Late summer, 2023 and we’re off on a quick harvesting adventure in Westport, WA. On an overcast afternoon we wandered shore and dune on a naturalist wander. Twin Harbors State Park has a wonderful set of walking paths called Shifting Sands Naturalist Trails, which allow foot access to and from the beach. It was a lovely place to explore, offering shaded forest of shore pine and cascara, as well as delightful ripe evergreen huckleberry bushes. We browsed like bears and feasted on the fall abundance with gusto.
These dune edged pine dominate forests are a crucial buffer between ocean and towns developed nearby. Still, people continue to push closer to the water, making poor choice in building spots for vacation homes. This kind of irresponsible building along major flood prone areas will end up uninsurable and a natural disaster away from total destruction. We encountered a very recent housing development feet from a public beach, with no protection from the storm surf that is bound to come through these coastal areas more often with climate change. The short stubby pines and wrecked brush of coastal forests echo the powerful oceanic tempests.
Vegetative buffers work to disperse waves and bank deluges of freshwater rain into sand filtered aquifers. These giant hedges also produce numerous foods, medicines, and materials. Humans have not, and cannot reproduce this effective protection or abundant productivity through artificial means- even at great expense. Over time, these buffers will flood and succumb to changing tides, but the remnants of this bioregion will spread, and enhance inland spaces- if given space and opportunity. The way sea-level is rising, coastal flooding will only worsen over the next 30 years.
EEC is above this threat, but not immune to some water table shifts, especially if “The Big One” hits. At Westport, we’re in a most vulnerable place for tsunamis, and folks, there’s little high ground to run for if there’s a subduction zone slip off our coast. I cannot say we picked berries with any real concern, but any time our exploits take us west of Interstate 5 (including Seattle), we know we’re taking our lives into our own hands- so to speak. Geologic time spans millions of years, so the blip of my lifespan may see no great shift at all.
The dunes along central Washington’s western shore, well beyond the Olympic Mountains and Peninsula interior, feel like a Flemish painting, bucolic bright tones with silver skies. Shoreline grass and wildflowers mingle in a mesh of flashing color, like energetic brushstrokes of a master. Shifting shore breezes also set off the dunes with rolling sedge and rush. Along the tidelands, sky and water blend in a blurring swirl of white caps curling under in flocked foam. A flock of pelicans weaves in a line of grace and power through the surf. This experience was dream like, as with the deep evergreen woods of moss and mushrooms, the shore and dune forest transports us to a magical, timeless place.
What a year for mushrooms at EEC Forest Stewardship! Our tending of an extensive bolete patch through the years is paying out in dividends this October, 2023. We’ve had a few continuous days of rain and heavy morning fog to bring on the mushroom spring. I’m so thrilled about our crop of crackled and Zeller’s, the extent of this second flush remains hard to capture in pictures, but I’ll try-
What to do with all these mushrooms? Feast, feast, feast! I’ve been eating Xerocomellus chrysenteron and Xerocomellus zelleri for a decade, but it’s not agreeable with all stomachs. My partner’s belly rejects them, so I get to enjoy these scrumptious delicacies on my own. Please remember to eat a small amount first with any confirmed edible species before chowing down. Most mushrooms are best enjoyed when fresh, some are dehydrated to keep, but most should be cooked and enjoyed at the time of harvest. After gathering a “shirt full”, I returned to the house with a load to cook up and enjoy. Some of the younger Zeller’s will go into the fridge to enjoy within the next few days. Here’s the easy recipe for my meal today:
4 cups freshly picked boletes cleaned* cast iron on low/med heat, add cleaned mushrooms and cook off moisture (about 20min) stir often to encourage evaporation add 1 cup chicken broth and simmer 1/2 hour one ear of precooked corn sliced off cob into simmering brew cook down broth to desired “gravy” thickness, then turn off heat 4 leftover cooked scallops from last night’s dinner stirred in serve warm
*clean mushrooms by removing the pore layer under cap DO NOT WASH water on mushrooms is never helpful, as you are trying to remove H2O, use a dry brush it does wonders. Do cut off soil infused bits and blemishes with knife and brush in the field before basketing or t-shirt bagging them to avoid soil falling into chosen harvesting receptacle and on the other mushrooms, giving your meal unexpected and unwanted crunch.
Boletes do not need a lot of flavor additives, but these two species are not known for being that flavorful, so adding some butter or broth with herbs and spices is encouraged. Also- though these mushrooms can stain blue, they have no psychedelic properties, and are safe culinary species you can enjoy without worry. These bolete species are also one of the few red colored stipe species that are safe to eat- but as always, harvest with local experts in person when learning. A brave mushroomer is a dead one. I’m not here to scare you- yes I am. Mushroom identification is a science, and I’m only confidant in what I eat with years of experience in a specific bio-region of Western Washington.
At the end of Summer, family visited and we took a romp up some local trails to view Wallace Falls. It happened to be the first rainforest weather we’d had since 90F last May. Here we were, four months later, drifting up into misty tree tops while viewing and listening to falling water over rocks and leaves. Truly, these are The Cascades, and even with little precipitation over the season, these major basins further up the mountain climb were still slowly releasing groundwater surpluses, which feed crucial rivers in The Puget Lowlands.
Wallace Falls State Park stands at the edge of some serious timber harvesting forests, so it’s easy to see a forest in recovery side by side with heavily cut woodlands that look more and more mono-culture with each harvest. The park demonstrated the diversity in age and species of a forest allowed to grow without human dictation. There is still much evidence of the logging legacy, from railroad grade to old roads just beginning to disappear into the undergrowth. Classic old growth stumps with plank holes, testify to the colonial resource extraction in billions of trees. Most of the original woodlands here were cut- the main trunk wood hauled off to coastal ships and on to developing towns and cities. Then the stripped land was burned to make way for settlers, people unable to survive in overpopulated Europe, where land abuse had already destroyed their own homelands.
Much of the land, being so expansive and often quite rugged, regrew new trees, but within another generation, those too were cut, and the land burned again to clean out the debris cluttering the landscape. Well, that debris was the topsoil making engine of the forest, and with the entire understory turned to a thin layer of ash, third growth trees continue to struggle, stunted and often wind blown, modern forests here in The Pacific Northwest are a shadow of their former selves. This similar fate befell land across the world as humanities dominion mindset excused mass extraction for short term gluttons, while our very ecosystem was torn apart for petty convinces that are now killing us with growing success. Today, the last trees of old are continuing to fall, only now machines do all the work and expedite the process. Yes folks, around the world, the last old trees are being cut as I type this, and none of us will stop the madness. It’s moment of reflection like this which help me see the true cost of our modern living, and know we’re on our way out. We’ve abused our relationship with our home, and will face fatal consequences. So, go take a walk in the woods when you get a chance.
Parks and preserves will continue to be public places to see nature, even a deeply scared landscape will eventually rejuvenate if left to do so. Our short monkey minds can’t quite grasp centuries, let alone last week. Ecology takes millions of years to reset. Our little blip here has been a massacre, but not all is lost. People also do great things, yes, but our context blights, we have to mitigate ourselves. Education has become the enemy, because when you truly know a thing, you have to acknowledge yourself. Every bit of space we can give back to allow restoration while we decrease our own footprint, is the only way to truly live as part of a thriving ecosystem we can appreciate and enjoy.
Deception Falls is another park further up rout 2. It’s a drive by viewing on the south side of the highway, or you can stop at the interpretive trail on the north side of the road for a short walk and more stunning views. This lovely cascade seems tame today, but in a major rain event it crashes violently down the jagged rocks and even throws water out onto the edge of the highway at peak flow. This glacier fed stream has an icy blue color, which continues down into catchment pools below. The interpretive trail explains the water is sterile, fresh off the peak, and without enough living content to facilitate fish. It’s got to spend some more time mixing with the soil, bacteria, and other living organisms of the land to become active. Melted ice water is quite cold, so if you want to take a dip, make sure you bring a set of warm cloths to change into and don’t stay in long.
Deception Falls also hosts a very special tree that is sadly, now one of a kind in these mountains. The western white pine once dominated much of the western forests here in The US. Then a blight arrived on the leaves of imported currents and in a generation, the trees were ravaged. The United States declared war on currents in an attempt to save the pines, but it was too late. The timber industry watched the rust blight spreading across the country, and western white pines vanished like The American Chestnut. Today, there is one lone mature white pine standing quietly in this grove at Deception Falls. It survives as a loner, and continues to remind us of nature’s resiliency, and vulnerability.
After the wander through Deception Falls, we took a short cruise down The Old Cascade Highway to view some standing giants, though they were all second growth trees- there are no old growth stands left in this area. To us, the larger trees are still impressive, and the area is protected now, so that forest should have time to grow. The old trees stand thousands of years; few are left, but planted every day brings us closer to old growth in generations to come. In a few miles of driving one of only two east/west accesses in our state (year round), there are echos of old in a forest of youth. Places protected now, are in these flowing surfaces. Buffers and set backs should reflect wetlands, water tables, and sheds. Our ability to restore space for nature must also fold in recovered wildlife numbers. Without the elk herds in the thousands, mature trees will be few and far with open grazing paths and understory browsed down, and in check with slow burn natural fires.
Human development (encroachment) has limited these natural systems and diminished habitat productivity, demanding restoration of vast landscapes for long term human survival and quality of life for all. The scientific affirmation through generations brings us to a great understanding of our actions, and consequences- both good and bad. How do we start towards restoration and revitalization of our environment, and selves? Begin with the very terra firma you stand on and track the ownership and greater biome surrounding said space. For this biome, rainforest remains a present possibility, and EEC Forest Stewardship plants towards a return of some evergreen treetops with flowing streams, vernal pools, and mushroom springs.
Note- the biome link above steers you to “deciduous forest” in Washington, but note the “other” category in “rainforest”:
That’s right- TEMPERATE! Hence the conifers and waterfalls of our beloved home range- The Cascades. What a wonderful wander and fresh look at our surrounding forest places and publicly protected spaces here in Western Washington.
We are going over the edge of a cliff as a species, and taking the rest of the living world with us. The EPA, under the direction of The Supreme Court, has removed federal protection from most of our country’s wetlands. But hey, now states can regulate them- so it’s ok! Yeah, right! These are the nails in the coffin for all of us. I’ve written about wetlands and their destruction before, but if you want to dive deep and learn more about that history, Annie Proulx’s Fen Bog and Swamp is a next step. Today I just want to touch on one basic concept- it’s all connected. SCOTUS limited the scope of protected waters to surface contact only- as in, major US waterways and their direct tributaries. Water on the surface is easy to understand and monitor, but our waterways are still directly affected by groundwater. The map above shows how much groundwater has been depleted in modern times. These aquifers took thousands, if not millions of years to build up, and we’re draining them as fast as we can to perpetuate industrial agriculture, and the wells are drying up now at a record pace.
August 29, 2023, it rained in Western Washington for long enough to form puddles and awaken mushrooms. Literally, on a hike up to Wallace Falls, we saw no mushrooms, but on the way back down a few hours later, the fruiting bodies of our mycological friends were sprouting out of logs and standing dead wood. The rainforest came alive and the air cooled. It was like old times again- and I say old because Washington State is in a continuing drought, and this summer, like many in recent years, saw no meaningful rain for months. Even in this delightful momentary downpour, I lifted up some soaking wet moss to find bone dry soil underneath. We’ll need several inches more before any soaks in to water the deeper roots of our towering trees. It will have to seep through even further to replenish the water table.
People are compelled by what they see, and wetlands are seen as obstacles to be removed to make progress. Aquifers are out of sight, so is much of the pollution, which is why the general public does not think about what’s going down the drain or leaking out of the car onto the ground. Floods carry toxic chemicals into the wild waters nearby. This article in Forbes explains how flood waters enter wells, and access ground water we drink. During the COVID pandemic, scientists started testing sewage to track the virus in heavily populated areas. Water carries what’s put in it, including lead leeching from old pipes. We can’t see lead contamination in out water, so we don’t think about it. We can’t see radiation, so it’s not there. These costly assumptions based on ignorance cannot be ignored.
Water, much like the air we breath, carries and spreads pollution throughout the world. Another article I recently wrote about PFSA’s shutting down family farms in The Great Lakes aream demonstrates the hazards of dumping chemicals into water. Even water being treated at plants across the US, cannot remove many of the harmful pollutants, which are then released back into wild waters we rely on. Right now, 2023, Japan is releasing nuclear waste in waters from Fukushima into The Pacific Ocean. Even the best science says the long term risks are unknown at this time. Ocean currents move water all over the earth. What is released in one part of the world will end up everywhere with enough time and movement.
So what? The seasonal pond in the woods behind your house is not receiving ocean currents. Snow fed streams and springs won’t become toxic, that pure white peak above me looks crisp and clean. Does it? In addition to dust particles blown up from turning soil in mechanized development, toxins released into the air (an example) also lands in the mountains, hitching a ride on clouds and fusing into rain. Remember that acid stuff that reeked havoc in the 80s and 90s? Well, the saturation of concentrated chemicals used in our industrial production models remains, polluting our drinking water, which is pumped from deep below the ground. Below is an example of nitrogen levels in ground water- dark blue is highest, and congruent with long term industrial areas (specifically agriculture).
I’d just like to take a moment now for reflection on many of the sources I just shared- they are federal data collected science with peer reviewed studies and decades of research paid for by our taxes to enhance the quality of water- or at least identify problems and stop abuses. Without mapped data like the above, you and I would have no real comprehension or connection between fertilizers mixed into the soil would leech into groundwater and poison our wells. It’s crucial knowledge we can’t go fetch ourselves, it takes elected and appointed collective- society wanting safe drinking water and demanding oversight for the protection of all citizens’ right to potable water. As the studies continue to mount, and more long term research unveils the consequences of our action and inaction.
If you have some time and interest in learning about your local and state water commissioners, state laws, and effective mitigation practices here in Washington- please dive right in! If you’re not Washingtonian, I encourage you to seek out your own state’s records and laws to familiarize yourself with potential risk and need for citizen action to support strong state regulation in absence of federal. At EEC Forest Stewardship, we’re enrolled in a variety of state, federal, and NGO programs which monitor water quality, habitat restoration, and soil improvement. We get our well tested every few years for locally found toxins like arsenic- which occurs in the rock naturally, and nitrates, which would come from industrial practices. No dangerous levels of any contaminate has been found, but we keep testing, and sharing our results in larger databases for research and monitoring.
Even if the groundwater remains pure, the wells can only dig so deep, and as the water table drops, our creek will become seasonal, and the fish will be unable to use it as nursery space, along with many other aquatic species reliant on small creeks and seeps to survive. Closer to the Ocean, freshwater will be flooded with salt– which occurs when sea-levels rise. Much of Washington State’s coastal farming will be ruined, and brackish water will continue creeping up the rivers inland. The future of drinking water, irrigation for crops, and industrial contamination cannot co-exist. The talk right now seems to be desalinization plants and some wetland restoration to mitigate future storm surge. Neither of these solutions carries a silver bullet, but one produces more chemical pollutants as a major byproduct (I’ll let you guess which one). It’s a good thing we have federal oversight to monitor and chart the outcomes of our follies. Oh wait!
Cobalt is an issue, so is lithium, copper, nickle, and oil; which are all used to produce our technology, and “green solutions” like electric cars. We’ll all be driving such things in future, but the current and next 20 years of mining the resources necessary for these tools, and all our screens, has continued to exploit foreign lands and people; this continued abuse is inexcusable. I’m compliant, and so are you dear reader. Together, we’re looking away from a painful reality, which signals the end of environmental sense. In an effort to expand clean energy, people and nature, out of sight and mind, are paying the ultimate price for our convenience, and false feel good economy built on sustainability buzzwords. Heavy metals and petroleum (oil) continues to be extracted at faster and faster paces. Like the exponential growth of our ecological collapse, in the form of natural disasters and climate catastrophes, our turn towards electricity gladly helps the immediate onset of hell on earth. If you are wondering what on earth I’m talking about, take a moment to look up Kanshi, DRC. Look closely at this map link and observe the cobalt mines. There are many nearby, and the people who live there are eating, drinking, and breathing in cobalt for you and I to sit here contemplating the world wide web in comfort- plugging in whatever we like for convenience.
In the same way America built its glorious prosperity on the backs of slaves, today we continue to endorse the oppression of others for our own betterment. I’m not sure if this practice has ever not been a part of human survival- that fittest thing? But before I go down a rabbit hole of morality, let’s redirect back to electricity and this new progressive obsession with electrifying, as though plugging in is above drilling oil- because oil still goes into all that lovely plastic used in the manufacturing of all our electrics. Yes, not burning oil is best, but petrochemicals are putting out plenty of CO2 in other forms, and the heavy metal toxins to make our precious renewable batteries far outweighs most current oil production impacts. The video above comes from a larger documentary from a German public broadcasting agency called The Cobalt Challenge- The Dark Side of Energy Transition.
This film is about the cost of battery manufacturing, and global projections of manufacturing and how it impacts The Democratic Republic of Congo and Finland directly. If you don’t have an hour and a half to spare- in a nutshell; human rights abuse, ecological annihilation, and continued corporate denial fed by consumer assurance that green energy is electric cars and techno social equity. Spoiler- it’s not. I’ve known about rare earth mineral abuses since getting my first smart phone about a decade ago, but the growth of extraction and delusions of electrical salvation from combustion has become so prevalent, I feel it bears more scrutiny and some ethic check critical thinking around the future of renewable energy within consumer capitol growth expectation and the costs there of.
Back in 2019, international rights advocacy groups against several major US companies. Another similar suit was dismissed in 2021, because the tech companies did not own the mines, and therefor, were not responsible for the conditions within. Even more recently, in 2023, an activist helping to gather information for studies of the human abuses in the cobalt mines had to flee the country with his family. The circumstances bringing our eager fingers tech and longer lasting batteries for future driving will continue to cost in ways most of us cannot comprehend, making it easier for advertising to sooth our worries with green wash jargon like renewable and carbon neutral. All this wonderful clean technology will take very dirty mines to produce. What is the solution then? Well, we could all start by cutting back on purchasing tech. I’m using a refurbished phone now, and hope to keep doing that. Writing the companies you buy from to find out where they are sourcing their cobalt is useful- but so many cheap batteries from China still end up on American shelves, and those metals are sourced without any oversight. China is currently the worst extraction offender in DRC, and the extraction abuses of Congo stretch back hundreds of years. Colonial depredation is a revolving door in Africa, but the current cobalt trend remains DRC dominate, and that’s the metal our smart tech needs.
Please take heart in knowing a light is starting to shine in on these abuses, and the world is realizing what a cost our energy transitions mean for ecological stability, or do they? Hopefully you and I have learned a little more today reader, because it’s only part of a very complex supply chain of horrors our daily conveniences cost the world in humanity, ecology, and future thriving. Our stock market does not falter over clean water and air, but will continue to crumble as the climate intensity grows. It’s all one big interconnected web of life. The waters that now flow out of Finland and Congo, empty into Oceans and evaporate up into rain clouds, which carry the toxic particulates around the world so we can all enjoy our consumer folly. Tesla is coming for your ground water with Coke and Nestle. BNSF transports industrial waste out of sight throughout the country, yet it’s still being dumped somewhere to leech deep into our aquifers in time. Battery makers in Finland scoff at waste pipes rupturing into the interconnected lakes of no longer pristine wilderness near the Arctic circle. But Biden put a halt on his refuge drilling, for the sake of electric cars? It’s all turning into a fable with dire warnings. So learn a little French and sing with me now to ease our worries and consent.
Red Cedars are capable of great feats in adaption to survive. They are often leaning out, way over the rivers and creeks throughout Western Washington, spreading their branches to lend shade to the waters, keeping the temperatures cool for the fish and other aquatic life. When a landslide occurs, cedars thrown sideways downhill will re-root in whatever position they find themselves in, sending out a new crown lead if things go topsy-tervey. Often, when a tree falls over, it becomes a nurse log for other young vegetation. When left to grow upward and stretch existing branches, the skirt of the tree will bend down to the ground and re-root over time. It’s rare to recognize this action in nature, because most of the red cedars were cut one-hundred years ago, and the younger sapling trees around them- the branches that re-rooted, were cut like any other trees in the stand. You have to find protected areas like old homesteads that became county parks.
The picture above is a wonderful example of branches re-rooting and becoming braces for the existing tree, and establishing more stability and nutrient sharing. The smaller branches go into the ground at the curve of the “J” and with the continued replenishment of topsoil on the original homestead where this tree is located, the branches rooted and became maturing trees, growing much larger from their new rooted bases. For this kind of low branch development to happen, the cedar must also grow in an open area, where light is available all the way to the base of the tree. Mature old-growth forest offers little direct light to the ground, and the usual growth patterns of trees within a woodland look more like the following diagram.
It’s always humbling to think Western Red Cedars would grow for thousands of years if left to do so. The lone field cedars with rooted branches, will need the added support standing alone in a field. I’ve also seen branches at 90 degree angles off a tree near the base in thicker woodlands, perhaps where a patch of sunlight did filter through, and the cedar stretched towards it in desperate competition. Up is always the best direction to grow in a forest, and the outstretched branch turns up to follow the light. Even the candelabra shape of ancient trees shows a continued push ever upwards. I’d also like to point out this tree’s preferred habitat in or near wetlands and in flood planes where open edges of water invite the cedar ample space to extend branches into open sky.
At EEC Forest Stewardship, many of our cedars retain a skirt with j branches arching towards the earth. They set a goal in forest duff creation to raise our topsoil regeneration level until these lowest branches are buried and rooting out. This vision is worthy of generational scope, and will take tons of vegetative input to achieve. Starting with layers of moss, twigs and branches, as well as ground-cover plantings mentioned earlier, we aim to recover lost mulch and debris which a healthy forest needs. It’s a grand plan, and I’m sure we’ll have some great examples later this fall as we work to replant the understory. In the mean time, keep a sharp lookout for rooted branches in your own neighborhood or local park. Many species do this, so take note of forest shape, location, and history.
Washington State is truly one of the most diverse bioregions I’ve ever had the pleasure to call home. It’s why I’ve chosen to live here, especially living that life outside for most of work and play. Usually, that outside time is terrestrial, with a few special trips to the western coast or eastern step desert. EEC Forest Stewardship resides in Western Washington’s temperate rainforests, with coniferous dominate stands and alder/maple on the edges. There is an abundant aquatic mix of freshwater ponds and alpine lakes cascading out of the mountains, feeding salmon streams and rivers spilling into saltwater slews of Puget Sound. If you then go a little bit further west, past another great rainforest and towering Olympic Mountains, you’ll reach another shore and, facing west at the edge of North America, you’ll behold The Pacific Ocean.
This vast waterscape holds many great bounties, including crabs, ,oysters, salmon, and mussels near shore. Going further into open ocean takes some expertise and seasick prevention medication. For a very landlocked human, like myself, it was a real edge experience, but to catch tuna for the larder, you have to go our to sea.
Waves rolled our 29′ sport offshore pilothouse vessel neatly over 8′ swells, though bracing against something was necessary, especially when the boat was moving. This footage was taken at trolling speed in deep water. Closer to shore, conditions were shallow and choppy, but we traveled rapidly over the rough water, and our diligent captain knew when to slow down or change angle of approach on the larger waves. It took 2 hours of relatively fast going from the harbor to tuna fishing grounds. Once out, our crew put the boat on auto pilot, dropped in three trolling rods, and began spotting the horizon for terns, and surfacing albacore on the hunt.
We used live sardines as bait, and hooked them behind the gill up through the side. The tuna wanted live, active prey, so the sardine had to swim fast through the water on the line. Reeling out was one of many arts to this fishing skill- and not jerking the live bait was crucial in keeping the action fresh for the hunting tuna’s taste. As soon as the sardine hit the water, you had to let out line and not pull back on the excited, darting lure. When you had a good swimmer, the reel would wind out quite fast, sometimes overturning, which would tangle the spool. Keeping a light thumb on the reel to steady the outgoing tension just enough to prevent overturn took some time to hone. We were often switching poles too, so your working tackle might change from setup to setup. After an initial tangle, when in our first encounter fish hooked all six poles at once; we used a three pole approach to avoid hangups. It also made things easier for our crew, who had immediate oversight of our operations.
By the end of a full day of fishing, our team had collectively harvest 12 tuna and 2 mackerel. This entire catch was divided up evenly, leaving me with 2 albacore (35lbs of fillet and belly meat), and a fillet of mackerel. It was a worthy day of hunting to fill the larder with more delicious wild food. Though this adventure was rewarding, both in catch and learning, I don’t think I would do it again personally, but would encourage others to invest in a one time experience like no other. Our outfitter was professional and successful in connecting us with a very hard to track species. All Rivers and Saltwater Charters also showed great support and care towards the entire party, including a refreshing absence of man-splaining misogyny a woman might encounter in male dominated activities. Our crew of two were diligent, kind, and incredibly patient throughout the day.
Tracking down tuna and catching them takes a lot of experience. I had no idea what to expect, and learned tuna hit fast and run faster; stopping to feed in a moment, then moving on lighting quick once the captured members of a school become apparent. The albacore are not stupid, in fact, a veteran fish- named that because of it’s smarts, took my line under the boat and rubbed it back and forth on the keel till it snapped. The first mate watched it happen and told me there was nothing I could have done, the fish had been caught before and learned the trick to escape. Even once a fish was on the line, there was no guarantee the hook would stick, you could not set it. If you jerked the line at all, your sardine would become inactive, and if the tuna felt the pull, they would spit out the bait. However, with the element of surprise, and the tuna’s veracious appetite, with a little luck and captain’s coaching, we all landed fish, and experienced the fierce exchange between an ocean legend and human innovation.
My first tuna hunt became my first personally caught tuna rolls, which I had never dreamed of. We also smoked the mackerel, basting the honored fish in locally distilled vodka before lighting it on fire and enjoying a spectacular pyrotechnic show. Gratitude to these delicious fish and the ocean for all the great lessons and abundance. Thanks to the experience and skill shared to catch these amazing wild foods in our home waters, and returning safely to shore with catch and camaraderie.
It’s the late season here at EEC Forest Stewardship, things are drying up and options for our livestock dwindles. We’re almost through August, last year, 2022, we started haying in September. There was smoke thick in the air on some days, though today in 2023, the skies have just cleared, and a light damp rain fell in the night. Just a glaze of humidity on the landscape, but something to bolster what’s left of nature’s bounty.
On a weeding of a kitchen garden, morning glory, dock, purple clover, burdock, and cat’s ear filled the wheelbarrow to feed our tethered ram lamb, fattening up for a client on weeds. But the blackberry flourishes on as solid brows, also offering sweet berries at this time of year, though the wet weather will bring on mildew, so picking becomes a priority. It’s that season- late summer, and fruits ripen as reward for our labors. Peaches finished last week, and now apples fall from the branches, while Asian pear’s snap with the weight of abundant fertility. Some of the fruit will go to our sheep and birds, most comes through the kitchen and into jar or freezer bag for the long term larder. We have been thinking of ways to lay feed down for our stock too. Haying by hand has payed off a little for our goats in the past, but the labor to cut, rake, and put away in the loft has remained more work than reward in fodder. It’s easier to chop and drop, returning the fertility to the soil and creating mulch. We’re also on a mission to vegetate the land in layers, which does not facilitate mass mowing, but does elevate the table on multiple layers for grazing and browsing; while protecting the soil and regenerating it’s fertility with shed mulch- even more affective than the chop and drop, it just takes more time to implement.
The balance of stock and pasture ratio has finally balanced out, after a decade of experimentation and relationship with this modest parcel, our flock stands at eight breeding ewes and one ram overwintered. This number not only fits within the limitations of our land’s current production capacity, it offers the restoration plantings space and time to grow and establish. This back field, pictured above with the herd during a heat event of 102F in Aug 2023, remains green in some areas where the shade of the evergreens cast relief on the animals and soil. There are even a few rushes popping up to signal groundwater near the surface. As we continue to replant this field with trees, more water will stay in the soil. Oaks and other nut bearing trees are a priority, but until they are established as the dominate canopy, less productive species of grass remain the only sustainable cover for the soil.
I’m very encouraged by the resiliency of the back pasture. It’s been grazed three times this summer, and on this third round, I didn’t subdivide a more formal rotational plan to see how it would manage with the flock at large, and things are looking good. Shortly after Labor Day, we’re moving the sheep back into the upper pastures around zone 1 and our major fruit and veg production areas. The sheep will be rotated in a micro managed pasture system to brows down premo pasture like clover and alfalfa, which we’ve held them off till the last legs of grazing time and to put on a little extra fat before winter. I’ll be keeping a close watch on the land as the sheep graze through to make sure both animals and vegetation get the right feed.
How are the plants fed by sheep browsing? Late summer signals plants to finish growth and prepare for dormancy. The length of days shortens as plants send the last of their energy down into the soil. This action is hastened by the shedding of summer’s growth in the form of seed and fruit. Letting the grazing animals eat that bounty helps crop the plant for winter hibernation while encouraging storage of energy in the rooting body. Your root crops are harvested in late fall when all the densest nutrients presides within. If left underground, the plant will rest in hibernation till warmer temperatures and longer days signal another cycle of growing up to the sun.
Even with little rain and hot summer afternoons, the wildflowers have reinvigorated one last time. Our exposed soil, parched dust, still grasps some hydration to brace green forage. Clover, clumping grasses, and blackberry continue to feed our sheep and even give pollinators a much needed helping hand. Soon, rotting fruit and roaming black bears will usher the final harvest and overwintering gardens. The chest freezer is already full, and we have a special meat freezer which is already 1/2 full of roadkill venison and lamb. Luckily we’ll be sending the rest of our fall cull on the hoof and out the door quick, with the herd bound for the barn by the end of October. Gratitude to all the working parts keeping the land healthy and abundant.
Leafhopper Farm is celebrating 10 years of producing food, restoring forest, and sharing the experience through hands on learning and this blog. Personal inward journey on this adventure continues in abundance along with meat, fruit, nuts, herbs, and native habitat. The rewards are also financial- we’re in the black, and have at least covered the costs of annual expenses in grain, hay, and agricultural infrastructure. I earn no personal salary on the land- yet; consulting, and some implementation for clients keeps me busy off the farm, and that job could expand, but I want to be present on the land where I tend and live.
Talking with my King Conservation District CREP steward friend yesterday- some wonderful women are coming to address Reynoutria japonica growing in the creek- we shared recent reflections of working outside, and he commented, “you’re so tuned in”. That’s the money for me folks, tuned in. There’s no venmo or facebook, but the turkey vultures taking care of refuse in a totally organic process, gravity fed water systems with rain catch and cisterns supplement a well on still safe to drink water, flowing creek- spring fed, digging drainage, having an animal die and the heartbreak of loss, hard lessons from tenacious “weeds” (I think of them as teachers), the problem is the solution- and finding that solution moments, that’s the life experience I quest for. Gratitude for all that allows this journey.
There is community, in a small network for friends and some woven business relationship in food and labor trade, as well as design of livestock systems, integrated into restoration, with a focus on long term cooperation between food and forest. Fruit and nut trees mingle with maples and oso berry. Evergreen stands harbor rich layers of temperate rainforest, holding water like a sponge. These intricately woven patterns echo in our relationships with each other. One thing I do struggle with in this web of reliance is our collective refusal to acknowledge we need each other, not just use each other when we want, out of convenience; we need each other to survive, but we’ve disconnected from that obligation on so many levels. Some of it, through deliberate conditioning in our culture, to make us more malleable, then easily manipulated by consumerism. Dollars and cents pay the bills, but does this make sense if the quality of life is void?
The experience of turning outward with my livestock operation, going the more commercial rout, would make more income, but neglect the land restoration, and up the outside inputs. We’re working towards low maintenance edible and medicinal landscape with rich, fertile soil. Goats, pigs, sheep, chickens, and soon we hope, geese- have all contributed to rebuilding fertility. There are maturing understory shrubs rising up from the fields, and more young trees to come. These are worthy investments, and work with stocks that underpin fertility, nutrition, and authentic connection to place and time. It is one way of living, with great cost in time, money, and labor, as well as dollars and cents- land taxes, utilities, transportation, and goods still demand curacy economy. I add dividends in new trees established and number of healthy lambs produced. It’s in balance, and the restoration is expanding.
We’re putting up more hard fence within pastures to create long term healthy forest stands. Ten years of browsing mouths pushed back the blackberry, then some observation, swale building, weeding (intense labor with a mattock), and mapping have given the landscape both face lift and water system enhancement- enough to warrant some deep investment in restoring whole groves. We’ll be experimenting with replanting low hanging branches to stabilize and root new trees. Native ground cover like Arctostaphyloos uva-ursi, carpets of moss and branches, along with seedlings of Douglas fir, red cedar, and western hemlock. We’ll plant bur oaks along the south facing slope where sun traps bake the ground in summer heat. Stay tuned for new forest development at EEC!
Below is a quick map of the property with the 4 major areas and main focus. The northern most landscape of our property has seen the most change since 2013. We’ve built habitat structure for both people and livestock without pouring any foundations. The pond remains through drought and floods, and still has not reached overflow capacity. The way our climate change continues, it may one day be a mere seasonal seep. Our water table has dropped significantly in a few decades. By redirecting, slowing, and sinking heavy rains on our sloping terrain, we replenish the groundwater enough to keep patches of green around the landscape year round. Our long term replanting vision will embrace more oaks and other drought tolerant nut trees in a savanna setting. This adaptation to dryer, hotter summers and colder, wetter winters predicted.
From 2013-2023, there are countless goals met and challenges solved, while other new puzzles and blind spots arise. Where there were once facility limitations, there are now going concerns. Depreciation in physical structure can be quite depressing, but we’ve made good on our 1973 double wide, which is still the main residency, and holding up, though we could use a kitchen remodel. That’s where we look to the future and plan our next, more established long term living space. We will not plan on pouring a new foundation, but have plans to renovate and repurposed space already available on site, while continuing life in the trailer. We’re so grateful for all our habitable spaces on this land, and living space with enough amenities to be in modest comfort.
This land has hosted up to eight residence at once, but currently works best with four to five. Our tenants have access to full kitchen and bath, with common room and outdoor kitchen with fire pit. There are raised beds for private use, and acres of pasture, creek, and woodlands to enjoy. It took a few years to hone in on best co-living practices, rental agreements, and expectations. One of our greatest learning curves was work-trade. Make sure your worker has a skilled trade. There is a clear difference between experienced an inexperienced work, as those not able to offer work in trade are offering work to learn, which has a different set of values. Many eager young folk have not discovered the difference, and it has been a challenge to negotiate fair exchange for unskilled labor.
Our participation in World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms for several years also taught valuable lessons. We had amazing experiences with several international folks who enjoyed seeing a smaller, more holistic model in agricultural restoration. There were also some misunderstandings, in which people who came as WWOOFers used our residence to gain local employment, and leave the farm before finishing their stay. This began happening more frequently, so we had to stop hosting. Instead, EEC Forest Stewardship offers small workshops, personal tours, and occasional seasonal apprenticeships through word of mouth, organizations like Women Owning Woodlands and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Hunter Education. There is still so much to learn and share- please join us!
Special thanks to family, the people who love and support my joy and vision. Your lives inspire, and encourage me to live my life with purpose and adventure. This opportunity to buy land and create home, would not have come without you, and the resources; which still flow in such abundance. Time, experience, witnessing, unconditional love, and patience have been humbling gifts indeed. Weaving these memories within our lives together, even when not face to face, has deepened relationship I could not live without. Gratitude, and many more years to come!
During the warmer months fishing helps to fill our larder with trout from our local lakes. Some fish are rainbow, others are cutthroat, and many are hybrids. These fish were caught in an alpine lake about an hour drive from EEC. Live worms from the compost, with a fly or spinner lure dropped down deep worked on this trip. Sometimes the fish are kissing the surface, and it’s better to fish on top of the water with floaters. Weather, temperature, light, insect hatches, underwater topography, season, lure type, bait choice, and casting preferences all come into play when fishing. Because of all the variables, there are days of great success- like my partner and I catching our combined limit, or days with no catch at all. Most of the time there is some success, but especially at a new location, it often takes a few visits before familiarity sets in and the fish are found.
Fishing is a wonderful first step into wild food you can harvest yourself without too much trouble. Any line and pole will work as a basic setup, but I recommend some kind of rig which includes a reel. You can still find basic setups for under $40. Hooks will cost another $10 (you’ll want a pack of several), and lures can be bought for under a dollar each, or you can by the parts and make your own. I grew up using a bamboo stick with line from a spool and a pack of hooks. I’d take the stale bread Mom would leave me, and head to my local park to catch carp and catfish. It was a very primitive setup, but I caught and released a lot of big fish. Sometimes I’d have to get creative on the go- with just line and a paperclip bent into the shape of a barbless hook- or my bare hands if necessary. Metal pipes are perfect hiding places for catfish. Tip the pipes into a bucket and you have a nice meal.
As a child, I did not take home my urban fish, they were released back into the waterways where I found them. Only with my Grandfather would we keep and eat our catch. His tutelage on the water was priceless, and I learned how to operate a reel- push button, then flip cast. I learned about setting trot lines, hooking a minnow to catch crappie, and what lure to use on the surface to catch bass. My grandfather showed me where to look along the shore for good casting grounds- overhangs, the lake’s inflow source, or rocky points. Fish gather in schools around good feeding spots with shelter above, like under a log, where lures have trouble reaching without getting hung up. Grandy didn’t always explain why did what we did, but I got the general understanding when I’d catch something.
Today I continue my passion for flat water fishing. The lakes here in Western Washington are smaller, but full of wonderful trout ever eager for fresh worms and a good spinning action through the water. Even when there is not a fish on the line, the location out on a beautiful alpine lake or on the edge of an old mill pond in mossy woods invites patient sits within nature, harvesting good food from the source of all life, our sacred waters. So much gratitude for those who continue to teach others to fish, to the scaled ones who continue to thrive where they can and still come onto the line and into our larder to nurture continued cycles of birth and death to survive and thrive. May we all continue to stay connected to the waters and their crucial place in both the food chain and greater ecological act of potable drinking for all.
EEC Forest Stewardship 