Invitation to our Spring Farm Tour - Sunday, May 4 -

You are invited to join our Director and Founder, Rose High Bear (Deg Hit’an Dine, Inupiaq) and Amy Brown-Treasure (Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians), for a farm tour on Sunday, May 4 at 8:30 am - 12:30 pm. We will be discussing transitioning to organic production at our native plant nursery which includes our patch of organic Sambucus nigra ssp Cerulea​ (Blue elderberr​y). ​

December 2024 Image of Native American Plant Nursery at EWF

The event is in partnership with Oregon Tilth whose mission is to make our food system and agriculture biologically sound and socially equitable. We partner with Oregon Tilth’s Transitioning to Organic Program (TOPP), a network assembled by the USDA’s National Organic Program to support transitioning and organic producers with mentorship and resources. Their team is supportive of our efforts as we transition our entire farm to organic. 

Another partner, Rodale Institute, is a national leader in transitioning farmland and orchards to organic. They are committed to regenerative organic agriculture research so this is a distinct honor to work with them. I remember how happy I was to purchase my first Rodale Cookbook back in the 1970’s. Rodale Institute recently hired Sidney Fellows, the newest member of the Rodale Institute team. She is Shoshone Bannock from the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho and is working on a variety of food sovereignty projects so we are excited that she may be traveling to join us for this tour. 

We are also participating in a partnership with the Dry Farm Institute. They helped us complete a 6-foot soil test in our two-acre native plant nursery and helped cover-crop a 150’ x 150’ section with native seeds. By irrigating the nursery from the well on our farm, they demonstrated how to construct a smart irrigation system to care for our native plants. 

At our farm tour, Amy will discuss Organic certification and share updates on her family farm in Washington which is transitioning to organic, including a short film of their farm. 

Rose will be talking about Blue elderberry, that resilient traditional First Food plant native​ to the PNW ecosystem so important for its antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antitumor properties. Our field day will also focus on Elderberry Wisdom Farm’s indigenous operation which is part of our native plant nursery and include updates on how we are strengthening the biodiversity of the soil in our patch of Blue Elderberry.

Space is limited so save your spot and register today!

Register for the Farm Tour Here!