By Jennifer O’Brien, 2012 Harvest Banquet Coordinator

On Sunday, October 20, P-Patchers from all around Seattle gathered to celebrate the season at the annual P-Patch Harvest Banquet. The Jefferson Center gymnasium was full of laughter and yummy smells as our potluck lunch got underway. The attendance this year was so good the organizers had to continually add more tables to accommodate all the wonderful people that came out. In addition, to all the AMAZING food that people brought to share, Pinehurst, Judkins and Capitol Hill Republican P-Patches all donated beauiful fresh picked flowers that dressed the room and sang the season.

As part of the program, 17-year-old nonprofit founder Mariana Moralas of the SWAG Project spoke about how food programming changed her direction in life, while Seattle City Councilmember Jean Godden spoke about her own efforts in gardening and how proud she is of our P-Patch program. Karen Gordon and Rich MacDonald of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods asked which P-Patches were represented only to find the 2012 Banquet was the most diverse group in years! To close the event, Beacon Hill resident Max Larkin and his brother Dillon played a delightful set of P-Patch-inspired Beatles’ covers that made the cleanup a joy and inspired a small, but lively dance party!

Next year when you see the signs go up in your local shed for the Annual P-Patch Harvest Banquet make sure to put it in your calendar, because you do NOT want to miss this community festival of good time and GREAT people!

A special thanks to the 20+ volunteers that helped make this day special and to WiserOrganic Fertalizer for providing a fabulous giveaway while supplies lasted.