It's great to be back!

Just landed back in the City of Roses and it's so good to be back. Growing food has led me to So. Oregon the last couple of seasons, but it's the culture in Portland that always brings me back. I am so glad the consciousness is expanding about farming in urban areas. I think I can get everything I'm after now in one place.

I will miss watching the barn owls and Perrigrine falcons hunt in the field, and the big herd of chilled out cows grazing in the pasture with the forest behind. There were lots of postcard moments from my vantage point in the garden. Gardens are definitely the best offices I've ever had.

But the revolution in food we so badly need is a few years away from really happening in places like the Umpqua Valley. They are very focused on timber, cattle and sheep with really no plant agriculture except for grass for grazing, and the new wineries.

And then there's Portland. We're not the only people that are getting it about urban agriculture, it's happening all over. But it is starting to bust out here. It's no surprise to me that so many Portlanders are seeing the future of food as we are out in front of so many social issues here. Look at what's happening in the Phillipines where by executive order the president has declared the country will become more independent in their food supply by farming backyards.

The date has been set for "Portland Urban Farming 2009". It will be held at People's Food Coop on Wednesday February 18, 2009, 5:30-7:30 pm. It will be happening in conjunction with the farmer's market held there on Wednesdays. Look for a panel discussion from Portland urban farmers that will show you some of the different things being done with urban farming here in Portland. Some of the panelists use a CSA approach to their farm management so bring your questions about how CSA's work, the different approaches CSA's here use, and you might even find a CSA that is still accepting subscribers for the summer 2009 season, like Calliope's Table.

I'll be back with more details in the next few days after I finish landing here. It's great to back!

Peace and Peas,
Calliope