Some of you may remember Sally Bill. Some of you never got to meet her. In 1998 Sally Bill purchased 3.63 acres of property within the bounds of the Lopez Village Association, Planned Unit Development. The property, that now holds Fertile Ground, the Farmer's Market, Skate Park, Children's Center, and the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts (LCCA), was originally planned for 13 commercial lots and two roads passing north/south through the property. In December 2000 the property was transferred from the Bill estate to the LCCA. It is because of Sally that we all have this beautiful place to tend our garden. We owe it to her memory to keep Fertile Ground thriving.

Sally was strong, beautiful, graceful, funny and tough. She as a mother, gardener, weaver, sheep farmer, baker and organizer of community celebrations. I will say a prayer of thanks to her tonight for influencing me and for allowing this lovely round garden space to come into fruition. I hope you all will remember her too. Thank you, Sally!


let there be open spaces in your days
times of solitude and silence
to know the life-giving powers
of earth and sea
to sense the interlocking unity
of the universe
- Sally Bill
Christmas card poem, 1974

Photo by Greg Ewert

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