Join us for Green Friday and Small Business Saturday!

What are you doing right after Thanksgiving?

At the holidays, shouldn’t you be spending time with family and friends instead of wasting money on imported plastic junk?  Well, this year is your chance to break the Black Friday habit, and choose community instead of commercialism.

Check out these great tips to simplify your holiday season, from the Center for a New American Dream.

Then, stop by Community Forklift on

Green Friday (Nov. 28)

or Small Business Saturday (Nov. 29).

Yes, yes, we’ll be holding a big sale, but the emphasis of our celebration is really on relaxing and spending time with friends and neighbors!

******

HOT CIDER

So what do we have planned for the big party?  Well, cocoa and hot cider to keep you warm, of course!  We will have some cookies, but you like to bake, feel free to bring some of your treats to share too.

******

NEIGHBORS!

Get to know your fellow Forklift Fans! Gentle four-legged friends on leashes are welcome to join the fun too.

Forklift Fan Charles warms up with hot cider, and an “Upcycle Joy” scarf from our Mistletoe Market

 

******

MUSIC

Our old friends DJ One HeART and DJ Livi are going to rock our socks off with some great tunes (Friday and Saturday, 12pm – 4pm).

 

 ******

A CHANCE TO CREATE HANDMADE GIFTS!

Adults and children can make gifts for family and friends.  

From 10am – 6pm on Fri. & Sat, we’ll have an ornament-making station and a coaster-making station (bring photos for your family to make into coasters!).  This activity is free, though donations are appreciated.

On Friday, from 12pm – 4pm, Arts on a Roll will be here! A project of Prince George’s County Parks & Planning, these folks will help you make image transfer tee-shirts ($5 a shirt).  Bring in a reverse print of what you’d like on a tee-shirt. It could make the perfect gift for Grandpa or Grandma!   

 ******

ARTIST DEMONSTRATIONS!

At this year’s Mistletoe Market, you’ll find lots of eco-friendly gifts and homemade housewares from local artists.  The Market is open throughout November and December, but on Friday and Saturday during the celebration, we’ll also have artists scattered about the warehouse (times vary), selling their wares and demonstrating how they make their amazing upcycled items.

 

Save time to visit our newest project, Tanglewood Works, where upcycling and art connect!  Located just to your left before you enter our courtyard, the shop will be bursting with a variety of green gifts on Green Friday, and will be hosting an open house on Small Business Saturday!  Have a nosh, and find all your handmade holiday gifts right here this year.  

 

 ******

 But there’s no pressure to shop – just come to hang out!  Help us decorate our tree, and spend time with Santa while he’s here on Friday (12pm – 4pm).

  

Ho! Ho! Ho! Hope you can make it!

 

 

Live Music at This Old Warehouse, Oct 26th!

Come on out to Community Forklift this Sunday, October 26 from 10am-2pm for our fall event, This Old Warehouse: Restoring Homes and Communities. In conjunction with our October Workshop Series,  we will be featuring Preservation Experts, Tradespeople and most importantly- Old Time Music!

We are proud to have the following local musicians share their sweet ol’ tunes and adding the perfect amount of authenticity to our event:

Mount Rainier Ramblers’

tunes are described as Old Time American Folk Music.

These are toe tapping songs you will love! Bruce Hutton pictured on the left will be on guitar, banjo, uke and vocals. Chris Romaine on the right will be on fiddle; Bill Manfield (not pictured) will be on banjo and vocals.

12pm-1pm

The DaveMac Consort

is known for their R&B, folk, classic rock & Motown songs.

The Consort exists primarily to play pro bono fundraisers & events for grassroots communities & organizations that might not otherwise have access to good live music.

1:15-2:15pm

Rebekah Ortiz

is an environmental engineering student and current Assistant Event Coordinator at Community Forklift.

She plans to share her renditions of the folk Swedish group, First Aid Kit as well as 70s classics such as the Mamas & the Papas, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart and Neil Young. Accompanying her will be her harmonica and acoustic guitar.

2:30pm until all the dancers have left

For more details about our party this Sunday, check ’em out

here:

“This Old Warehouse” – Q & A about our fall event with Ronnie Reuse-asaur

Ruthie, our outreach and education director, has been busy preparing for our fall activities, but she took a moment recently to speak with an old friend of hers, Ronnie Reuseasaur.

Ronnie was hearing some buzz about our big fall event, This Old Warehouse, and wanted to find out more about it.

Ronnie: Thanks for taking the time to talk with me today, Ruthie. I know you’re one busy gal!

Ruthie: No problem – we’ve got so much fun stuff going on!

Ronnie: Well, tell me more. I’ve been hearing about free workshops, new partnerships, and something about live music?

Ruthie: That’s right! We are lucky to have great local musicians who like to jam in our old warehouse. Of course we couldn’t throw a party without our resident house band, the DaveMac Consort, but we’re also excited to have Bruce Hutton and Bill Mansfield join us as the Mount Rainier Ramblers.

Community Forklift’s very own Event Assistant Rebekah Ortiz might even sing a folk song or two.

Ronnie: That’s  a great line-up! I know Rebekah from a viral video I saw once, when she sang her heart out to the George Mason University admissions office. What other (locally) famous people can I meet?

Ruthie: I’m glad you asked. Former pro soccer player and artist Amir Lowery will be on-site to help you transfer photos onto tiles so you can make coasters and magnets just like his.

We’ll also have Matthew White and O.F Makarah here collecting photos and film for the Prince George’s Memory Project.

We’ll have guest appearances, lectures, and information tables from local preservation professionals Aaron Marcavitch, L’Enfant Trust,Maryland Historical Trust, UMD Historic Preservation Program, GL Barnhart Construction, and Terry Lewis (of Salvage Arts at Community Forklift).

Ronnie: Wow! Sounds like this party will be fun and super informative! Just one thing I’m still confused about–what’s the deal with bringing pictures and old film? My grandma, Rosie the Reuseasaur, has an attic filled of old film and photos. Should I bring these things?

Ruthie: Yes! Please do!  6 Hearts is a community-based organization that initiates and promotes programs that engage artists, educators, historians and activists in projects for the common good.  They are initiating The Prince George’s Memory Project: Capturing Our Memories With Home Movies and Photographs, and we’re excited to help them out.

The project is gathering up home movies and photographs from Prince George’s County to make a movie about the visual memory of Prince George’s.  This will include characters and landscapes long since lost, and will reveal the rich community that has been at the heart of this County for generations.

If you’re a visual person like me, here’s an info-graphic to show you what the process looks like:

Ronnie: Oh, that’s neat! Thanks, for all this information, Ruthie. Who should I bring with me?

Ruthie: Bring your friends and family!! There will be snacks – Zeke’s is offering coffee and Goldilock’s Goodies will have cake. We’re gonna have a great time!

Want to make your own dinosaur planters?
Learn how here!

 

THIS OLD WAREHOUSE

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26TH, 10AM-2PM

SEE YOU THERE!

 

You’re Invited! This Old Warehouse: Restoring Homes and Communities

Summer of Life Block Party is this Saturday – please invite your friends!

.

Hello Forklift Fans!

As you know, Community Forklift is not just a thrift store for house parts. Of course you can donate or find cool stuff here…but our organization is really about building community.  We love to be a place where people can come together:  to meet neighbors, to discover local resources, to play and create, and to learn about living healthier and taking better care of our world.  That’s why we’re throwing a big block party!   

Summer of Life

Block Party & Health Expo 

11am – 5pm, July 12, 2014

(Rain Date July 13)  

Bring along your friends, your family, and your (friendly, leashed) pets for:

 

Live Music! 

Big thanks to Will Mckindley-Ward for the sound system!!

11am – 12pm:  See Rule Five

12:30 – 1:30pm:  Gina DeSimone & Pat Quinn

2pm – 3pm:  Suzanne Brindamour

3:30 – 4:30pm:  M.R. Jam Band

 

Fresh Veggie & Fruit Distribution

12pm – 3pm (while supplies last)

in partnership with Priority Partners & Capital Area Food Bank

Please spread the word to any friends or neighbors in need!

Puppy Petting, Pet Massage, & Adoption Area

Poverty Pets – Helping families and pets stay together despite financial difficulties

12pm – 2pm:  Adoption Station, Prince George’s Humane Society

11am – 2pm:  Relaxing Rover – Jaime, a Riverdale resident, graduated from the North West School of Animal Massage, where she earned her certification in maintenance and rehabilitation massage for small animals.

Movement Tent

Jump right in!

12:00 Yoga with Hermione
12:30 Zumba with Niclaire
1:00  Tai chi with Norman
1:30 Yoga with Brooke
2:00 Zumba with Zulma
2:30 Hooping with Brooke
3:00 Drum circle with Artis
3:30 Hooping with Noelle

Other Fun Stuff To Do

 Wit’s End Puppets – educating children and adults about the craft of puppetry.

11:30am – 4pm:  Youth Wellness Ambassadors from End Time Harvest Ministries will do community fitness assessments and share healthy tips!  Exercise Sessions will be at 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, and 3:30pm.

MOM’s Organic Market – How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Through Conscious Purchasing!  Trivia activity on making informed decisions on purchases to support sustainability and the environment.

SHINE Massage will be offering free chair massages!

12:15 pm – Meet at our welcome tent, and then we’ll head out for a tour of ECO City Farms.  See how healthy food is grown on an urban farm!

Yummy, Healthy Food

Berliner ice cream truck is selling delicious Frozen Yogurt

ATIP Food Truck serving healthy Mediterranean cuisine, including vegetarian options (Entrees are $6-$7 each)

Community Partners

The Collaborative –  a consortium of advocates who serve in the spirit of unity to provide a holistic approach to education and community.  Working to alleviate hunger, promote health and well-being of students, families, and individuals to produce community stabilization and revitalization for all.

Community Crisis Services, Inc.–Since its inception in 1970, the non-profit Community Crisis Services, Inc. has become a one-stop calling center for information and compassionate assistance for those in crisis. Calling the Hotline is often the first step an individual makes to access the mental health services and social service organizations within the community. they are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for anyone facing crisis and personal turmoil.

University of Maryland – the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center will be visiting us on their Listening Tour, to learn more about residents of communities within a 5-mile radius of the UMD campus.

Workshops

11am:  Outdoor Bikram Yoga

by Kendra Blackett-Dibinga of Bikram “HOT” Yoga Riverdale Park

Have you ever wanted to try hot Yoga but haven’t moved beyond the thought? Well, here’s your chance! Bikram Hot Yoga of Riverdale Park, a new studio located just down the road from Community Forklift, is bringing its class to the `Lift. Designed for the beginner, this outdoor yoga class will give you a chance to feel the heat and get inspired.

Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class is a twenty-six asana series designed to scientifically warm and stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons, in the order in which they should be stretched. The twenty-six posture exercises systematically move fresh, oxygenated blood to one hundred percent of your body, to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order, just as Nature intended. Proper weight, muscle tone, vibrant good health, and a sense of well being will automatically follow.

12:30pm:  Financial Health

with Atin Mittra

Taught by social entrepreneur Atin Mittra, this workshop will focus on personal finance strategies to create a healthier relationship with your money. You’ll receive a workbook that will help you apply these strategies to your personal situation.

Atin is a senior at the University of Maryland majoring in Aerospace Engineering, however, his real passion is using business as a tool for social change. He  founded MADE as a way to help disadvantaged members of  the community overcome financial barriers. Atin spent two years organizing Terp Service Days for the UMD community  and getting students to think critically about social issues. He  is currently a University Innovation Fellow where he is  determining ways to encourage students to pursue innovation  and entrepreneurship.

2pm:  5 Steps to a Healthy (and Efficient) Home

by Elysian Energy

This workshop offers an in-depth look at what makes a home healthy and efficient. Moving through the five steps for home efficiency, with a focus on local home energy programs, Elysian will talk about home energy audits, common problems homes face, and then discuss the most effective ways to address efficiency issues. The presentation covers some DIY options for curbing energy and water usage and a discussion about clean energy options that homeowners can take advantage of.

3:30 pm:  Mobilizing for Community Action

with Cynthia Hartley

Community Action for a Sustainable Environment

A dynamic discussion from one organization’s perspective on how to start from the ground up to mobilize a community for action. The presentation will touch on the importance of facilitation, networking, stakeholder engagement, baseline assessments and other key aspects of building a community.

Cynthia is the founder and executive director of CASE. She augments more than 15 years in the leadership of local and national nonprofit organizations with an extensive background in international development. She currently serves as the chair of the WPFW Community Advisory Board and the vice chair of her local neighborhood association. Previously, Cynthia served as the president of the Capitol Hill Energy Cooperative, which later spun off to become CASE. She was a member served on the board of directors for Water for People and Federal Water Quality, and as chair of the Washington, DC Water For People Committee.

You’re Invited! Summer of Life Community Block Party and Health Expo

.

Hello Forklift Fans!

As you know, Community Forklift is not just a thrift store for house parts. Of course you can donate or find cool stuff here…but our organization is really about building community.  We love to be a place where people can come together:  to meet neighbors, to discover local resources, to play and create, and to learn about living healthier and taking better care of our world.  That’s why we’re throwing a big block party!

Summer of Life 

Block Party & Health Expo 

11am – 5pm, July 12, 2014

(Rain Date July 13)  

Bring along your friends, your family, and your (friendly, leashed) pets for:

Live Music! 

Big thanks to Will Mckindley-Ward for the sound system!!

11am – 12pm See Rule Five

12:30 – 1:30pm Gina DeSimone & Pat Quinn

2pm – 3pm Suzanne Brindamour

3:30 – 4:30pm M.R. Jam Band

Fresh Veggie & Fruit Distribution

12pm – 3pm (while supplies last) 

in partnership with Priority Partners & Capital Area Food Bank

Please spread the word to any friends or neighbors in need!

Puppy Petting, Massage, & Adoption Area

Poverty Pets – Helping families and pets stay together despite financial difficulties

12pm – 2pm:  Adoption Station, Prince George’s Humane Society

11am – 2pm:  Relaxing Rover – Jaime, a Riverdale resident, graduated from the North West School of Animal Massage, where she earned her certification in maintenance and rehabilitation massage for small animals.

Movement Tent

Jump right in!

12:00 Yoga with Hermione
12:30 Zumba with Niclaire
1:00  Tai chi with Norman
1:30 Yoga with Brooke
2:00 Zumba with Zulma
2:30 Hooping with Brooke
3:00 Drum circle with Artis
3:30 Hooping with Noelle

Other Fun Stuff To Do

 Wit’s End Puppetry – educating children and adults about the craft of puppetry.

11:30am – 4pm:  Youth Wellness Ambassadors from End Time Harvest Ministries will do community fitness assessments and share healthy tips!  Exercise Sessions will be at 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, and 3:30pm.

MOM’s Organic Market – How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint Through Conscious Purchasing!  Trivia activity on making informed decisions on purchases to support sustainability and the environment.

SHINE Massage will be offering free chair massages!

12:15 pm – Meet at our welcome tent, and then we’ll head out for a tour of ECO City Farms.  See how healthy food is grown on an urban farm!

Yummy, Healthy Food

Berliner ice cream truck is selling delicious Frozen Yogurt

ATIP Food Truck serving healthy Mediterranean cuisine, including vegetarian options (Entrees are $6-$7 each)

Community Partners

The Collaborative –  a consortium of advocates who serve in the spirit of unity to provide a holistic approach to education and community.  Working to alleviate hunger, promote health and well-being of students, families, and individuals to produce community stabilization and revitalization for all.

Community Crisis Services, Inc.–Since its inception in 1970, the non-profit Community Crisis Services, Inc. has become a one-stop calling center for information and compassionate assistance for those in crisis. Calling the Hotline is often the first step an individual makes to access the mental health services and social service organizations within the community. they are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for anyone facing crisis and personal turmoil.

University of Maryland – the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center will be visiting us on theirListening Tour, to learn more about residents of communities within a 5-mile radius of the UMD campus.

Workshops

11am:  Outdoor Bikram Yoga

by Kendra Blackett-Dibinga of Bikram “HOT” Yoga Riverdale Park

Have you ever wanted to try hot Yoga but haven’t moved beyond the thought? Well, here’s your chance! Bikram Hot Yoga of Riverdale Park, a new studio located just down the road from Community Forklift, is bringing its class to the `Lift. Designed for the beginner, this outdoor yoga class will give you a chance to feel the heat and get inspired.

Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class is a twenty-six asana series designed to scientifically warm and stretch muscles, ligaments and tendons, in the order in which they should be stretched. The twenty-six posture exercises systematically move fresh, oxygenated blood to one hundred percent of your body, to each organ and fiber, restoring all systems to healthy working order, just as Nature intended. Proper weight, muscle tone, vibrant good health, and a sense of well being will automatically follow.

12:30pm:  Financial Health

with Atin Mittra

Taught by social entrepreneur Atin Mittra, this workshop will focus on personal finance strategies to create a healthier relationship with your money. You’ll receive a workbook that will help you apply these strategies to your personal situation.

Atin is a senior at the University of Maryland majoring in Aerospace Engineering, however, his real passion is using business as a tool for social change. He  founded MADE as a way to help disadvantaged members of  the community overcome financial barriers. Atin spent two years organizing Terp Service Days for the UMD community  and getting students to think critically about social issues. He  is currently a University Innovation Fellow where he is  determining ways to encourage students to pursue innovation  and entrepreneurship.

2pm:  5 Steps to a Healthy (and Efficient) Home

by Elysian Energy

This workshop offers an in-depth look at what makes a home healthy and efficient. Moving through the five steps for home efficiency, with a focus on local home energy programs, Elysian will talk about home energy audits, common problems homes face, and then discuss the most effective ways to address efficiency issues. The presentation covers some DIY options for curbing energy and water usage and a discussion about clean energy options that homeowners can take advantage of.

3:30 pm:  Mobilizing for Community Action

with Cynthia Hartley

Community Action for a Sustainable Environment

A dynamic discussion from one organization’s perspective on how to start from the ground up to mobilize a community for action. The presentation will touch on the importance of facilitation, networking, stakeholder engagement, baseline assessments and other key aspects of building a community.

Cynthia is the founder and executive director of CASE. She augments more than 15 years in the leadership of local and national nonprofit organizations with an extensive background in international development. She currently serves as the chair of the WPFW Community Advisory Board and the vice chair of her local neighborhood association. Previously, Cynthia served as the president of the Capitol Hill Energy Cooperative, which later spun off to become CASE. She was a member served on the board of directors for Water for People and Federal Water Quality, and as chair of the Washington, DC Water For People Committee.

Vintage Furniture Sale, New Summer Hours, and a Block Party!

***

Have you seen our June newsletter yet?  There are lots of good sales and fun events going on, and we’ve got new, expanded summer hours!

***

 

Rain or Shine, the Garden Party Goes On!

TOMORROW!!!

March 29, 2014

Community Forklift’s Annual Garden Party & Sale

Spring is a time for rebirth and renewal. Here at the ‘Lift, we give new life to old materials… So what better place to celebrate the season?  

Our annual Garden Party & Sale is our largest and longest-running tradition.  Drawing over 1,200 guests last year, it’s a crazy and fun-filled day!   After squirreling away landscaping and garden supplies all winter, we put them all out for sale at once – and yup, folks are already lined up at the gates when we open at 9am.  

Just as exciting are demonstrations, live music, activities for the whole family, and a lemonade lunch with grilled goodies.  Our favorite part of the tradition is the Costume Contest:  get out your jaunty caps, seersucker suits, frilly garden party dresses, and huge hats (friendly four-legged friends are encouraged to dress up too)!

Check out the full schedule below –

and please send it to your friends and listserves!

Photo of 2013 Garden Party courtesy of the Hyattsville Life & Times

DC-Area Gardeners Mark the Return of Spring with Quirky Local Tradition

Community Forklift’s 5th Annual Garden Party will be held on Saturday, March 29th, from 9am – 5:30 pm at the large warehouse, just a few minutes from NE DC at 4671 Tanglewood Drive in Edmonston, MD.

This stylish Forklift Fan found a lot of great stuff!

Low-Cost Garden Supplies:

As a nonprofit reuse center, Community Forklift receives donations of modern and vintage building materials and home improvement supplies, then offers the items to the public at low prices in their huge thrift store, and distributes free materials to nonprofits and families in need.  

Over the winter, Forklift staffers squirreled away all the donations of gardening tools, outdoor furniture, brick, stone, landscaping materials, planters, pots and architectural accents (they also received items from several collections held in Bethesda at American Plant Garden Décor Boutiques).  These items will all be brought out for sale on the morning of the Garden Party – and at 25% to 75% below retail, the prices are easy on the wallet.

(Note to early birds:  no lawn & garden supplies have been put out yet.  The ‘Lift will not have any garden party items available until 9am on March 29th) 

Christian shows off the seedlings

Seedling Sales: 

ECO City Farms, a nearby educational farm, will have vegetable seedlings for sale.  There are even options for folks who live in dim basement apartments:  Radiant Blooms by Ellie will be offering beautiful flower arrangements crafted from clay.

Lemonade Lunch: 

Starting at 11am, visitors can enjoy refreshments and grilled goodies (both meat and vegetarian options).  Doggie treats will be provided by The Big Bad Woof, a local store specializing in eco-friendly and organic pet supplies.

These sweet puppies showed up in spring colors

Big Hats, Seersucker Suits, & Puppies:  

Adults, children, and (leashed) pets will earn discounts for sporting their best garden party attire.  Two- and four-legged Forklift Fans are encouraged to wear dramatic hats, frilly dresses, jaunty caps, and seersucker or madras suits.  Alternative options include gardening boots and overalls, or dressing as your favorite flower or veggie.  Prizes for the most stylish and creative costumes will be awarded at 1:15pm. 

Live Music: 

Local musicians will be performing throughout the day.  The diverse mix includes Appalachian and Irish tunes, as well as folk music from Riverdale Park’s mayor Vernon Archer, and zydeco and New Orleans jazz from local favorite Wild Anacostias. 

This little guy can’t wait to start gardening!

Activity Zone: 

From 10am – 5pm, folks of all ages can give hands-on help to our local rivers.  Help paint rain barrels to be used in the Hickey Run Watershed Program, or plant seeds for the Anacostia Watershed Society to use in restoring wetlands. 

Gardening Advice: 

From 10am – 5pm, the UMD Master Gardeners, the Prince George’s County Department of Environmental Resources, and other partners will be offering information and demonstrations on topics including the Tree Relief Grant Program, Rain Check Rebates, and Bay-Wise landscaping.  There will also be composting information from Compost Cab and Veteran Compost.

Free Workshops:  

10am – 11am:  Cold Frame Building 101:  Chris Gummo shows you how to turn old window sashes into as mini-greenhouses, so you can start seeds earlier and continue growing when the weather gets colder – and Community Forklift will be offering FREE vinyl sashes so you can start building! 

12pm – 1pm:  Starting Seeds and Raising Seedlings:  presented by Deborah Wren of ECO City Farms.  She says, “We grow vegetables using intensive agricultural methods. Because we’re urban, we grow in a small space and use a variety of methods of amending and seeding. In this workshop, we’ll discuss our different seeding methods and how you can adopt some of these methods for your own personal use.

2pm – 3pm:  Container Vegetable Gardening:  presented by UME Master Gardeners: Explore vegetables that you can grow in containers of various sizes and small yards.  Enjoy fresh vegetables no matter the size of your garden, and eat healthier!

4pm – 5pm:  Composting 101:  Veteran Compost is here to talk about tea:  “We’ll share the history of compost tea, starting back to the Middle Ages to today. We’ll examine the benefits of compost teas, the biology behind teas and the different brewing and application modes. You’ll walk away with the knowledge and enthusiasm to brew up compost tea at home for free. Also, bring your home composting problems – we promise to troubleshoot any and all composting issues people may have.”  Jason will also be giving away FREE compost tea, while supplies last!

For updates on the Garden Party and Spring Sale, visit www.CommunityForklift.org or call 301-985-5180.

**********

Community Forklift, the metro DC area’s largest thrift store of surplus and salvaged building materials, opened in 2005. The unusual name refers to the nonprofit’s mission:  to lift up local communities by keeping waste out of landfills, creating green jobs and making renovation supplies affordable. Open 7 days a week:  Monday & Tuesday 12pm – 6pm; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10am – 6pm; and Saturday and Sunday 9am – 6pm (If you are picking up a bulky item or making a donation, arrive at least a half hour before closing).  

Address: 4671 Tanglewood Drive, Edmonston, MD 20781. Five minutes from DC, in the Hyattsville area.  Bus, bike, and driving directions at www.CommunityForklift.org

Are you coming to the Garden Party on March 29th?

Spring is a time for rebirth and renewal. Here at the ‘Lift, we give new life to old materials… So what better place to celebrate the season?  

Our annual Garden Party & Sale is our largest and longest-running tradition.  Drawing over 1,200 guests last year, it’s a crazy and fun-filled day!   After squirreling away landscaping and garden supplies all winter, we put them all out for sale at once – and yup, folks are already lined up at the gates when we open at 9am.  

Just as exciting are demonstrations, live music, activities for the whole family, and a lemonade lunch with grilled goodies.  Our favorite part of the tradition is the Costume Contest:  get out your jaunty caps, seersucker suits, frilly garden party dresses, and huge hats (friendly four-legged friends are encouraged to dress up too)!

Check out the full schedule below –

and please send it to your friends and listserves!

Photo of 2013 Garden Party courtesy of the Hyattsville Life & Times

DC-Area Gardeners Mark the Return of Spring with Quirky Local Tradition

Community Forklift’s 5th Annual Garden Party will be held on Saturday, March 29th, from 9am – 5:30 pm at the large warehouse, just a few minutes from NE DC at 4671 Tanglewood Drive in Edmonston, MD.

This stylish Forklift Fan found a lot of great stuff!

Low-Cost Garden Supplies:

As a nonprofit reuse center, Community Forklift receives donations of modern and vintage building materials and home improvement supplies, then offers the items to the public at low prices in their huge thrift store, and distributes free materials to nonprofits and families in need.  

Over the winter, Forklift staffers squirreled away all the donations of gardening tools, outdoor furniture, brick, stone, landscaping materials, planters, pots and architectural accents (they also received items from several collections held in Bethesda at American Plant Garden Décor Boutiques).  These items will all be brought out for sale on the morning of the Garden Party – and at 25% to 75% below retail, the prices are easy on the wallet.

(Note to early birds:  no lawn & garden supplies have been put out yet.  The ‘Lift will not have any garden party items available until 9am on March 29th) 

Christian shows off the seedlings

Seedling Sales: 

ECO City Farms, a nearby educational farm, will have vegetable seedlings for sale.  There are even options for folks who live in dim basement apartments:  Radiant Blooms by Ellie will be offering beautiful flower arrangements crafted from clay.

Lemonade Lunch: 

Starting at 11am, visitors can enjoy refreshments and grilled goodies (both meat and vegetarian options).  Doggie treats will be provided by The Big Bad Woof, a local store specializing in eco-friendly and organic pet supplies.

These sweet puppies showed up in spring colors

Big Hats, Seersucker Suits, & Puppies:  

Adults, children, and (leashed) pets will earn discounts for sporting their best garden party attire.  Two- and four-legged Forklift Fans are encouraged to wear dramatic hats, frilly dresses, jaunty caps, and seersucker or madras suits.  Alternative options include gardening boots and overalls, or dressing as your favorite flower or veggie.  Prizes for the most stylish and creative costumes will be awarded at 1:15pm. 

Live Music: 

Local musicians will be performing throughout the day.  The diverse mix includes Appalachian and Irish tunes, as well as folk music from Riverdale Park’s mayor Vernon Archer, and zydeco and New Orleans jazz from local favorite Wild Anacostias. 

This little guy can’t wait to start gardening!

Activity Zone: 

From 10am – 5pm, folks of all ages can give hands-on help to our local rivers.  Help paint rain barrels to be used in the Hickey Run Watershed Program, or plant seeds for the Anacostia Watershed Society to use in restoring wetlands. 

Gardening Advice: 

From 10am – 5pm, the UMD Master Gardeners, the Prince George’s County Department of Environmental Resources, and other partners will be offering information and demonstrations on topics including the Tree Relief Grant Program, Rain Check Rebates, and Bay-Wise landscaping.  There will also be composting information from Compost Cab and Veteran Compost.

Free Workshops:  

10am – 11am:  Cold Frame Building 101:  Chris Gummo shows you how to turn old window sashes into as mini-greenhouses, so you can start seeds earlier and continue growing when the weather gets colder – and Community Forklift will be offering FREE vinyl sashes so you can start building! 

12pm – 1pm:  Starting Seeds and Raising Seedlings:  presented by Deborah Wren of ECO City Farms.  She says, “We grow vegetables using intensive agricultural methods. Because we’re urban, we grow in a small space and use a variety of methods of amending and seeding. In this workshop, we’ll discuss our different seeding methods and how you can adopt some of these methods for your own personal use.

2pm – 3pm:  Container Vegetable Gardening:  presented by UME Master Gardeners: Explore vegetables that you can grow in containers of various sizes and small yards.  Enjoy fresh vegetables no matter the size of your garden, and eat healthier!

4pm – 5pm:  Composting 101:  Veteran Compost is here to talk about tea:  “We’ll share the history of compost tea, starting back to the Middle Ages to today. We’ll examine the benefits of compost teas, the biology behind teas and the different brewing and application modes. You’ll walk away with the knowledge and enthusiasm to brew up compost tea at home for free. Also, bring your home composting problems – we promise to troubleshoot any and all composting issues people may have.”  Jason will also be giving away FREE compost tea, while supplies last!

For updates on the Garden Party and Spring Sale, visit www.CommunityForklift.org or call 301-985-5180.

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Community Forklift, the metro DC area’s largest thrift store of surplus and salvaged building materials, opened in 2005. The unusual name refers to the nonprofit’s mission:  to lift up local communities by keeping waste out of landfills, creating green jobs and making renovation supplies affordable. Open 7 days a week:  Monday & Tuesday 12pm – 6pm; Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 10am – 6pm; and Saturday and Sunday 9am – 6pm (If you are picking up a bulky item or making a donation, arrive at least a half hour before closing).  

Address: 4671 Tanglewood Drive, Edmonston, MD 20781. Five minutes from DC, in the Hyattsville area.  Bus, bike, and driving directions at www.CommunityForklift.org

You’re invited: our Annual Garden Party is March 29th!

Celebrate spring at Community Forklift’s Annual Garden Party & Sale March 29, 2014   Historically, spring is a time for rebirth and renewal. Here at the ‘Lift, we give new life to old materials… So what better place to celebrate the season?   Our annual Garden Party & Sale is our largest and longest-running tradition.  Drawing over 1,200 guests last year, it is a crazy and fun-filled day.    After squirreling away landscaping and garden supplies all winter, we put them all out for sale at once – and eager Forklift Fans start lining up at the gates even before we open at 9am! Just as exciting are gardening workshops & demonstrations, live music and entertainment, activities for the whole family, and a lemonade lunch with grilled goodies.   Our favorite part of the tradition is the Costume Contest for people & pets.  Get out your jaunty caps, seersucker suits, frilly garden party dresses, and huge hats!  Friendly four-legged friends are encouraged to join in the fun (they must be leashed). We’ll send out more details soon, but mark your calendars now for March 29, 2014, from 9am – 5:30pm!

Need to clean out your garage? Between now and the end of March, we are piling our warehouse sky-high with great gardening tools, flowerpots, patio decor, and other supplies – and we sure could use your help. It’s a great excuse to clean out your garage, basement, or shed!  Just drop off your landscaping materials and gardening supplies at Community Forklift any day during store hours. We’re also offering a convenient alternative for those of you in NW DC and Montgomery County:   Our friends at American Plant will be accepting your donations this weekend, March 15 & 16, from 12pm – 5pm – and they’re offering a 10% discount to thank you! You can drop your donations off at either American Plant location: Beltway location 7405 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817 301-469-7690 Bethesda Chevy Chase location 5258 River Road Bethesda, MD 20816 301-656-3311