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Use It Again road show, May 4

The Use it Again Seattle Road Show is coming to Ballard High School on Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Seattle residents can drop off or pick up reusable goods - such as furniture, tools, baby items and exercise equipment - at this event.

With the road show, Seattle Public Utilities is hoping to keep usable items from simply going into the trash bin.

SPU will accept clean items in good working condition only, including appliances (except refrigerators), but is not accepting tires, clothing or other textiles and will not accept any household hazardous waste, reusable or not.

The event is free, with no charges for any part of this service. No garbage or recycling will be accepted at the event.

Ballard High School is located at 1418 NW 65th St. (enter around back at NW 67th St.). For details, call 684-8565.

Fern Festival, May 31 - June 1

The Center for Urban Horticulture will hold a "Fern Festival 2002" plant sale on Friday, May 31, from 1-4 p.m., and Saturday, June 1, frm 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Experts will be on hand to answer gardening questions and there will be an evening lecture on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The center is located at 3501 NE 41st St. For details, call the foundation at 329-2062.

U-District Clean Up, May 11

The University Heights Center and Safeco Corp. will co-sponsor the 13th annual University District Community Clean Up on Saturday, May 11. Participants should sign up in at the University Heights Center at 5031 University Way NE. Breakfast and a picnic lunch will be served and the first 100 volunteers will receive a free t-shirt.

This event will take place from 8:30 a.m.-noon For details, call Leah Orlosky at the University Heights Center at 527-4278.

Tip from a Pro Quick & Easy Lawn Removal

Tory Galloway of Piriformis in FreWall says the easiest way to remove your lawn is to not remove it at all! Covering it will block out sunlight and it will eventually die out.

First trim the edges near the sidewalks and pathways. Then spread cardboard or recycled newspapers over it. Next, spread an inch of compost over the cardboard/newspaper cover.

Finally, spread four to eight inches of wood chips (from a certified arborist, not bark!) over the compost. Wait three to six months before planting.

For more help from Tory, call 632-1760 or visit Piriformis at 1051 N. 35th St.

Greenwood Garage Sale a success

The 9th annual Greenwood Garage Sale Day took place on Saturday, April 20, and according to Mary Lee Newman, spokeswoman for the Phinney Neighborhood Association, the nonprofit group that put on the event, it was a success.

Newman said 152 yard sites paid to participate in the sale (up 50 percent from last year) in addition to 25 flea marketers in the Phinney Neighborhood Center parking lot. She estimated that an estimated 2,000-3,000 shoppers attended the event.

While this year's Greenwood Garage Sale Day only netted about $500 for the Phinney Neighborhood Association, Newman said it's not so much the money - it's the smiles that count.

"It's not really a fundraiser," said Newman. "It's just a fun community event."

Tilth edible plant sale, May 4

Seattle Tilth will hold its 20th annual Edible Plant Sale on Saturday, May 4, from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m., at Meridian Park. The park is located behind the Good Shepherd Center at 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N.

The sale will offer many varieties of vegetable starts from organic farms. Carl Elliot, host of public radio station KUOW's organic gardening program, will be on hand with advice on choosing perennials, and Arthur Lee Jacobson, author of "Wild Plants of Greater Seattle, who will display a selection of his favorite herbs. The Edible Plant Sale usually draws about 3,000 visitors.

For details, call Seattle Tilth at 633-0451.