Along the way, we do miss home. But we have each other, our usually-remote-but-close-right-now friends and family, and a little home-on-wheels known as the GardenMobile. (Well, we don’t actually call it that–I just made it up a cute nickname. What do you think?) And getting some distance from the good ol’ PNW makes us appreciate our life there even more. The trees. The familiar terrain and wildlife. And the water–by golly, the amazing Portland water!

We are currently in Washington, DC, visiting my little brother. Before this, we stayed in Princeton; we didn’t spend much time on campus, but our wonderful hostess did take us on a tour of developing school gardens all over town. We stopped in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware on the way here to connect with an awesome Pton friend and briefly swim in the ocean. Very briefly. As one might expect with an itinerary as jam-packed as ours has been, most of our activities have happened phenomenally quickly!

As we travel from friend to friend and place to place, I am struck by the power of connections between people and place, over time. We feel connected to people, despite the passage of time; visiting places we’ve been before brings back strong feelings. And we miss our own gardens, even as we appreciate the ones we see where we are. We’ll be home again, harvesting and sowing, soon enough. But in the meantime…it’s off to Atlanta (via North Carolina) we go!

Relationships and place-timing will have to be explored at a later date: there’s just too much to remark upon in those departments, and my thoughts will probably fill a book. But food–that’s worth a quick mention here.

It’s as much a sign of the times (as fresh food becomes ever-more-popular) as a compliment to us and our garden-building business that so many of the folks with whom we have visited have fed us locally, seasonally, and from scratch. Excellent food from their gardens, CSA shares, farmers markets, and even (via company cafeteria) preserved farmland around their new corporate campuses.

A couple of recent examples of this web in action: we were offered (and gratefully accepted) fresh CSA onions and peppers to spice up a late road-trip-food dinner in Eagan, MN. We fixed up eggplants grown by Stefan Meyer, an urban farmer friend in Minneapolis in Madison, then made pesto from local farmers market basil and cheese there. In Pittsburgh, we ate from-scratch tomato soup with a straight-from-the-garden salad and homemade garlic bread. And we dined sumptuously on local pork with pan-fried fresh potatoes and tomatillos and a Rose tomato-mozzarella salad upon our late arrival at our current happy home–a farm just south of Ithaca, New York.

In short, we’ve been bowled over by the welcomes we’ve received over 3500+ miles of proud ground. We’ve been treated like royalty: describing some of the dishes makes me remember feast scenes in the Brian Jacques Redwall series. (Anyone else recall being impressed by those?) One special mention, along those lines, goes to the Wills family in Crawfordsville, Indiana. They fed us Good food–and a really-lot of it–on short notice: it was a true feast, prepared with love and received with thanks.

Anywhoo, after sharing a few pictures, I will stop for now. I can’t say enough thanks on this trip, even though everyone deserves it. There’s way too much more to comment upon…and I am working on preparing my remarks. Questions, comments, or topical requests?

Farmers Market in Madison, WI

Local Food Wheel in Ithaca, NY

Herb Garden at Cornell Plantations

Our visit to Spokane was an awesome way to start out: as I mentioned in our last blog entry, my cousin Annie is a 3D rigger (an animator that makes 3D characters move) and, as the designer of our “Tomato Tree” logo, a most excellent contributor to our business. It was fun to meet her new family–specifically her fiancee’s best friend and grandfolks, with whom she and James live.

Unexpected bonus: grandpa (a.k.a. Farmer Jim) introduced us to his garden as soon as we arrived. It involves over a dozen pots on wheels that are moved indoors at night so as to avoid deer damage, which is easy to sustain in their hilltop neighborhood.

Although our visit was entirely too short, we had a very good time. And meanwhile, Annie hatched a plan to get all the cousins in our generation together to share family stories–to fill each other in on the information we’ve learned during lapses in our family’s not-so-talkativeness. I’ll definitely be sharing the one about Gram’s road trip. And I have no doubt that I can collect a few more along the way…

We headed to Yellowstone next, and I think that the pictures of that part of the trip speak for themselves. They’ll have to, because I’m at a loss for what to say about such a dynamic and entirely out-of-the-ordinary place. We did get to see the Youth Conservation Corps HQ, where Isabel stayed on weekends when she worked in the park seven summers ago, and follow up on some of the erosion control work she did then.

It’s very satisfying to see the trees Isabel and her coworkers planted growing up fast and doing the work they’re meant to do. That sight makes me hopeful for the future of our gardening endeavors; it also makes me think that I would like to do more planting of plants to perform functions that we might otherwise need to install infrastructure to take care of. I want to be able to visit years later and find healthy, self-sustaining ecosystems–as well as soil staying where it’s supposed to stay.

Upon exiting the park, we shared a lovely meal in Cody, WY with Isabel’s grandma’s cousin. As luck would have it, Mary is also a gardener; we made sure she ended up with an Independence Gardens-branded rain gauge (thanks to my dad for thinking to purchase those!) and a little bit of the salve we made with students in camp last week.

After a drive-by visit to Mt. Rushmore and a stop at the Black Hills Visitor Center, we’re on our way to the Minneapolis metro area now. There, we’ll stay with a good friend who is passionate about creating sustainable community-based energy systems; if we’re lucky, we’ll also get to help another friend with his CSA distribution. Fingers crossed!

(Special note for today: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our biggest little brother! We love you!)

So, Gram told me that when she was my age, no one would have thought it possible for young women to take a road trip like we’re about to take. She thinks it’s great that we’re doing it, but she couldn’t think of anything in her past that compared. We kept talking, however. And it turns out that when she was ten, she and her recently-widowed mom drove a Model A Ford from Birmingham, Alabama, to their new home in Los Angeles. They even stopped at a relative’s ranch in Texas on the way, she told me. “Hmm,” I thought. “Road trip!”

Karen and Gram: Road tripping across the generations

True, the personal and cultural contexts for my grandma and great-grandma’s journey in the mid-1930s were radically different from the ones in which we’re embarking. But I like to find the similarities between apparently dissimilar things–finding ways to fit them together. And along those parallel lines, here’s my thinking:

That was the Depression Era, and there weren’t too many years between Gram and Nana’s road trip and the Victory Gardens of World War II. We’re currently in the midst of the worst recession since, and I can see the food self-sufficiency movement heading in the same direction: a garden in every yard! (I just hope we don’t need continued armed conflict to bolster the movement’s sense of urgency.)

In any case, Isabel and I are heading out to see what people are doing with their spaces nationwide. To see firsthand, and hear from friends and family, the effects of the present state of economic affairs, and to begin to consider alternatives–with a focus on urban ag, although not an exclusive one–for ourselves and those close to us. It’s a project that will in all likelihood take years, not weeks, to wrap up.

Independence Gardens "Tomato Tree"

I’m especially looking forward to seeing what tomorrow’s drive to Spokane and visit with my talented artist cousin Annie brings. (Back in the day, she designed our “Tomato Tree” logo!) I’m thankful that my conversation with Gram today gave me a chance to start considering the past(s) that make the present possible, and the connections between then and now.

And now that I’m thinking…we’re going to start driving.

Some of the many commonly available plants that are good to use in salve include:

Each of these plants has unique beneficial properties. Please consult a trained herbalist for advice if you are needing to address a specific health concern.

Begin by harvesting all herbs from a safe location away from heavy traffic or other sources of pollution. If you are not able to use them right away, lay the herbs out to dry in a cool place with good air circulation (for instance, in a wicker basket in the mudroom); once they are dry, store herbs for future use in paper bags in a dark, cool, dry place. You can also use the herbs immediately after harvest.

To make salve, you will need:

• Your fresh and/or dried herbs
• A crock pot
• Olive oil
• Strainer/sieve or cheesecloth
• Glass measuring cup
• Stovetop-safe pot
• Beeswax
• Small vials or jars with tight-fitting lids (baby food jars work really well)

Follow these simple steps:

1. Place your herbs (fresh and/or dried) in a crock pot.
2. Cover the herbs with olive oil, then add olive oil so that there is a one-inch layer above the herbs.
3. Turn the crock pot on the lowest setting. Put it in a place that is out of the way but still can be checked on easily, making sure to leave the lid off so that any moisture in the herbs can escape.
4. Turn the pot off when the herbs have lost their color and turned brittle; this indicates that the plant medicine has transferred from the plants to the oil.
5. Pour the oil through a sieve/strainer or a piece of cheesecloth to remove the plant material from the oil. The oil can be strained into a glass measuring cup; you should take note of the total amount.
6. Press the sieve or squeeze the cheesecloth to extract all of the oil, then compost the leftover plant material. Please be careful during this step: the oil is very warm.
7. Pour the measured oil directly into a stovetop-safe pot.
8. Place the pot with the oil in it on the stovetop, turning the heat on low.
9. Add chopped beeswax to the oil in the pot. The correct proportion is 1 oz. beeswax for each cup of oil.
10. Leave the oil and beeswax on the heat till the beeswax melts.
11. Remove the mixture from the heat and pour into vials/jars.
12. Let the salve cool. If it hardens too much or too little, reheat and add more oil (if it is too hard) or beeswax (if it is too soft).

On that note, we have kick-behind employees to hold down the fort here–specifically Karen Pyle, Chicken Shirt Campaign Coordinator. She will be inventory-keeper and order-filler during our absence for the Chicken Shirt, Goat Tee, Bull (Shirt) and corresponding onesies (the Chicken Squirt, Goat Teeny, and AdoraBull). Our mail will be received by my mom (who proudly identifies as our sometimes-administrative assistant). And we’ll be available via e-mail and phone… Amazing how well-connected is this world we’re in!

In any case, what it  boils down to is that we’re feeling good about departing from the norm only because of our strong home base, for which we are thankful beyond belief.

Garden car at the car wash

First of all, we’re physically active. I (I won’t say “Karen” after this, ’cause if it’s writing, it’s me!) am finishing up 30 classes in 30 days at Urban Pilates; Isabel is swimming and working out regularly at Mt. Scott Community Center. We work in our garden (duh), hang out with kids (always a workout!), and go out with Search and Rescue (unfortunately, there’s been plenty of action lately, and not as many days we’ve been able to join in). And our car’s even getting spa treatment, thanks to Richmond Elementary’s Oya No Kai; students and parents were out washing cars yesterday, and will be out one more Sunday this summer (the 2nd in September) to raise funds for a cultural trip to Japan. Basically, we’re out and about, staying fit.

Also, we’re trying to eat well. We went down to Bob’s Red Mill and got some great dry goods today, which will help us stay healthy along the road… I figure we’ll buy or otherwise acquire organic, seasonal, local produce (in the places where it’s available, that is) to supplement our beans, instant potatoes, and pancake mix. No regularly scheduled green smoothies for us this time around, unless I find a blender that runs off a Coleman stove… Lots of coffee, lots of conversation with my lovely business partner, and many, many stops along the way to keep us engaged with each other and the world.

In short, I don’t know what to expect along the way, but we’re trying to get ourselves set up from the inside out to take this trip and make it great.

[OH, and in other news, I just heard from my mom (who was interviewed by Channel 8 wearing a Chicken Shirt!) that Beaverton approved its urban chickens ordinance this evening. Fantastic. Chickens for All!]

This trip is like the trip we took six years ago, when we first met…but different. This time we have a larger agenda than getting to know each other while whisking me (Karen, that is) back to school after a year off. We’re planning to visit friends and family, as well as garden-based businesses and other endeavors that empower people to grow their own food.

Our tentative (and yes, we know, rather ridiculously ambitious) route is viewable on the Google map below:

View Independence Gardens on the move in a larger map

If you’re in one of the places we plan to go, and have any time to hang out with us between August 15 and September 7…or if you have any gardening connections in one of these locales or surrounding areas…we would love to see you/know about them. Get in touch!

1. Choose the right plants. Here is a shortlist of what it is still appropriate to plant now (in the Portland metro area, at least):

• Arugula
• Basil
• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Collards
• Green onions
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Lettuce
• Oriental greens
• Parsley
• Parsnips
• Peas
• Radishes
• Rutabaga
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Turnips

2. Time your plantings properly. At this time of year, you’ll need to remember to choose varieties with shorter growth periods (days to harvest) and make at least a few different plantings of most things about a week apart. This will ensure that regardless of environmental conditions, at least some of your plantings mature tastily; it will also give you a staggered harvest, so not everything comes on at once.
3. Plan for protection. Your plants may like the weather now, or they may need help hanging on till the cooler weather of fall hits and they experience their ideal growing conditions. Either way, you’ll probably have to modify their environment to suit their needs as the weather changes. Think about shadecloth for plants that like cooler weather (eg lettuces and other greens) and season extenders–cold frames, cloches, and greenhouses–for plants that will need shelter from cooler weather in the fall and winter to remain harvestable.

Finally, check out one of many great local resources for more information: the OSU Extension Service’s Fall and Winter Gardening in the Pacific Northwest. Best of luck, and have fun!