Farming Programs & Markets

For years I have studied and practiced various small-scale, alternative methods of agroecological growing—including organic annual alley cropping, agroforestry, growing in polytunnels, forest gardening, craft and herb gardening, synergistic growing, and biointensive gardening.

As the Garden and Education Manager at the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center—a social justice and land-based learning center in Northern California—I managed the cultivation of annual and perennial food crops in a highly diverse, hand-tilled organic garden, built healthy soils through composting, green manures, and crop diversity and rotation, tended to fruit trees and bushes, and maintained herb and flower beds. As part of this position, I also led weekly community garden projects, mentored year-long apprentices, served as a liaison between the gardens and kitchen, and taught theoretical and hands-on lessons in regenerative food growing, seed saving, soil health, and composting.

As a Farmer at Red Dog Farm—a 23-acre certified organic farm in Washington State—I cultivated 150+ varieties of vegetables, berries, cut flowers, and plant starts; performed field work including transplanting, hand weeding, hoeing, compost management, and moving irrigation; took care of pigs; harvested, washed, weighed, and packed produce and flowers for a weekly 100-person CSA, farm stand, farmers market, restaurants, grocery stores, and other local retailers; and independently managed produce and flower deliveries and distribution.

As part of this position I also co-managed a local farmers market booth, where I provided friendly and informative customer service, managed transactions, and encouraged and inspired community support for local, sustainably-grown food production and distribution.

As an Ecological Horticulture Apprentice at Schumacher College—an experiential learning centre in England that teaches practical skills and strategic thinking—I grew annual food crops, apple trees, and fruit bushes in a five-acre agroforestry alley system; made compost, tended to herb, food forest, and craft and cut flower gardens, grew crops in polytunnels, and cared for multiple flocks of open-pasture hens and runner ducks. I also propagated crop, herb, and garden plants from seeds and cuttings, prevented and controlled common pests and diseases with organic management techniques, maintained records of crop and egg yields, harvested, washed, weighed, sorted, and stocked produce for a community farm stand, and assisted in the preparation of large-scale (65+ people) vegetarian meals for College students and staff.

For all of these positions I also led regular community farm volunteer programs, where I taught students and community members how to sustainably grow food whilst regenerating their local ecosystems and communities.