In addition to monetary of volunteer contributions, the Grist Mill and Gardens is always in need of specific items to benefit our many programs and activities. From tools for our heritage gardens to snow removal equipment, we are grateful of gifts of all kinds.
Should you have any of the items below as gently used or would like to purchase them for the site, please see the instructions at the right of the page on how to arrange delivery or drop off.
You can also purchase items off our Amazon Wishlist; your donation will remain anonymous unless you choose to include a “gift note”. Please include your name as well as an email and/or mailing address so we can send you a thank you and donation receipt.
Heritage Gardens
Did you know that our gardens were established, in part, to research and preserve rare and important heritage varieties? Although that work was neglected by some of the site’s previous operators, we’d really like to get back into this important work. Any of the following items would help us significantly:
- Heavy-duty rototiller or two-wheel (walk-behind) tractor with attachments
- Irrigation supplies for both ground crops and orchard (drip tape, main line, emitters, pressure reducer, new gaskets and fittings for 2+3″ aluminum pipe, garden hose, impact sprinklers)
- Hand tools (shovels, rakes, swedish hoe, a scythe)
- Two- or four-wheel garden cart
- Supplies to complete the 15’x30′ hoophouse frame we received: membrane, channel lock, etc.)
- Big Ask: A reliable tractor with bucket/forks, PTO and three-point hitch, with cultivator, discs, and other attachments.
Special Events
This site is a popular place for the community to host events of all sorts and it’s always easier when they don’t need to go out and rent or scrounge their own equipment and supplies. We would benefit from:
- Folding wood tables (8′ long) and chairs
- 10’x10′ folding canopies (like the kind you see at Farmer’s Markets–but beware, some are much more sturdy than others)
- Strings of white lights – LED, incandescent, rope-style, small or large, sturdy enough for outdoor use, so that we can light the site for evening events
Site Interpretation
Through the summer, we love to animate the site with costumed interpreters who give tours, do demonstrations and help with many of our special events. Our volunteer group, the Grist Mill Foundation, has supplied us with some wonderful 1890’s era costumes, but there are some accessories we could use:
- Straw Hats (like these, or these)
- Button-in Suspenders (Black or grey, traditional not modern-looking)
- Plain black or brown dress shoes (men’s and woman’s)
- Painted paper parasols and fans
Food Preparation and Service
Our little restaurant is a key part of our site–it allows us to show off the bounty of our own heritage gardens and the Similkameen, it gives travelers a reason to stop for a visit and it helps us provide an extra layer of service for our events. Some of our dream items include:
- 30″ free-standing kitchen range (stove and oven) to replace our existing in-counter stove-top.
- Full-size fridge and small bar fridge
- Compressor, insulation and necessary hardware to make a small walk-in cooler
Other Items
There are a few more miscellaneous items that would allow us to do our work more efficiently across many areas of the site
- A digital SLR camera (we have lenses for a Canon T3i, so something compatible would be ideal)
- A laser printer
Big Dreams
There are a few items that are likely far out of reach for us, but it never hurts to put it out there.
- A pole barn or other large structure – storage and indoor space are at a premium on our site and we could really use more covered space that would fit in with the character of the site. A large old barn or other structure would be ideal, but we’re open to lots of ideas.
- A six-sided gazebo – for small performances, talks or just a place to get out of the summer heat, we have the perfect spot to build a wooden Victorian-style gazebo.
- Riding lawnmower – our existing lawnmower is worked pretty hard with both lawn-cutting and hauling and it would be very useful to have a back-up available.