Leisure

Stretch your grocery dollars at the farmer's market

Enjoy the best produce, flowers, and plants starts direct from the garden.

Healthy and fresh
Farmer’s markets are a fantastic source for fresh, seasonal, locally produced foods and artisan products. Plus, you'll find great activities and fun for the whole family. Come experience the markets. Meet the vendors. Meet local cooks. Enjoy the freshest produce and products. Make your own statement in support of local food.

Portland's east side Farmer's Markets

• Fairview Farmers' & Artists' Market
• Gresham Farmers Market
• Hollywood Farmers' Market
• Lents International Farmers' Market
• Lloyd Farmers Market
• Montavilla Farmers Market
• Parkrose Farmers Market
• Portland Farmers Market
• Troutdale Farmers' and Artists' Market

(Complete details on these area markets below)

You'll find plenty of root vegetables, braising greens and lettuces, and of course plant starts for your own vegetable garden.

Bring your reusable shopping bags and plenty of small bills, though some of the markets will trade you a credit/debit card for wooden tokens that all vendors accept, which can be easier to handle than cash. We've indicated those markets that accept EBT or other food assistant coupons.

Learn About Our Local Birds When: Thu Apr 11, 2013 7-9:30PM Where: Gresham City Hall 1333 NW Eastman Pkwy Gresham, OR Get Map!

Backyard Bird Class
You're invited to attend a free spring bird class and learn to identify year-round residents arriving in our yards and parks.

Spring brings thousands of migrating birds to our region; some stay to nest and others pass through. Get ready for great spring birding action with this crash course in identifying spring migrants and summer breeders.

Metro naturalist James Davis will show slides, play some easy bird songs and simplify what seems like a confusing variety of birds to many beginners.

Weed Watcher Workshop When: Tue Apr 16, 2012 7PM-9:30PM Where: Gresham City Hall 1333 NW Eastman Pky Get Map!

Weed identification class
What’s the difference between an invasive, non-native, and noxious weed? What makes an invasive plant invasive? Learn about common and not-so common non-native plants in Gresham, and how you can help prevent them from spreading.

Free workshop. No RSVP required

Help us fight off Gresham’s weedy invaders by participating as a Weed Watcher in our Early Detection, Rapid Response Program. By familiarizing yourself with problem weeds in our area, you can help us stop these plants in their tracks.

1874 Zimmerman House. Click to Enlarge

April Showers Bring... When: Sat Apr, 2013 10AM-3PM Where: Zimmerman Park 17111 NE Sandy Blvd Gresham, OR Get Map!

Come celebrate the colors and smells of Spring with us!

A delightful 1874 Victorian farmhouse
Take a step back into history at the Zimmerman House, a Victorian era farmhouse, built in 1874 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful farmhouse is a perfect reflection of typical Columbia River dairy farm life in the late 1800s. The Zimmerman Heritage Farm is a unique cultural education and recreational resource that is being created for the benefit of the public on a 5.98-acre historic site in Gresham, Oregon.

Celebrate Earth Day Exhibits, Crafts, Tours and More When: Sat Apr 20, 2013 11AM-3PM Where: St Aidan's Episcopal Church 174th & NE Glisan Get Map!

St. Aidan's Episcopal Church in Gresham, in conjunction with We Are Rockwood is holding a celebration of Earth Day on Saturday, April 20, 2013, 11AM-3PM. Events will take place in St' Aidan's Murdock Hall and on the church's park-like grounds.

Activities include environmental exhibits, crafts made from found objects for the kids, tours of Nadaka Nature Park, refreshments, and community information.

Nadaka & SOLVE® Clean-Up Event
Friends of Nadaka and SOLVE® is having a clean up day at Nadaka Nature Park on Saturday morning April 20th from 9AM-1PM. Everyone's invited to participate! Click here to register, or visit the north gate at 175th & NE Pacific St.

Lyrid Meteor Shower, Apr 16-25, 2013

It’s here! April's Shooting Stars   The Lyrid Meteor Shower When :April 22-24, 2013 predawn Where: Northeast night sky near the Constellation Lyra

The Lyrid (pronounced LYR-id) meteor shower last from April 16 to 25, and peaks before dawn April 22, 2013 so anytime over the next few nights, you have an opportunity to see a Lyrid meteor, April’s shooting stars!

Lyrid meteors tend to be bright and often leave trails. About 10-20 meteors per hour at peak can be expected around the peak morning on April 22, 2013 and over the next few days. Plus, the Lyrids are known for uncommon surges that can sometimes bring the rate up to 100 per hour. Those rare outbursts are not easy to predict, but they’re one of the reasons the tantalizing Lyrids are worth checking out.

The radiant for this shower is in the constellation Lyra, which rises in the northeast at about 10PM. In 2013, the waxing gibbous moon lights up the nighttime until the wee hours, so try watching this meteor shower after moonset and before dawn.

Community Forum When: Wed Apr 24, 2013 6:30-8:30PM Rescheduled: May 6, 2013 7PM Where: Gresham City Hall Room 2A 1333 NW Eastman Pky Gresham OR Get Map!

Join us for an open house to review draft changes to City development rules, review processes and fees related to the Food and Beverage Carts and Temporary Uses project.

An open house will begin at 6:30PM and will be followed by the community forum at 7PM.

Inside this Issue

• Help us Share the News
• State of the City: ‘Great Energy Building’
• New Drop Box: Safely Dispose Prescription Meds
• Arbor Day Tree Tag Campaign
• Become a Weed Watcher: Apr 16
• Free Earth Day Recycling Event: Apr 20
• Seniors Need Rides, You Can Help
• City Jobs, Meetings and Community Events

Keep up with what’s Happening in your City!

Rain or Shine! When: Sat Mar 2, 2013 9AM-12PM Where: Hogan Creek Confluence Springwater Wetland 6430 SE 152nd Av Portland OR Get Map!

Get Your Green on!
Join us on Saturday, March 2nd from 9AM-12PM as Johnson Creek Watershed Council (JCWC) hosts its 15th annual Watershed Wide volunteer restoration event. Organizations, individuals, and businesses will gather for a day of ecological stewardship, spring stream-cleaning, and community-building at 12 priority restoration sites throughout the watershed. Registration required (below).

The closest site to the Wilkes East neighborhood is Hogan Creek Confluence- Springwater Wetland (meet at Gresham Operations Center, 6430 SE 152nd Ave.) –work with the City of Gresham to remove blackberry and install native plants in a wetland under restoration near the entrance of the Hogan Creek tributary.

The Pleiades MHCC Planetarium website

Galaxy Treasures When: Mon Mar 04, 2013 Show Times: 7:00PM and 8:15PM Where: Mt Hood Community College Planetarium Sky Theater 26000 SE Stark St Gresham, OR Get Map!

Admission $2. MHCC students are admitted free.
The Sky Theater is wheelchair accessible.

Galaxy Treasures
Join planetarium director Pat Hanrahan as he shows visitors how to locate the planets and prominent constellations, star clusters, galaxies and nebulae. You don't want to miss this exciting monthly star adventure into our universe.

Each 45-minute show is presented under a realistic representation of the night sky, featuring the latest galactic, stellar and planetary images.

Visitors are encouraged to ask questions during each 45-minute program. Children are welcome to attend.