There are two definitions of summer in Corvallis. There’s the standard calendar meaning, that puts the end of summer and start of fall at the end of September. But summer also means the quiet season when OSU students disappear. Neither one is quite over, but both are on the wane. Classes may not begin for another month, but already the streets are busier, the bars a little fuller. If that’s not enough of a sign, the first OSU home football game is this weekend. Fall is coming. But before it does, we still have a few summer-style events around town for the science and nature lover.
Thursday: Edible Garden Tour
As summer slips away, gardening is just hitting its busiest season, at least for finishing and harvesting food. This Thursday, the Corvallis Sustainability Coalition invites community members to tour six of our town’s most vibrant and productive gardens. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, to watch pollinators, or just want a brisk walk around Northeast Corvallis, come out and enjoy these well-tended private gardens, open to the public for one day only.
The 2024 Edible Garden Tour runs from 5-8 pm this Thursday, August 29. For maps of the six gardens, instructions on parking and transit and more, click here.
Saturday: Sunrise Walk at Harkens Lake
Summer mornings are their own particular treat around here. The cool evening air burns off and turns pleasantly warm, before it gets a chance to get hot. While sleeping in can be nice too, at least once a season, everyone should experience a western Oregon summer sunrise. This Saturday is a great chance to do just that. The Greenbelt Land Trust is leading a two-mile walk around Harkens Lake, one of their conservation easement properties along the Willamette River. The Trust has been doing restoration work at Harkens Lake for over a decade, and staff will be on hand to point out the landscape and wildlife that make this place special. Bring your binoculars, if you have them.
The walk begins at 6:15 am this Saturday, August 31, and will last about 3 hours. Registration is required. Click here to register, and for more information.
Saturday: Avery Park Work Party
Speaking of gardens, you can get your hands in the dirt at least one more time this summer, even if you don’t have garden space of your own. This Saturday, the Corvallis chapter of the Native Plant Society of Oregon is hosting a work party to help maintain and improve Avery Park’s native plant garden. The forecast looks sunny, so bring sunblock and a hat, as well as any garden tools if you have them.
The work party starts at 10 am this Saturday, August 31, and goes until noon. Volunteers will meet at the Avery House Nature Center.
Tuesday: Yard Biodiversity Talk
Every square foot of space is an opportunity to make the world a little greener. Whether you have a patio, an apartment balcony, or a big open yard, you can add plants that feed native pollinators and encourage a more sustainable, diverse ecosystem in our city. Next Tuesday, the Washington County Master Gardeners are hosting a webinar, open to communities all over Oregon, entitled “Getting Wild: Seven Steps to Increasing Biodiversity in Your Yard”. The presenter is Lynn Kunstman, a master gardener and master food preserver. Lynn’s quarter-acre plot in Medford is certified for wildlife, pollinators and as a Monarch butterfly waystation.
The webinar runs from 7-8 pm next Tuesday, September 3. Click here to register.
By Ian Rose