We have a winner! Mads over at Random.org chose number 29 out of the comments that were received; so Debbie Hardesty is the winner of Tricia’s Kardz and Stuff…Oh My! card making package extraordinaire! This is a value over $35.00! Congratulations, Debbie! I know that you and your kids will have a lot of fun making these cards. And there are more prizes on deck starting on Monday..so keep those comments coming!
Today, our featured highlight is Vernie DeMille.
I can’t say enough about Vernie and her amazing spirit! She is an incredible woman that is an asset to her farmer husband, William…
and a great mom to their children; two of which are pictured here.
The DeMille’s just recently relocated to the Willamette Valley, near Portland, Oregon.
There, they have founded C’est Naturelle Farms; a local gardening resource for their community.
You can read more about them and contact them at MiniAg.com…
As well as on their new blog cestnaturellefarms.com
Will and Vernie’s gardening expertise is amazing!
And as you will soon see from this feature…
is only surpassed by their love for people and a sense of community.
I always leave a conversation with the two of them feeling uplifted, encouraged and loved.
Won’t you please welcome…Vernie DeMille!
Hey, Teri, how’s it goin’?!
I’m great, Vernie. Thank you so much for taking the time to join me this morning. I know that you are so busy right now planting and getting things set up on the farm. I really appreciate it!
Yeah, I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. It’s been crazy around here! In fact, I hope you don’t mind that I’m milking the cow while I talk with you today! Will’s been up all night working the fields, because it wasn’t raining. He wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to get some things done while the weather was good.
Vernie, I know that you guys are using somewhat of a CSA model; but will you share your twist on it for us today?
Sure! Well, often with a regular CSA model, when you pay the money and don’t use what is available; you’re just “out the cash.” We’re going to try something different. We want you to invest and in return, we’re going to give you farm “credit.” You can buy 1,3,6,or 12 months in advance and invest in the farm. This credit is good for one year from the date of purchase. This way, if you only want tomatoes, you can have tomatoes! If you want milk, eggs, produce, or even some finished products in the form of canned goods; we’ll offer all of this. And you customize these things to your personal needs and desires.
Wow. I wished I lived closer!
Well, we’ve figured out that each of our growing spaces is worth a $1.50, which is one share. We’re trying to keep the prices down. Sadly, there has been so much elitism that has crept in to local food markets. Local food sources have become so exorbitantly priced; that many people can no longer afford them. This is tragic.
I know that you and Will believe that it is your life mission to do this work. The fact that you can make even the most urban of dwellers so excited about knowing their food source is always so inspiring to me!
I can’t tell you how important I think it is that people have a genuine and very real relationship with the earth. It is so integral in realizing who you are, where you have come from and what you’re made of.
Living the the Willamette Valley is a dream come true, Teri. The more you get out and work the land, the more you understand the efforts and courage of those who came here as pioneers. When I think about the hardships that were involved on the Oregon Trail trek, and the arrival here, only to find more work ahead; it leaves me in awe and total humility.
When the pioneers arrived here, there were nothing but evergreens, oaks and ash. This was a 2,500 mile trek! Yet, they looked at what they saw; and honestly what they saw produced even more vision. So they got to work! I think about this often. It’s amazing!
It is so uplifting to spend time with you, Vernie! You’re a real encourager of people.
Well, I think that today, our lives are relatively easy, Teri. Physically, spiritually and emotionally we don’t have it difficult. It took real strength of character for the pioneers to settle and begin working the land.
I think that so much of a successful life can be likened to farming. We can choose to till our hearts and furrow out hurt and pain that others may have caused; whether it was intentional or not. So many people lead lives that are based on individualism and being loners; rather than embracing community. Somehow, telling themselves that they don’t need or want people in their lives makes this a reality.
The truth is, we need community. We benefit from community. It’s worth it to love people and to invest in relationships.
Everyone can till the soil of their heart. It’s so worthwhile to love.
I can’t thank you enough for choosing to be here today. I know that anyone that contacts you on your website that desires to be mentored or has questions will be the richer for it.
I’m going to close with an excerpt quoting you from a post I found; when the topic of “to till or not to till” came up! I was so impressed. And you’re very modest, so you probably wouldn’t share it.
I know that you’re finished milking, so I’ll let you go!
Yes, we’re going to pile into the car and go to town. I’m getting Dead Aid today and plan to join in on the discussion. Sorry I’m late.
No worries. We’re really just now getting started. Jump in!
I love you, Teri! You have a great day!
Right back at you, Vernie!
Excerpt: “tilling is actually a really good thing to do if you’re working soil that isn’t already enriched…it takes about a decade to get the garden soil to a consistency that no longer requires turning. At that point the layering method is wonderful and should be the goal of every good gardener…The trick to good gardening is to find a way to grow a good amount of food this year; while thinking of and caring for, the soil in years to come. While tilling does kill some of the micro-organisms in the soil, it won’t kill all of them. There’s about a million microbes in every tablespoon of soil and they multiply rapidly. Now that you’ve gotten the compost in, they’ll grow even faster. Gardening is so much like education. You have to study your garden. I’ve met a lot of “box” gardeners lately. They want to garden using only one exclusive set of methods. They draw boxes that may be keeping good things out; instead of a circle of knowledge that draws all good things in. The trick is to stay out of boxes; look at your soil, study it, find out what it needs, and give it what it is asking for…but can’t say out loud! Man, I just LOVE farming!”
And we really do love you, Vernie. Thanks for sharing and for leading in this way.
Awesome post! How incredible to be able to live on a farm. I just couldn’t deal with the rain up in Oregon…need my endless sunshine.
Okay, Teri, with that excerpt you added, I’m wondering if I’m making a mistake by doing square foot gardening? Don’t rain on my parade, man! I’ve never been successful just gardening in the desert soil so I hope this will work out better for me than my track record without using boxes. Anyway, it was a great read, other than the fact it made me wonder if I shouldn’t have built my 6 boxes. At least I can always get rid of them if it doesn’t work out. Thanks for sharing!
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Vernie DeMille Reply:
May 21st, 2010 at 9:04 am
Can I answer this one Teri? We love Square Foot Gardening! Don’t worry about it a bit Stephanie, in fact in a desert situation it’s a good idea to use the soil mix that Mel Bartholomew suggests, you should have a great harvest. I’ve seen first hand the difference between regular desert soil harvests vs. amended soil harvests, it’s phenomenal! I’m guessing you’ll be really pleased that you planted those raised beds this year. The boxes I spoke of were in the mind rather than the garden. We’ve tried lots of different methods, lots of different techniques and we’ve gleaned great ideas from all of them. The goal is to keep your eyes open for all the great methods that are out there and not to close the “box” on yourself and tell yourself you can’t do what you want to try. We do all kinds of crazy stuff in our garden just to see if it works! William tells people all the time that the only way to fail at gardening is to never plant the seeds. It’s just like education, there is no “one-size fits all” curriculum, and there is no one “perfect” method for gardening. To be a good leader, or a good gardener, or a good citizen you have to just keep trying, through drought, disagreements, hail storms, disappointmets, tornadoes, tragedies, floods, cabbage loopers, and the list goes on. Because when you get past the Spring storms, past the Summer drought, and the frost that came too early in the Fall, you find yourself surrounded by a harvest that is bigger than you thought possible and it always feels like a miracle. You’re already a successful gardener Stephanie, because you are still doing it, you’re still trying. Way to go!
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We can choose to till our hearts and furrow out hurt and pain that others may have caused; whether it was intentional or not…..those are some fine words to ponder!
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