Location: South Seattle
Address: 9026 4th Ave. S.
Acreage: 8.7
For more than 40 years the Marra family, Italian immigrants who arrived in Seattle just after the turn of the last century, farmed the area that is now known as Marra-Desimone Park. The land was sold to them by Joe Desimone, who was an early owner of Pike Place Market. You can read more about the Marras on the parks’ web site.
Marra Farm wasn’t the only farm in the South Park area at that time. And, I imagine a lot of the produce eaten in Seattle during that time was farmed in this part of the city. But, Marra Farm is the only one that remains, thanks to it being set aside as park space.
Today the park is still used as a working community garden by several local organizations, including Seattle Youth Garden Works and Solid Ground’s Lettuce Link to promote gardening, sustainability and food security.
Not a soul was at the park today, but I want to return in the spring and summer to see it bustling with kids and teens proudly harvesting their own organic vegetables.
There is a nice trail that surrounds the garden area and follows a small stream. Picnic tables make it a great place to have lunch and watch the garden in action.
$180,000 of Pro Parks funding was used to make substantial upgrades to the farm in 2007. There are still plans to continue expanding the garden area and making improvements, which you can check out in the park’s master plan.
#93 (Visited 1/12/10)