For the past several years, PCD has had the pleasure of working with PCC Farmland Trust to install a hedgerow and enhance a riparian buffer at the historic Reise farm near Orting (now known as Four Elements Farm). The first 700’ of hedgerow was installed in the spring of 2014; another 1000’ was planted this past spring. In between, volunteers planted 820 trees and shrubs along Ball Creek, a tributary to the Puyallup River whose headwaters start on this property. And how, you might ask, are all these plants doing?

Fortunately, site stewards Susan and Greg Harris, working through PCC Farmland Trust, with support from PCD, visit the site at least once a quarter to check on the condition of the plants they and many others have helped plant. Their latest visit was to the hedgerow in July, and they are happy to report that although thick with horsetails, these plants are doing great! Some blackberry vines were noted, and will hopefully be pulled when Greg and Susan return for their fall monitoring visit. They’ve also taken a peek at the plants along Ball Creek, and have let PCC Farmland Trust know that those plants are doing well, too, but the grass and other weeds need to be tamped down.

If you are interested in adopting a planting site, checking in on it periodically, and doing some light maintenance to keep the plants healthy, let us know!

To get involved with our site stewards program, contact Jayme at jaymeg@piercecountycd.org.