To initiate, encourage and support activities that foster long-term sustainability and well-being in the Methow Valley Community.
 
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PSM is growing as an organization, our mission is played out through our projects: Sustinere the journal of Sustainable Community; The Sustainability Series a series of classes and programs on different topics related to Sustainability; and The Annual Harvest Dinner a dinner for folks in the community presented by wonderful volunteers who prepared and present a feast of donated and locally grow food; The Local Source, a local skill, goods and services directory, and through Farm tours and Green Home Tours held each fall.
Our Projects :

Harvest Dinner Our annual harvest celebration held in September. This year's dinner will be September 21st, 2008 at the Wintrhop Barn!

Sustainability Series A bi-monthly series of Sustainability related events consisting of classes to movie showings to inspire and educate. Click here to see the line up for 2008.

SustinereThe fifth issue of our Sustainability Journal, Sustinere, is out! (see Journal page for more information). If you are interested in receiving a copy of the current issue or subscribing to the Journal, please contact us.

THE LOCAL SOURCE : Local Skill, Goods and Services Directory
PSM is proud to announce its newest project: A directory of local skills, goods and services to help re-localize our community. We are currently gathering info from folks who have a skill, good or service; are located in the Methow watershed; and if a business, are owned locally. Please help us compile information by filling out a form to include your skill, good or service. The guide will be published annually and will also be an on-line directory. Donations to help this directory are appreciated. This project has been made possible by a generous grant fron the Community Fund.

Classroom in Bloom Classroom in Bloom is an outdoor centered classroom focused on awakening senses and connecting healthy lifestyles to school cirrculum and food choices.  It is a half-acre garden on the campus of Liberty Bell High School and Methow Valley Elementary School, run by Lexi Koch and Anaka Mines.  This will be its third spring in production where fruit trees, culinary herbs, native plants and perennial flowers will blossom.  Students of all ages, K-12th graders join in to help make the garden glorious and bountiful.  Some lessons taught in the garden include math skills, problem solving, art, creative thinking, building and science education.  Food planted in the garden is used both in the school cafeteria and the Foods class, in order to create nourishing lunches with life and nutrition.  Food that is harvested over the summer is donated to the The Cove, our local food bank.  The program runs under two non-profits, the Partnership for a Sustainable Methow and Room One, and has had generous funding from the Public School Funding Alliance and the Washington Health Foundation. 

In an effort to sustain the rural character of our valley as well as care for the land with love and respect, children need to be taught land stewardship at a young age.  With this knowledge, they can teach their families as well as feel a deeper connection with their homeplace.  It is already obvious the connection the students feel with the garden as they come running out to check on their plants, and ask enthusiastically “are we going out to the garden today?” in mid winter.  Some current garden goals include, reducing waste produced by the schools through increased composting, mulching and education.  As well as increasing the amount of food produced for the cafeteria in order to have more fresh, local food served for lunch.  As students consume more food that they not only help produce but that also nourishes their bodies, the overall health and well being of our community will shine through our children’s eyes.  Volunteers are always needed and welcome to spend time with students during school hours in the garden.

. is a suporter of Classroom in Bloom

Medicine Wheel Website Design collaborated with PSM to create a virtually located bulletin board to help connect folks with needs and extra building materials. Click here to check out the website!


All Content © Copyright 2008 Partnership for a Sustainable Methow
Address: 104 Glover Street, Confluence Gallery Builiding, Suite 209
Mailing Address: PO Box 264, Twisp WA 98856

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