANS SPONSORS OCTOBER COUNTY COUNCIL VOTER FORUMS ON SJI, ORCAS, AND LOPEZ
Sep 24, 2024: County Hosts Community Meeting on Lopez Island to Discuss Public Safety during Hunting Season
Sep 24, 2024: SJC Reviews Shoreline Habitat & Infrastructure Adaptation Strategies in the face of Sea Level Rise
Sep 23, 2024: DRAFT Watmough Bay Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Aug 29, 2024: San Juan County’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging Survey Sets Baseline for Ongoing Change
Aug 27, 2024: 2024 San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners Gardening Workshop Series, October 15-24, 2024
Aug 27, 2024: County Representatives Discuss Solutions to Ferry Service Disruptions with Governor Inslee
Aug 21, 2024: County Council’s Request to Governor for Relief from Ferry Service Disruptions Not Fulfilled
Aug 20, 2024: San Juan County Certifies Primary Election Results & Celebrates Highest Primary Turnout in Years
Aug 13, 2024: WSF Commits Additional Crews to Interisland Route to Ensure Service During County Fair Week
Aug 13, 2024: Ferry Data from Staff and Local Partners Shapes Council Request for ‘Executive Relief’ From WA State
Aug 5, 2024: The Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival returns to Lopez for its 27th Summer Concert Season
May 2, 2024: WA State Governor and Assistant Secretary of WSF Talk Ferry Service & Solar Power with SJC Officials
Apr 11, 2024: Community Meeting: Sea Level Rise Adaptation for Outer Bay and Agate Beach Areas on Lopez Island
Mar 11, 2024: Queers in Unexpected Places: Searching for (and Finding) Gender and Sexual Non-Conformity in the Rural and Early PNW
Mar 7, 2024: DRAFT Richardson Marsh Preserve Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Dec 5, 2023: County Council Member Jane Fuller and Senator Liz Lovelett to Host Public Meeting on Lopez
Nov 3, 2023: County and Town Send Open Letter to State Officials Regarding Impacts of Poor Ferry Service
Sep 29, 2023: Conservation Land Bank Announces Special Meeting to Discuss Watmough Bay Preserve Addition
Sep 14, 2023: The mobile dental van is coming to Lopez! // ¡La camioneta dental móvil ya llega a López!
Aug 22, 2023: San Juan County Adopts 32-Hour Work Week in the Name of Fiscal Health, Recruitment, and Islander Wellness
May 25, 2023: Recap of Lopez Neighborhood Meeting Regarding the Relocation of Public Works Facilities
May 23, 2023: District 3 Councilmember Jane Fuller Opens Office on Lopez and Hosts Community Conversation
Apr 17, 2023: Give Lopez Starts April 17th - A two week fundraiser benefiting 15 Lopez Island Non-Profits
Sep 22, 2022: Interim Watmough Preserve Addition Stewardship and Management Plan Now Open for Public Comment
Growing Community in Fertile Ground
Aug 24, 2021
By Migael Scherer
Once hidden behind thick brambles and a fortress-like fence, Fertile Ground is becoming more visible, enthusiastically connecting with Lopez Island.
This community garden in the heart of the Village is steadily attracting visitors with its abundance of flowers, fruit trees, and produce.
Fertile Ground sits on the south side of the Farmers Market. Most of us walk right past it, discouraged by the high fence, distracted by Saturday’s vendors and crowds, or the shops and traffic on the street. Those who see the Welcome sign and open the garden’s gazebo-like gate enter a different world. The hum of bees is constant. The color, texture, variety, fragrance and size of the plantings are a delight. Each plot is different, like the gardeners who rent, plant and tend them.
Fertile Ground began in 1998 with Sally Bill’s transformative donation of almost four acres of land given for a variety of possibilities that have come to fruition: Lopez Children’s Center, Farmer’s Market and the open space known as Sally’s Garden that includes the community garden. Community members designed and constructed the original fences, gates and shed. Over the years the gardeners, in collaboration with Lopez Center for Community and the Arts, have taken responsibility for development and maintenance.
Today Fertile Ground provides more than space for a dozen Island families to garden. It’s a peaceful place for everyone to visit, to learn and to share. This past year the gardeners helped feed the community with grow-a-row contributions and displayed their gardens on the virtual Home Tour. They continue to explore new ways to encourage visitors.
But a garden cannot grow without water. For over 20 years, water for Fertile Ground has been collected in a shallow well that fills during the rainy season and is then pumped to a nearby 46,000 gallon galvanized steel storage tank. Long past its useful life, the liner in the tank is failing. It needs to be replaced this fall.
Fertile Ground gardeners are hopeful that, with community support, funds can be raised to replace the tank liner. With the help of an anonymous $2000 match and a Lopez Garden Club gift of $500, they have already raised $9,500 toward their goal of $16,000.
This quiet treasure in our Village - this refuge of bright flowers and ripening fruit in our busiest season - needs your help.
Together, we can ensure that Fertile Ground will continue to nourish Lopezians for decades to come. To make a tax deductible donation for the water tank liner give online at
www.fertilegroundonlopez.org or mail a check to LCCA-FG at P.O. 291 Lopez Island, WA 98261. Lopez Center for Community and the Arts (LCCA), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit serving our community. To learn more or to join the plot wait list please contact Mo Pomietto,
[email protected].
Fertile Ground sits on the south side of the Farmers Market. Most of us walk right past it, discouraged by the high fence, distracted by Saturday’s vendors and crowds, or the shops and traffic on the street. Those who see the Welcome sign and open the garden’s gazebo-like gate enter a different world. The hum of bees is constant. The color, texture, variety, fragrance and size of the plantings are a delight. Each plot is different, like the gardeners who rent, plant and tend them.
Fertile Ground began in 1998 with Sally Bill’s transformative donation of almost four acres of land given for a variety of possibilities that have come to fruition: Lopez Children’s Center, Farmer’s Market and the open space known as Sally’s Garden that includes the community garden. Community members designed and constructed the original fences, gates and shed. Over the years the gardeners, in collaboration with Lopez Center for Community and the Arts, have taken responsibility for development and maintenance.
Today Fertile Ground provides more than space for a dozen Island families to garden. It’s a peaceful place for everyone to visit, to learn and to share. This past year the gardeners helped feed the community with grow-a-row contributions and displayed their gardens on the virtual Home Tour. They continue to explore new ways to encourage visitors.
But a garden cannot grow without water. For over 20 years, water for Fertile Ground has been collected in a shallow well that fills during the rainy season and is then pumped to a nearby 46,000 gallon galvanized steel storage tank. Long past its useful life, the liner in the tank is failing. It needs to be replaced this fall.
Fertile Ground gardeners are hopeful that, with community support, funds can be raised to replace the tank liner. With the help of an anonymous $2000 match and a Lopez Garden Club gift of $500, they have already raised $9,500 toward their goal of $16,000.
This quiet treasure in our Village - this refuge of bright flowers and ripening fruit in our busiest season - needs your help.
Together, we can ensure that Fertile Ground will continue to nourish Lopezians for decades to come. To make a tax deductible donation for the water tank liner give online at
www.fertilegroundonlopez.org or mail a check to LCCA-FG at P.O. 291 Lopez Island, WA 98261. Lopez Center for Community and the Arts (LCCA), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit serving our community. To learn more or to join the plot wait list please contact Mo Pomietto,
[email protected].
