Aging in Place, February 1

Do you have worn or stained blankets, towels or sheets? Let’s put them to good use! 

Please bring them to the Green Tent on Sunday, February 1^st. Our guest, the new MVCC Committee on Aging in Place will collect and donate them to the West LA Animal Shelter and other local animal rescue organizations. 

This rescue organization used over 80 towels on the
day this photo was taken

Stained, frayed, torn...not a problem! They just need to be laundered. Please bring them in reusable shopping bags for easy transport. Once emptied, the bags will be donated to the Mar Vista Farmers' Market share-a-bag station.

With or without items to donate, please stop by and learn about the work the Aging in Place Committee is doing. They would love to hear what your concerns are for aging in place and invite you to sign up for their eblasts.

At some point we all need to downsize or close up a home after the death of a loved one. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure; you just need to find the right person for those gently used items! The MVCC Aging in Place Ad-Hoc Committee has compiled a list of local resources that we can donate to.

The Aging in Place committee meets the third Thursday of each month at Windward School (11350 Palms Blvd.) in Boardroom 800. Contact sherri.akers@marvista.org for more information.

Master Gardeners, January 25

Be sure to stop by the Green Tent this Sunday between 9:00 & 1:00 for a garden tune up session with the UCCE LA County Master Gardeners. 

FREE plants, FREE seeds and your questions answered. 

This month, the MGs are bringing along Swiss Chard, Heirloom Broccoli Raab (rapini), Cilantro, Frisee (ruffled edge salad greens), Heirloom Stir Fry Greens, Snap Peas (the chunky ones) and Snow Peas (think stir fry) - both of which you eat pod and all, some more lovely blue Borage (flowers, herb, tea, medicinal uses), Red and Green Lettuces, and for your cats, Kitty Grass!

Please recycle your plastic six packs by dropping them off with the Master Gardeners so they can continue planting seeds to give away at the Green Tent each month. 

Click here for great monthly gardening tips for Southern California. And remember, be water wise; you can get great information online at: http://bewaterwise.com.

Green Garden Showcase, January 18

A Garden Tour..in January?

No! But stop by the Green Tent this Sunday to learn about the 2015 Mar Vista Green Garden Showcase. There'll be maps of the featured neighborhoods and some photos of what you'll see. California native plants, edible plants, cacti and succulents, chickens... all of these and more will be featured at this year's Showcase on April 25. 

You can also learn more about what makes a garden "sustainable," how to apply for the DWP rebate for taking out your lawn, and how to obtain and use a rain barrel.

Sign up to volunteer! The Garden Showcase is organized by volunteers. The committee can use your help! Contact: green@marvista.org.

Rain Barrels, January 11 - SOLD OUT!

RAIN BARRELS Truckload Sale

Congratulations - we did it again!  We are completely sold out of 280 rain barrels!  Stay tuned for info details for our next rain barrel sale at the Water Wise Expo on March 29th.  

If you ordered a rain barrel, pick it up Sunday, Jan. 11, 8:30a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the Grand View School parking lot (3871 Grand View Blvd.). Click here to pre-order yours  - the supply is limited and will likely be sold out before Sunday. 

Local retailers sell these rain barrels for $130-$150. Rain Barrels International and TreePeople ‘s truckload sale lets you purchase them at cost, for $85 each! MWD/DWP’s SoCalWaterSmart program offers rebates of up to $100 for up to 4 barrels, making the barrels FREE! 

These barrels are a high quality...opaque, metal parts, food grade re-purposed containers that contained no sugar...so no risk of ants. You can collect 275 gallons of rain with 4 barrels. 

Stop by the Green Tent to ask the experts about rain barrels. Tree People will be on hand to tell you everything you need to know about rain barrels: installation, care, how to paint them. They'll also have lots of water saving tips. And you'll have an opportunity to see what the rain barrels look like.

Embrace nature's solution to our emerging water shortage, and explore all the opportunities that fresh, soft chemical free water offers.

Rain barrels have been used for centuries. In recent years, high water bills, global warming and water restrictions have all made the rain barrel more than a gardening tool for those with a green thumb. 

Residential irrigation can account for up to 40% of domestic water consumption. Water conservation measures such as rain barrels can reduce the demand on the municipal water system. During a storm, even a light one, it doesn’t take much time for a rain barrel to fill with enough water for your lawn and plants to thrive. And your plants love rain water!