Shani's Edible Landscaping, Soulful Soils

Week 4 was a very scattered week for me. I’ve become accustomed to having my time at  home to read instructional books and dig deep with some upper division articles. I’ve done less of that this week as I was called from the house to go to class for a bi-weekly update, explore the Timberland Library system for E4E, and then go to the E4E night class. There were other happenings which I’ll explain later, but all in all, this was not that much of a scholarly week for me.

I spent Monday organizing my week, finding articles, reading The Bio-Integrated Farm, working on the plant cards, doing my cash-flow spreadsheet homework for E4E, and talking to Brandon Best. Brandon Best runs the Best Family Farm. I connected with him during my first survey when I was asking farmers if they’d pay to have an agroforestry consultant. Since then he’s been a valuable resource during the occasions that he contacts me (and has a funny facebook page). Brandon called to tell me about a business opportunity, a lady from a restaurant in Chehalis wants wild foraged foods for her meals. She won’t ask too many questions, she would like to sample whatever he has. However, Brandon doesn’t have anything like that so he forwarded her to me. She represents a viable market and is someone I would consider as I move forward in other matters that I’ll talk about.

Tuesday was class day. I spent the morning listening to other people’s projects, I hope I suggested some useful readings. The lunch of homemade bagels and local lox was delicious. After lunch I went to meet with Richard Bernstein and Eric Lastname to talk about a farm business venture sponsored by Vets for Peace. I talk about that in detail here. I’ve been on the fence about this venture because, as Joanne from my business class says, gigs like that operate on excess. Meaning what they need is someone who is getting their bills paid, has money coming in on the regular, can spare the time without losing that money. That person is only slightly similar to me. I have the G.I Bill and will continue to have it through the summer. I could theoretically work on that farm for credit and still have my bill paid. I could also be doing my edible landscaping business for credit concurrently and gain income  that way. I’m also working at the Organic Farm once a week now and I expect those hours to increase a little. As Joanne says though, if my business is suppose to make me all my money, which is what I want, it must take precedence. I can’t be sidetracked by other jobs. So, do I take the Vets for Peace position? I don’t know, but I’m starting to think…no.

I finished Tuesday up by readings a few more chapters of The Bio-Integrated Farm and meeting with that week’s study buddy, Stephanie Lastname. She’s working on garden spaces for unfortunate kids living in Lakewood. As per the E4E class syllabus the students are required to meet with a different study buddy weekly and discuss homework happenings and whatnot. Stephanie helped clear things up for me regarding the Owner’s Draw and how that’s supposed to work.

Wednesday I went to the Timberland Library in downtown Olympia for four hours. More info on that excursion can be found here. I blogged for a little bit, finished The Bio-Integrated Farm, and did my E4E homework to turn in.

Thursday I blogged for a bit, read some articles, chit-chatted with Joanne over email, and then went to the E4E evening class. More information on that class can be found in the link above.

Friday I worked on some homework for the next E4E class, namely the survey. Joanne said that the surveys could be administered multiple ways, but the best way was anonymously because people feel weird when they’re asked about money. She suggested surveymonkey, facebook, and printed questionnaires people could fill out and deposit into a bin. I think I’m going to do all of the above in this coming week with the in-person surveys happening at the East Side Food Co-Op and the Oly Downtown Farmer’s Market. I read some articles on friday as well and blogged for a minute.

I didn’t do anything Saturday as I was moving between rooms in the house and didn’t get the time. Sunday I worked on my week in review (this paper) and my Upper Division Literature Review.

Catch me next week, same time same place.