Category: events

Breaking Bread Together: Introducing Our Free Food Class Series

Posted on by Event Coordinator

There’s something timeless about making food by hand.

Flour on the counter. Dough between your fingers. The quiet patience of waiting for something to rise.

At Spiral Living Center, we believe those small, everyday skills are worth sharing — not just because they’re useful, but because they bring people together.

That’s why we’re excited to introduce our Free Food Class Series as part of our Community Food Project.

🌿 A Space to Learn, Share, and Connect

This new series is designed to offer practical, hands-on food education in a way that feels welcoming, accessible, and rooted in community.

These classes are:

  • Free to attend
  • Open to all experience levels
  • Focused on real, everyday skills
  • Led by local instructors who enjoy sharing what they know

Whether you’re learning something for the first time or returning to a skill you haven’t used in years, these classes are meant to meet you where you are.

Update: This class is currently full.

Thank you for the wonderful community response! Our first Free Food Class, Sourdough Bread Making with Sharon Guest, has reached capacity.

If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please email:

programs@spiralliving.org

Please include your name, phone number, and how many spots you are requesting.

If a spot opens up, we will contact people from the waitlist in the order requests are received.

Additional Free Food Classes will be announced soon, so please stay tuned.

🌱 More Classes to Come

This sourdough class is just the beginning.

Throughout the year, Spiral Living Center will be offering additional free food-related classes focused on building skills, confidence, and connection around food.

Topics may include:

  • Food preservation
  • Seasonal cooking
  • Garden-to-table basics
  • Budget-friendly meals
  • And more

Each class will be announced as it’s scheduled, so stay tuned.

Save the Date: Spiral Living Center’s 20th Annual Skillshare

Posted on by Event Coordinator

Spiral Living Center’s annual Skillshare is returning on Saturday, June 13, 2026 and this year’s event will be especially meaningful as we also celebrate 20 years of Spiral Living Center.

Skillshare is a free, in-person community event rooted in a simple idea: everyone has something to share.

Over the years, Skillshare has brought people together to exchange practical skills, sustainable living knowledge, creative ideas, and hands-on learning in a welcoming and community-based setting. From gardening and food preservation to crafts, wellness, repair skills, homesteading knowledge, and creative expression, Skillshare is a space where neighbors can learn from neighbors.

This year, we’re beginning the planning process and inviting the community to help shape the day.

We’re currently looking for:

  • People who would like to teach or demonstrate a skill
  • Community booths / tables
  • Volunteers
  • Community members who want to attend and stay informed

Whether you have a practical skill to share, an idea for a mini session, or simply want to be part of the day, we’d love to hear from you.

Why Skillshare matters

Skillshare reflects so much of what Spiral Living Center is about: community resilience, local knowledge, accessibility, creativity, and connection.

In a time when so much information is filtered through screens, Skillshare offers something more human — a chance to gather in person, learn by doing, ask questions, and pass knowledge from one person to another.

It’s not about being an expert.
It’s about showing up with what you know and making space for others to do the same.

Interested in getting involved?

👉 Fill out the Skillshare Interest Form here:
https://tinyurl.com/2026-skillshare-interest-form

We hope you’ll save the date and be part of this special year.

Saturday, June 13, 2026
Free • All are welcome • Illinois Valley

Call for Flash Skillshare Leaders

Posted on by Event Coordinator

Share What You Know in 15 Minutes or Less

What if learning felt like a spark instead of a seminar?

Spiral Living Center is inviting community members to lead Flash Skillshares at our upcoming event — short, engaging, hands-on mini sessions that plant seeds of knowledge in just 10–15 minutes.

No long lectures.
No PowerPoints required.
Just real people sharing real skills.

We believe our valley is full of quiet brilliance — gardeners, herbalists, homesteaders, artists, repair wizards, storytellers, seed savers, soil builders, bread bakers, fermenters, fixers, and lifelong learners.

Now we’re making space for you to teach.

🌱 What Is a Flash Skillshare?

A Flash Skillshare is:

  • 10–15 minutes long
  • Simple and practical
  • Interactive or demonstration-based
  • Beginner-friendly
  • Rooted in community resilience, creativity, or sustainability

Think of it as a knowledge spark. Small, bright, and contagious.

🌻 What Could You Share?

Here are just a few ideas to get your gears turning:

  • Composting with red wigglers
  • Starting seeds successfully
  • Herbal salve basics
  • Backyard mushroom cultivation
  • Fermentation 101
  • Tool sharpening
  • Creative mending
  • Native plant identification
  • Soil health basics
  • DIY pollinator habitats
  • Quick garden planning tips

If you’ve ever said,
“Oh, it’s simple, I could show someone how to do that…”

Yes. That’s exactly what we’re looking for.

🌾 Why Participate?

  • Contribute to community knowledge
  • Connect with like-minded neighbors
  • Promote your project, farm, or small business
  • Build confidence as a teacher
  • Help make this year’s event unforgettable

You don’t need to be an “expert.” You just need to be willing.

🌞 What We Provide

Spiral Living will:

  • Schedule your session
  • Promote your topic on social media
  • Provide a designated teaching space
  • Include you in the event program

You bring your passion, any small demo materials, and your willingness to share.

🌿 Ready to Lead a Flash Skillshare?

We’d love to hear from you.

If you feel that little nudge — that “I could teach this” whisper — follow it.

👉 Sign up here to lead a Flash Skillshare:
https://forms.gle/izX9bkX8JjubAS3U9

Spots are limited, and we’ll be curating a balanced lineup of topics, so we encourage early submissions.

Let’s build a culture where knowledge moves hand-to-hand, like seeds passed across a table.

⚡ Small sparks. Big community.

🌱 5 Reasons You Should Attend a Seed Exchange in the Illinois Valley

Posted on by Event Coordinator

There’s something timeless about a seed exchange.

Small envelopes. Handwritten labels. Stories tucked inside paper folds.

On March 21, Spiral Living Center will host the 20th Annual Seed Swap at Jubilee Park, continuing a tradition that has connected Illinois Valley gardeners for two decades.

If you’ve never attended a seed exchange before, here are five reasons to come see what it’s all about.

1. Preserve Heirloom & Local Varieties

Seed exchanges help protect plant varieties that may not be available in big-box stores.

Many of the seeds shared at local swaps have been grown in the Illinois Valley for years — sometimes decades. These plants are adapted to our climate, our soil, and our seasons.

When you attend a seed swap, you’re participating in local food resilience.

2. Save Money While Growing More

Gardening can get expensive.

A seed exchange allows you to trade what you have for something new — often at no cost. Whether you’re starting your first raised bed or expanding your garden this year, seed swaps make growing more accessible.

3. Learn From Experienced Gardeners

Seed exchanges are living classrooms.

You’ll meet orchardists who can explain scion wood and grafting, experienced growers who understand what thrives in Southern Oregon, and neighbors who have experimented season after season.

It’s knowledge passed hand to hand.

4. Connect With the Illinois Valley Gardening Community

The Annual Seed Swap at Jubilee Park isn’t just about seeds. It’s about community.

Gardeners of all experience levels gather to share ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and celebrate the growing season ahead.

Whether you’re a homesteader, backyard gardener, or curious beginner, there’s room for you.

5. Be Part of a 20-Year Tradition

For twenty years, this event has brought the Illinois Valley together each spring.

That kind of consistency matters.

When you attend, you’re not just picking up seeds — you’re participating in a local tradition that strengthens community ties year after year.

🌿 Join Us

20th Annual Seed Swap
📍 Jubilee Park – Illinois Valley, Oregon
📅 March 21
⏰ 11 AM – 3 PM

Bring seeds, scion wood, plant starts — or simply bring your curiosity.

🌱 Planning to attend? Let us know and invite a friend!
Visit and share our official Facebook event page for updates, vendor highlights, and reminders:

👉 https://www.facebook.com/events/1456494229151248

Mark yourself as “Going” or “Interested” to stay in the loop — and help us spread the word as we celebrate 20 years of growing together.

🌱 Volunteer at Spiral Living’s 20th Annual Seed Swap

Posted on by Event Coordinator

For twenty years, the Annual Seed Swap has brought the Illinois Valley together to share seeds, scion wood, plant starts, and stories.

On March 21 from 12 PM – 3 PM at Jubilee Park, we’ll celebrate the 20th Annual Seed Swap, and we’re inviting volunteers to help make it happen.

This event runs on generosity — not just in the seeds we exchange, but in the hands that help set up tables, welcome guests, and guide the flow of the day.

If you love gardens, community events, or simply being part of something meaningful, we would love to have you join us.

🌿 Why Volunteer at the Illinois Valley Seed Swap?

Volunteering at the Seed Swap is more than event support. It’s a chance to:

• Connect with local gardeners and growers
• Support food resilience in Southern Oregon
• Be part of a 20-year Illinois Valley tradition
• Help create a welcoming, inclusive community event

Whether you’re a master gardener or someone who just enjoys being around good people and growing things, there’s a place for you.

🌱 Volunteer Roles – 20th Annual Seed Swap

We’re building a team of friendly, grounded, community-minded helpers to make this year’s Seed Swap our best yet. Shifts are available in 1.5-hour increments.

Below are the current open roles:

🌿 Garden Gate – Greeter

Welcome guests as they arrive, answer basic questions, and help direct traffic at the check-in table. This role sets the tone for the entire event — warm, organized, and welcoming.

🌾 Seed Steward

Support the Seed Exchange tables by helping organize packets and guiding participants through the swapping process. If you enjoy order and helping others navigate systems, this is a great fit.

🌳 Scion Steward

Assist at the Scion Exchange area. Help ensure fruit tree cuttings are clearly labeled and organized for smooth distribution.

🌀 Spiral Guide (Stamp Quest Support)

Help participants engage in the Spiral Stamp Quest by guiding them through the activity and collecting completed cards. Great for someone who enjoys interacting with families and encouraging participation.

🌻 Harvest Helper (Vendor Support / Float)

Check in with vendors throughout the event, help problem-solve, and assist where needed. This is a flexible role for someone who likes being responsive and adaptable.

🎱 Bingo Host

Help facilitate Community Bingo. You’ll assist with calling numbers, organizing participants, and keeping the energy light and fun.

📸 Event Photographer

Capture candid moments, activity highlights, and wide shots throughout the event. These photos help us document and promote future Seed Swaps.

🌿 Event Details

20th Annual Seed Swap
📍 Jubilee Park – Illinois Valley, Oregon
📅 March 21
⏰ 12 PM – 3 PM

Volunteer shifts will be scheduled before, during, and after the main event window.

🌿 Stay Connected

Want to see updates, vendor announcements, and event reminders?

Follow and share the official Facebook event page for the 20th Annual Seed Swap:

👉 View the Facebook Event Here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1456494229151248

We’ll be posting updates about participating garden groups, volunteer highlights, and what to bring as the event approaches.

Inviting friends and sharing the event helps our community continue growing for another 20 years.

🌱 Ready to Join Us?

If you’d like to volunteer at this year’s Seed Swap, please complete the registration form below.

 

We’ll follow up with details about roles, timing, and next steps.

Together, we’re not just exchanging seeds.
We’re cultivating connection.


🌿 Join Us: Vendor & Garden Group Registration Now Open

Posted on by Event Coordinator

20th Annual Seed Swap | March 21 | Jubilee Park | 12 PM – 3 PM

For 20 years, Spiral Living Center’s Annual Seed Swap has brought together growers, gardeners, orchardists, and neighbors to exchange more than seeds.

We exchange knowledge.
We exchange stories.
We exchange resilience.

This year marks our 20th Annual Seed Swap, and we’re inviting local garden groups, plant vendors, orchard educators, sustainability advocates, and community organizations to be part of this long-standing tradition.

If your work connects to growing food, preserving heirloom varieties, native plants, soil health, or community resilience, we would love to hear from you.

🌱 Who Should Participate?

We’re welcoming:

• Garden clubs & community groups
• Native plant & pollinator advocates
• Orchardists & grafting educators
• Plant and start vendors
• Sustainability & food resilience organizations
• Local nonprofits connected to land, food, or environment

If you help our valley grow — you belong here.

🌿 What to Expect

The Seed Swap includes:

• Seed Exchange Tables
• Scion Exchange (fruit tree cuttings for grafting)
• Plant & Start Exchange
• Kids Corner
• The Spiral Stamp Quest (an interactive booth activity for attendees)

This is a family-friendly, outdoor event at Jubilee Park and has become a seasonal gathering for the Illinois Valley community.

Booth spaces are limited and subject to approval to ensure a balanced mix of educational and vendor participation.

🌳 Why Participate?

✔ Connect with experienced and beginning gardeners
✔ Share your expertise and resources
✔ Build visibility within the Illinois Valley community
✔ Be part of a 20-year local tradition

We aim to create an environment that is welcoming, collaborative, and rooted in shared knowledge.

🌼 Event Details

📍 Jubilee Park
📅 March 21
⏰ 12 PM – 3 PM

Participants are responsible for their own setup and cleanup. Additional details will be shared upon acceptance.

🌿 Ready to Join Us?

Complete the Vendor & Garden Group Registration Form below to be considered for a booth space: