Enjoy an urban garden party Sept. 12 at Seattle Tilth's Harvest Fair

With autumn in the air, so begins the time-honored tradition of celebrating the harvest. Although we're more than a few miles from our rural roots, Seattle's got its own urban-style harvest party at Seattle Tilth's Harvest Fair on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Whether you're a new or experienced gardener, foodie, or urban homesteader, the annual event at Wallingford's Good Shepherd Center is a primo opportunity to stock up on everything you'll need to keep your garden growing into the fall and winter months. Hang out, enjoy live music, and shop the Urban Marketplace for locally made goods such as soap, organic clothing, honey, jams, jellies, teas and chocolate.

Locally grown plants, including fall veggie starts, natives, ornamentals and fruit-bearing shrubs will be in abundance, as will gardening gear. If you're into canning, preserving, or major cooking to freeze for the season, be sure and visit the organic farmers market; it's a great time of year to buy fresh produce in bulk, as the harvest is abundant.

If you're new to food preservation, take advantage of the free canning demo with master food canner/food preserver (and founder of the Seattle Free School) Jessica Dally from 2 to 4 p.m. Additional workshops and chef demos are offered throughout the day.

When you've had enough of shopping, stop by and say hello to urban livestock such as backyard chickens, goats and bees, or chow down on tasty food and snacks featuring fresh, local ingredients. Kids get to hang out in the Children's Garden where they can make garden crafts, explore the worm bin, get their faces painted and join in on the Kids' Parade.

"People see the value of food that is grown locally," says Andrea Platt Dwyer, executive director of Seattle Tilth. "Whether you are growing some of your own food, or buying it from a local farm, people care about the quality of their food and the health of the environment.  The Harvest Fair is a chance to celebrate this community effort.  It's basically a big festive party with opportunities to learn something, too, and everyone's invited."

A complete schedule of activities, participating farmers, vendors and organizations can be found at www.seattletilth.org.

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