RIP Wangari Maathai- My Hero

I went to see Wangari Mathaai in 2007 at the Paramount Theater in Seattle with a friend who served some time in the Peace Corps in Africa. I was so impressed with what she was able to accomplish with the help of women and plants (and a little money). She basically educated the women in plant propagation and set up small edible plant nurseries for each woman. She was required to raise the trees and also to teach the next woman how to do the same.  They used grey water from cooking and washing to feed the plants, and eventually the trees got big enough to plant and harvest from. The women were able to harvest the fruits and provide more nutritious food for their families as well as sell the excess and buy other supplies for their household. It is such an easy plan, but it took time and education and lots of people. The trees also provided much needed shade for the people and animals of the household, and the soil started to become more workable between the trees.
Seriously, she was a genius and her Noble Prize was much deserved! After the speech, in the afterglow of good will that happens after a great person has moved you, we all were just smiling at each other with hope. The woman next to me told me that her mom had been one of the recipients of some of those trees! Wangari Maathai had literally changed her life. She felt like her family had been raised up from this movement, and that was the reason she was able to go to school in the US. It was amazing to be in the presence of such hope and greatness. I am eternally grateful for her work. May she rest in peace and may we continue with the forward thinking projects that would make her proud!

The City wants us to farm!!! Let's Go

Well, I went to the Ag Business Forum and learned a few things from each of the speakers... I saw a bunch of urban farm friends I hadn't seen in awhile, and met a few more at the event. It was great to see city officials thinking about this urban agriculture trend as a business trend and not just some dirty hippies! It seems like they have lots of enthusiasm for helping facilitate teaching kids about food, bringing healthy food to corner stores, helping with business plans and even permitting issues pertaining to growing food on private or City/ Parks property.
I am grateful for the effort and thought that went into the forum and hope the City of Seattle (and Richard Conlin) will continue to support programs that promote food security.  I look forward to finding out what this group of activist- business owners & policy makers can do together to help more people get access to great fresh food from their own backyards!

I came home and opened my email from Rodale Reporting on their 30 year Farm Systems Trial. They have run 4-5 different farms with the same food, but different inputs. Two completely organic, one with manure & the other legume compost, a conventional with chemical based fertilizers and gmo crops, and one more recent no-till project. Check out the results!

FEED THE SOIL!!!!! (she will feed you back!)

Urban Ag Business Forum Today 4-6 at Seattle City Hall

I am off to the Urban Agriculture Business Forum to see what kinds of food security policies/ resources the city is offering to those who are trying to grow their own food in the city.  The forum is from 4-6 at Seattle City Hall. (Bertha Knight Landes Room, Seattle City Hall 

600 4th Avenue)

Marc & I have been harvesting fruits from our friends' yards and dehydrating them for our winter snacks! We have collected Apples & Plums from friends, and I got a case of peaches from a roadside stand and dehydrated those as well! I even did one rack of the ripe strawberries I found still producing at the farm on Saturday! If I keep getting tomatoes I will start dehydrating those too, but I am still enjoying them in sauces.

My Intern Emily

Meet my intern Emily. She has been an awesome co-worker this Summer. She has helped me do everything from planting to weeding, harvesting and medicine making. She is already great at starting plants from seeds. She loves to go out and check on them each morning and seems to thrive doing that work. She lights up when she talks about the plants growing.
She came out to Vashon Island last week and helped me harvest perfumers' quality lavender from my friend's farm the other day. I mentioned to her that I wished I knew of a good Arnica patch nearby to harvest from, and she found one on a day hike not long after that.
We harvested nettles in the springtime together one of the first days she came to help out, and she made some tincture for her mom who loved it! She is on her way to becoming a great herbalist. Thanks Emily! I really appreciate your work.
(She is looking for a job at the moment...)

We harvested lots of lavender that will infuse the  olive oil we use in the Busted Knuckle Hand Balm. I couldn't resist making bundles of lavender since I had that pretty pink ribbon that looked so good with them. The scent is sooooooo intoxicating!

The bundles would be so cute as a bridal bouquet, and I made some super tiny bouquets that would be great for men's lapels.

The house was so fragrant while they were drying, and I had to take them outside under the canopy to process them from the sticks so they are ready for oil.

Seattle Tilth Harvest Fair Sat 1-4

I will be selling my products and talking about growing food gardens at the Seattle Tilth Harvest Fair this Saturday from 1-4 at Meridian Park.  If you have never been to the fair, it is a huge farmer's Market and edible plant sale (including fruit trees) with great food and live music, gardening workshops, demonstrations and activities for all ages.
Please come by and say hello!

Freshly plowed field

Freshly plowed row

 Oats, crimson clover and chamomile seeds are sown in this row. I hope to harvest all three and use them as cover crops to choke out the quackgrass. what a nutritious row of plants!

Clover and Chamomile seeds and my new car

My nephew Joey gave me this car while we were on vacation in Cannon Beach OR this summer. He made me promise I wouldn't give it to anyone. I had it in my pocket when I was on the farm the other day, so I took a picture of it right in the field.  I took another in my backyard and sent it to his mom. They are getting a kick out of it.