Concordia Neighborhood Association | Portland, Oregon

Organic Tomato Growing

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Gardening

By Jolie Donohue

Spring has sprung full force in Portland. In May we are itching to fill up the edible garden for our summer harvest. Tomatoes are a favorite of gardeners everywhere. One of my all time favorite garden quotes comes from public radio show host Mike McGrath “Everybody wants to grow tomatoes. Tomatoes are the gate way drug to all of gardening.”

Lest we get too eager to start planting tomatoes, here are some tips for successful growing in Portland:

  • Tomatoes like warm weather. They need consistent minimal night temperatures of 55 degrees. In Portland this is typically between May 15-June 1. Planting your tomatoes too early will result in stunted or dead plants.
  • Tomatoes like warm soil. They need consistent soil temperatures of 60 degrees. • Plant your tomatoes into the garden by transplants/start s. Portland does not have a long enough or hot enough summer to facilitate direct seeding tomatoes. If you want to start tomatoes by seed start seeds indoors in mid-February.
  • Tomatoes need a full sun location, ideally south facing, where they receive 8-10 hours a day of sun. They will not set fruit in shady areas.
  • Tomatoes are “heavy feeders ” and appreciate being planted with an organic granular fertilizer, which will slow release to your plants through out the season.
  • Tomatoes are prone to blossom end rot. To prevent the disease blossom end rot, add a calcium source into the planting hole, such as a spoonful each of rock phosphate or bone meal and lime.
  • Tomatoes have very long root systems (3-4 feet) and they ne ed plenty of room to grow. Make sure your planting bed is deep enough for the tomato’s roots.
  • Tomatoes are big plants and need proper spacing to thrive. Give the plants plenty of space between each other, at least 4 feet wide per plant.
  • Tomatoes need support. They have dense branches laden wit h heavy fruit. Install a tomato cage or other support system at planting time to preven t later damage to your plant.
  • Tomatoes don’t need a lot of water. Be consistent with a deep watering a few times per week throughout the growing season. Inconsistent watering c ontributes to fruit splitting and blossom end rot.
  • Tomato plants take several months to produce in Portland. Expect your harvest to begin in late August and end in October when cold temperatures ha ve set in.
  • Rotate your crops. Do not grow your tomatoes in the same place every year. This will create disease and pest problems. Use a 4-year rotation for all edible crops.

For more information visit www.jolieanndonohue.com

Part 3: The Alberta District and its bungalow grocery

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, History

The life and times of a neighborhood store and its people

by Doug Decker, historian

This is the third of a four-part series about the early days of the Alberta business district, written by Northeast Portland neighborhood historian Doug Decker. To read more of Doug’s research and writing— or to read the full text of the early news stories mentioned here—visit his blog

The bungalow grocery at NE 27th and Going at low ebb, about 2002. This photograph shows just how far down the building had faded during its later years and why it was a leading candidate for the wrecking ball. Photo courtesy of Chad Crouch.
The bungalow grocery at NE 27th and Going at low ebb, about 2002. This photograph shows just how far down the building had faded during its later years and why it was a leading candidate for the wrecking ball. Photo courtesy of Chad Crouch.

Picking up where we left off, one of our favorite momand-pop grocery stores, at the northwest corner of NE 27th and Going, had risen from a vacant lot in the midst of the Alberta District’s 1909 muddy streets, to a men’s clothing store in 1911, to a vibrant neighborhood grocery run by a local family from 1921 to 1943. The photo featured in the April edition of Concordia News showed proprietor Agnes Coulter out front of the store—Alameda Park Grocery—in its prime.

But during the war years, like so many things, shopping patterns were changing.

In 1943, Isabelle Coulter sold her pride and joy to Charles and Vera Fiebke who held it for just a year before selling it to Henry and Ruth Rieckers, who owned the business until 1953. During this decade, the business was referred to as “Rieckers” and as “Rieckers Grocery.” A classified advertisement in The Oregonian on March 3, 1953 indicated the Rieckers were retiring and putting the business up for sale, asking $6,500.

On June 24, 1953, the property was purchased from the Rieckers by John Henry Moad and his wife Lucy Jane Moad. They operated the store—as Moad’s Grocery—from 1953 to 1961 when it was sold to Robert A. and Louise M. Klatke, who changed the name to Bob’s Quik Stop Market. But the Klatkes didn’t hang on for long.

An article in The Oregonian on June 29, 1962 reports a robbery at Bob’s Quick Stop. Klatke, age 56, was robbed with a knife to his throat. A few months later, he and Louise put the store back on the market, selling it to Agnes Martin on November 2, 1962. Then, sometime during the mid-1960s, the building ceased functioning as a store.

By that time, mom and pop neighborhood grocery stores were having a hard time hanging on. The whole retail grocery business was changing and local grocery stores were quickly becoming convenience rather than primary shopping locations. (To read more about local shops that once served the neighborhood, check out www.alamedahistory.org and click on the story When Mom and Pop Stores Ruled.)

The Martin family owned the property for the next six years and at least one reference to the building shows it as the Mt. Zion Church of God in Christ. The Polk City Directory for 1965 shows the building as vacant, and in 1967, it is listed simply as L.S. Martin. On September 17, 1968, the Martins sold the property to Carl E. Bass (son) and Viola Matheson (mother). Bass, who was a potter, turned the space into an artist’s studio and lived in the property until his death in April 2001 at the age of 73.

The property was purchased from the Bass estate by investor/developers George and Isabelle Zitcak, who held it for just four months before selling it in April 2002 to Chad Crouch and Sheryl Eckrich. This is where the story gets interesting, which will be the subject of our final installment in the next edition of Concordia News.

2nd Annual Spring Alley Clean Up and Revitalization

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News

Story and photos by Carl Jameson

Concordia’s alleys are an underutilized community asset according to Garlynn Woodsong, Chair, CNA Land Use & Transportation Committee (LUTC) and cleaning them up is the first step toward their revitalization. To that end 30 volunteers, mostly students from Concordia University, fanned out over the 120 alleys in the Concordia neighborhood and picked up trash and other debris on Sat., April 16.

What they found wasn’t surprising. The alleys were littered with cardboard, paper, plastics and the occasional tire. Some of the alleys were blocked wit h mud, blackberry vines and laurel bushes making passage by impossible. “Once we pick up these alleys people will see this sort of neglected space where they can walk their dog, or go for a walk with their kids, or maybe imagine planting some flowers and improving the muddy surface with permeable pavers or just new load of gravel.” said Woodsong.

Alleys are a public right-of-way, but, like sidewalks, their maintenance is the responsibility of adjacent private property owners. Many were once used for car access to the garages in back of homes, but have since been abandoned. Woodsong said, “What we are really trying to do is inspire the adjacent private property owners to band together and start maintaining or improving this neglected public right of way.”

Concordia residents interested in alleys or any other issue related to land use and transportation are invited to attend the Concordia Neighborhood Association Land Use and Transportation Committee (CNA LUTC) meetings at 7p.m. on the third Wednesday of the month, in the Community Room in the SE corner of McMenamins Kennedy School. Click here to join the LUTC mailing list.

The new Faubion PK- 8/Concordia University building breaks ground under sunny skies

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Concordia News, Schools

More than 400 students, educators, elected officials, and community members gathered on the warm, sunny morning of April 7 to break ground and celebrate the development of a signature new facility for education in Portland.

“This is how we turn hope into opportunity,” said City of Portland Mayor Charlie Hales.

The new building will combine Portland Public Schools’ Faubion School and the Concordia University College of Education. In addition, Trillium Family Services joins them in collaborating to create 3 to PhD® – a new model for education that aims to create safer, healthier and more educated communities.

Prior to the Groundbreaking Ceremony much construction has happened at the Faubion site. In February demolition crews took down the old building to make way for the new, and within a couple of weeks the buildings were gone. All scrap metals were recycled, thousands of bricks will be reused and all the asphalt and concrete are being recycled and reused on site. At the end of February construction began with foundations for the new building being poured. As March came to an end more foundations were prepared for pouring and seismic sheer walls began to rise from the ground.

Tribute & fundraiser for Melody Winn May 22

Posted on by Posted in Arts & Culture

Key figure in Fernhill Park Playground Project succumbing to cancer

By Rachel Ivey

We don’t always know who to thank for the things that make our community what it is. Some fit in so seamlessly or are so vital that it’s hard to imagine ever having been without them. Yet the playground at Fernhill Park is just such a place. Beautiful, functional, fun. But there was a time when it didn’t exist. Making it what it is today was an uphill battle, championed primarily by two women; one of them was Melody Winn, the former owner and lead teacher of Our Place Preschool.

Opened in 1999, Our Place was home to over six hundred children in the 30+ years it was in operation. In childcare, the days can be long and exhausting, no matter how full of joy. It’s impossible to overstate how impressed I am that Melody found the time to undertake the Fernhill Playground project. Talking with her about the multi-year challenge to raise the funds for it, I came away with a small sense of how she managed.

“I have always been a very positive person and have given 200% all of my life…I worked 60 hours a week with the children and it wouldn’t be unusual…to work another 20 hours in the evenings and weekends,” Melody said.

All of the work she and fellow community member Anne Rothert did paid off eight years later as their efforts, (combined with a contribution from the Parks Bureau) raised over $90,000 for the structure. The voices of Melody and Anne in the community attracted helping hands for all the various hurdles, such as design, and meeting city requirements.

Heartbreakingly, Melody has since been forced to change gears. On April 6th last year, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a year to live. Her decision to close Our Place was a devastating one, but necessary.

“I wasn’t able to offer the children all…they deserved and I didn’t want to be around them if I was going to die quickly,” Melody said.

Despite the sudden change of pace, she hasn’t been bored. As we turned the corner into spring, Melody looked forward to a group of former students coming over to make pizza. There, she told her visitors of finishing her volunteer training at Doernbecher Children’s hospital.

“I have to say that my love for children has paid off…I have so many children who come to visit me… they tell me over an over how much I meant to them…I feel good that I was able to touch other people’s lives and it makes me feel like I did right with my time here.”

I can’t think of a more beautiful legacy than a community of happy children and a place we can all watch them play. Come thank Melody Winn in person at a fundraiser and community party at The Spare Room on Sunday, May 22nd from 6pm-9pm. Proceeds will help Melody with travel expenses for treatment.

Rachel Ivey is a mother, owner and operator of Room To Grow Childcare and researcher of all things home and child. She is proud to have her nest and business in the heart of Concordia. For tips, tricks, and advice on thriving with children, please feel free to contact roomtogrowportland@gmail.com.

CNA continues efforts to connect community, help those in need

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Concordia News

Chair’s Corner

Greetings Neighbor – Thanks for checking back in with me. As you may have already noticed, the Concordia newspaper has been transformed visually to rival any other Portland newsletter now in publication. As CNA Chair, it has been a priority to help us connect with one another, and Concordia News is by far the best mechanism to do so.

Fortunately my goals have been supported by like-minded believers in the First Amendment. CNEWS has always been available to readers who wish to dig deeper into community issues. But like so many books on library shelves that don’t get read unless the cover is attractive, CNEWS was in need of a makeover.

We believe the improvement in the paper’s readability will make it more enjoyable for everyone. It is not our intention, however, to make the publication just a pretty face — we also aspire to produce a publication with more muscle and content.

In our push for journalistic quality, we did create a bit of a monster. Over the last four months CNEWS has risen to a high level of professionalism guided by volunteers. These folks did so with the hopes that other volunteers would step in to continue these efforts. But in the process we realized that a professional paper was going to need a professional staff, so the CNA board is carefully considering pay for several key positions.

The decision to do this is based on the realization that if we do not, CNEWS will go back to being at best a newsletter – with limited opportunity for growth and improvement. We will keep you up to speed on the paper’s progress. We welcome your feedback and input, and also invite you to take pen in hand and write about that which you are most passionate.

We are also fortunate to have Sean Duffy join the board. He will be representing the Northwest 2 district of CNA. More about Sean in the next issue of Concordia News but for now, let me just say it is was great to see a person under 30 who stood up to join with us in making our community one in which we can be proud. Our board now has an amazing level of diversity regarding age and interests; and it’s critical that we recognize the importance of diversity to our future.

Parenting as grandparents
 From time-to-time, I have heard comments about grandparents and others who have taken on the role of parent. They are often overwhelmed by the enormous task in front of them when close to retirement and looking forward to the “Golden Years.” I am the grandparent of a 4 year-old and 2 year-old and I help out with them occasionally. I have to tell you, it is one tough job, even when parttime — I can’t imagine going alone on this.

Ironically, I was asked to attend a grandparents support group (Ties That Bind) by Betty Harris to see if CNA might assist in getting the word out and/ or to provide ideas for grandparents or others who find themselves desperate for help in figuring out how to raise a child in today’s environment. This situation is cause for alarm, as some children are truly at risk. We can, and should, help as we are one of the resources that can bring a personal touch of support as neighbors. I have asked Ties that Bind representatives to submit a regular column in the Concordia News, so watch for upcoming articles to see how you might help, and certainly to see if there is information that can help you with your grandkids.

Reaching out to Concordia University on land use issues
I recently had the opportunity to meet with Concordia University Administration to discuss working together to develop a strategy for influencing design for new student housing construction while being sensitive to neighborhood character. The meeting was initiated as a result of some neighbors’ concerns about preliminary plans and a desire to have input into final design.. The meeting was initiated as a result of some neighbors’concerns about preliminary design plans and a desire to have input into final design.

University administration and I were in agreement on the necessity of early communication of planned activities so that we are part of the process and not at the end critiquing something that could have been avoided up front.

The University, like any one individual or business in our community, is a vital part of the fabric that binds us together and I believe it is important for all of us to promote each other’s progress and well-being.

It is for that reason I am going to encourage each institution and business to provide a liaison to CNA Board meetings, as we are all integrally connected and dependent for mutual success. More next month on CNA and Concordia News progress.

Isaac Quintero
Chair/Concordia Neighborhood Association

CNA May General Membership Meeting – Tuesday May 10, 7-8:30pm, Kennedy School (Board Meeting 6pm)

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Events
CNA May General Membership Meeting
Tuesday May 10, 2016, 7:00pm-8:30pm
CNA Community Room @ Kennedy School
The CNA Board of Directors will meet at 6pm immediately prior to the General Meeting. Public welcome!
2016 CNA BOARD: I. Quintero, Chair; C. Lopez, V. Chair: A. Novak, Sec.; R. Bowles, Treas.; J. Culhane; D. Dennis; S. Duffy; S. Elder; D. Greenstadt; I. Harris; T. Neal; G. Woodsong
Agenda (DRAFT)
7:00     Welcome & Introductions
7:05     Announcements
                1. CNews paid staff proposal
                2. CNA Spring Clean up – Saturday, May 14
                3. Treasurer’s Report – Need to recruit a new CNA Treasurer
                4. New CNA Facebook page
7:15     CNA Committee Reports
                — Media (5 mins)
                —  LUTC (5 mins)
                —  Social (5 mins)
                — Policies & Procedures
7:30     LUTC presentation
7:45     Earthquake Preparedness Presentation – Don Francis of Ecotech & Jeremy Van Keuren of NET
8:30     Adjournment

Making Space for You on Mother’s Day

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Health and Wellness

It is no mistake that as our days get longer, and spring gifts us with more time and energy, our lives get busier, especially if you are a Mother. Some days I feel like I just don’t get time to breathe. I am a mother of three, domestic goddess and homemaker, wife, teacher, and human being- which is like having a few full-time jobs.

I know I am not alone in that story. It’s the way we do life. It’s the way we survive. It’s installed into our genetics; Master Multi-Tasker! This is also why I am a big supporter of self-care and rest. I actually find time to make space for ME because I know that if I am not grounded, centered, and nourished, I have nothing to offer others in my life. That might require that I go for a walk by myself after dinner instead of sitting around – or that I get up an hour earlier than my children to journal and drink my tea in silence. But I have learned the value of this time and space. It gives me my happiness and my sanity.

Here are some simple ways, that I hope you find helpful, to begin a new habit and give yourself a gift:

Get out of Your House!
Leave the place that you constantly clean, but it doesn’t ever seem to stay that way. Changing up the venue – taking a walk, going for a hike, moving your body in a yoga or dance class – or just going outside to take a few deep breaths while leaving the mess behind can do wonders to make you feel peaceful again.

Connect with a Friend
My best friend and I love to go soak at a local spa and sauna. It is so relaxing. I also enjoy visiting with friends while sipping a warm beverage at a local café and just getting real about the life we are living. Relationships are essential to living a life fulfilled.

Make a Gratitude List
Nothing shifts the bad story I have playing in my head about how I did not do enough, or make the right decision, or whatever the judgement is that is keeping me grouchy. I will just write it down wherever I am if my journal is not within reach, and let my life regain a sense of perspective.

Read a Few Pages and Reflect
I tend to be an all-or-nothing type person; it’s either chocolate or vanilla, read a whole book or don’t bother, but this kind of thinking is what stresses me out. I give myself permission to read a page (or paragraph) or two of something inspiring, and then I will contemplate it, meditate on it, or write about it. It’s a great practice to cultivate positivity.

This Mother’s Day, I hope you find time to give yourself what you deserve, and if you are the partner to a wonderful Mama, then give her the best gift of all; some space to rejuvenate.

Jennifer Allison is a parent-child teacher and early childhood educator at Gnome’s Home. Please go to http://gnomeshome.org/ for more information on classes for children and adults.

Save your home: CNA May 10 general membership meeting to include earthquake preparedness info

Posted on by Posted in CNA, Concordia News
Megaquakes (8.7–9.2) occur regularly in the Pacific Northwest. The last mega quake that shook Portland occurred on January 26, 1700. For the past 10,000 years, the average time between mega quakes has been 300 years. The next one could happen tomorrow. The next mega quake will shake the foundations from Vancouver, BC to northern California. It will be the largest natural disaster in U.S. history, dwarfing Hurricane Katrina in damage, suffering and costs.
Don Francis of Ecotech and City of Portland Neighborhood Emergency Team coordinator Jeremy Van Keuren will speak at the Concordia Neighborhood Association’s general meeting May 3rd.  They’ll share information on how prepare the inevitable big one and getting involved with a Neighborhood Emergency Team. The meeting will take place in the Community Room of McMenamin’s Kennedy School from 7 to 8:30pm.
In Portland, thousands of people will die and tens of thousands will be injured. Thousands and thousands of Portlander’s will be homeless, as homes built before 1980 slip off their foundations, crumple and collapse. “These houses are most vulnerable because unattached houses can slip off the foundations during a quake and sustain much more damage than would have occurred had they been retrofitted.”, said Francis.
Not all damage will be physical. The equity in the house they live in is where the wealth is stored for most middle class Americans. For unprepared homeowners, an earthquake can not only destroy their  homes, if they survive, it can also leave them with nothing except a mortgage payment for a house that no longer exists. Bankruptcy may be final aftershock.We cannot prevent earthquakes. We can, however, be prepared.

Culinary Herb Gardening

Posted on by Posted in Concordia News, Gardening

By Jolie Donohue, The Gardening Goddess

Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal and spiritual. Generally herbs are defined as any plant used for flavoring, food, medicine or perfume.

Culinary use typically distinguishes herbs from spices based on the part of the plant that is used. An herb refers to plants used for their green leafy parts—either fresh or dried.

A spice is a culinary product from another part of the plant such as seeds, berries, bark, roots and fruits. Some plants are used both as herbs and spices, such as dill weed and dill seed or cilantro leaves and coriander seeds.

Many herbs are beautiful as ornamental plants in the garden. In addition to their fragrance, herbs have a wide variety of colors, textures and shapes to delight all the senses.

Growth habits of some common culinary herbs are:

  • Evergreen woody perennials: bay laurel, lavender, rosemary, and lemon verbena
  • Evergreen perennials: thyme
  • Herbaceous perennials: bee balm, chives, fennel, lovage, mints, oregano, roman chamomile, sage, tarragon.
  • Biennials: angelica and parsley
  • Annuals: basil, chervil, cilantro, dill, and German chamomile

Most herbs prefer well-drained soil and need full sun, 6-8 hours a day. Direct sunlight is needed to achieve maximum flavor and fragrance. Herbs grown in the shade become leggy and lack intense flavor. Some herbs that can be grown in partial shade are mints, lemon balm, chervil and wintergreen. Some herbs that can be grown in full shade are angelica, sweet woodruff and yerba buena.

Notorious for thriving in poor soil, most herbs do not need much fertilizer. Watering depends on the season, the location, and the type of herb. In the warm dry weather of summer, herbs grown in containers dry out more quickly than herbs grown in the ground. Once established, most herbs are quite drought tolerant.

Pinching back new growth as it emerges will develop a bushier growth habit and a fuller appearance for basil, and most other herbs. Herbs that develop into a woody shrub, like rosemary or lavender, can be pruned after flowering. Herbaceous perennials like mints, bee balm, and sage can be cut back to a few inches above the soil during the winter.

Harvest fresh herbs as needed for cooking. Morning is the best time to harvest herbs, as that’s when they have the most flavors. Leaves have the highest levels of oils when the blooms just begin to appear.

To dry herbs, hang small bunches from the ceiling in a dry, dark location with good ventilation for one to two weeks. Store dried herbs in a clean sealed glass jar in a cool dark place. Consider making herbal pesto and freezing in an ice cube tray. These make great winter additions to soups, stews, sauces, and salad dressing.