Update from the farm and a call for volunteers

Since March, my main focus has been establishing a new planting of medicinal herbs, vegetables, berries and trees in the Okanogan valley near Tonasket, North-central Washington. The two sites add up to one acre planted and I am happy to report that most of the plants are doing well. After months of financial outflow some crops are starting to generate income.

This week I am harvesting eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, green beans, peas, basil, beets, fava beans, kale, radish pods, broccoli, and summer squash. There are lots of melons, potatoes, winter squash and more to come. We have been harvesting and shipping hundreds of pounds of medicinal herbs from the farm and will have lots more harvests of the following herb crops: skullcap, hyssop, holy basil, spilanthes, catnip, blessed thistle, bugleweed (Lycopus americanus), motherwort, hops, milky oats, oatstraw, and fall roots.

WE NEED MORE MARKETS FOR OUR HERB CROPS. ANY IDEAS?

FARM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Participate in the day-to-day work of farming, harvesting, processing and wildcrafting at Michael Pilarski’s Okanogan Biodiversity Farm. You provide a tent and willing hands. We provide food and share our outdoor living space.

Hands-on experience. Weekend, one week or longer.

August 7-18

August 25-September 5

September 18-30

All of October

We could use one intern for the remainder of the growing season. Stipend available dependent on experience. I am still looking for farming partners.

HOT OFF THE PRESS! - Forty Years with the Fairies

New Book Compiled by Michael Pilarski

FORTY YEARS WITH THE FAIRIES: Volume I of the Collected Fairy Manuscripts of Daphne Charters. 353 pages. The most intimate look into the lives of nature fairies ever published.

$20 plus $5 shipping and handling.
Send $25 to Friends of the Trees Society. PO Box 253, Twisp, WA 98856.

Washington State Permaculture Convergence

September 12-14, 2008 - Friday-Sunday
Sahale Learning Center, Belfair, WA

The convergence is a way to strengthen information flow and cooperation between permaculturists in the state of Washington; and to work on a vision of how permaculture can better serve the people and land of Washington state. How are permaculturists making their living doing consulting, installation, teaching, etc?

This convergence will have some aspects of an organizational meeting for the permaculture community.

The convergence will also be an educational event on gardening, water catchments, forest gardens, terra preta soil, wildcrafting, bio-diesel and other topics of interest for seasoned permaculturists and interested members of the general public.

Medicinal Herbs for sale

This is my 13th year as a commercial wildcrafter and grower of medicinal herbs. This is my main income source. Every year, the quality herbs I supply to the trade are consumed by hundreds of thousands of people around the US.

May every herb I pick be blessed by the fairies.

Sahale Permaculture Design Course

Sahale Retreat Center. Belfair, Washington. Southwestern Kitsap Peninsula. March 2009. Michael Pilarski, Laura Sweaney and other instructors.

The Fairy Congress was a success!!

The 8th Fairy & Human Relations Congress was a wonderful event once again. Many people have told us that it changed their lives!

Lots of magical moments. Highlights this year included Orion Foxwood’s riveting performance at his two workshops; Fairy Funk” music by David Lertzman, Michael McDonald and company at the Friday might concert; and the Saturday evening ritual and fairy parade. As every year, the fairy energy increases in intensity. The Sunday morning panel evolved even more into a group discussion with many contributors. Aera headed up a great kitchen for the 3rd year in a row. Hope & Randy Mead gave several great presentations on orbs. Port Townsend song-leader, Laurence Cole, did a wonderful job in leading us in many songs, rounds and musical moments in our circles.

R.J. Stewart, as always, contributed one of the most solid fairy workshops of the event. We feel very blessed that R.J. has been part of our event since it’s founding, as he is one of the foremost fairy experts of our time.

The dates for next year's Congress are June 26 - 28, 2009

Apology Letter

I owe letters of apology to many people at this time. 2008 has been a difficult year for me. I went out on a financial limb for Friends of the Trees Society’s annual tree sale and to put in my two new plantings (one acre combined). As a result I still owe $2,000 to nurseries and have continuing cashflow problem. My apologies if you are one of the few people or nurseries I owe money to. There is light at the end of the tunnel as my harvests increase. I should be able to catch up this summer.

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