Pelican Tea Garden Collective P-Patch

Pelican Tea Garden Collective P-Patch July 2012
 

Pelican Tea Garden Collective P-Patch July 2012

Pelican Tea Garden Collective P-Patch July 2012

Pelican Tea Garden Collective P-Patch July 2012

 

Pelican Tea Garden Collective P-Patch July 2012

The Pelican Tea Garden must be the funkiest P-Patch in Seattle.  It is set perpendicular to the alley that runs behind The Kingfish Cafe between 19th Avenue E & 20th Avenue E, & between E Roy Street & E Mercer Street on Capitol Hill.  The setting is steeped in century-old, brick, urban charm.  It is quiet, shaded & almost hidden.  Established in 2001, the garden covers just 1,000 square feet on land owned by the Seattle Department of Transportation.  There are no individual plots.  This is a collective garden, a place that gives socialism a good name.  Members of the collective agree to abide to the consensus method for major decisions & should not take individual action without working with the whole garden.  All active members have the opportunity to vote.  While much is voted upon, there are times when individuals must act & it is expected that actions will be made with the collective in mind.  This makes me think of the time, early in the 20th century, when people spoke of the 47 United States & the Soviet of Washington.  James Farley, Postmaster under FDR, said in 1936, 'There are 47 states in the Union, and the Soviet of Washington.'  He alluded to the leftist movements in the state, particularly in Seattle where labor movements occurred post WWI when unsatisfactory efforts were made to improve wages after war-time wage controls.  Click here to see more Seattle P-Patches.