New Land

A roadside gully on a hill

Last week I got to travel to a remote town in Idaho for a friend's wedding. In addition to the joy and buzz of the occasion it was a real kick to see such different land. We were in sight of the Sawtooth Mountains and surrounded by plants that thrive in high altitude and low rain. On our last day there I watched a woman emerge from her house (shown in the second photo below) carrying out containers full of small plants.  She took them indoors every night to spare them the frost. It made me glad to return to both the abundant water and recent warmth of Wisconsin.

 White blossoms, pale green stems, slightly furry, 8-10" tall clumps

Four containers with small plants. In the background, the Sawtooth Mountains

Lastly, for the newly married couple, this version of the Seven Jewish Wedding Blessings from Devon A. Lerner's book.

May you be generous and giving with each other.
May your sense of humor and playful spirit always continue to enliven your relationship.
May you always respect the diversity of humankind.
May you act with compassion to those less fortunate and with responsibility to the communities of which you are a part.
May you appreciate and complement each other's differences.
May you always share yourselves openly with your friends and family.
May your home be a haven of blessing and peace.

Go Forth

Bright chickweed springs up in early spring and winter.

As Urban Land Scouts, we build on a foundation of profound and active observation. All scouts must begin with this practice and we are wise if we return to it seasonally. The shift in temperature and daylight sends most plants into winter dormancy and allows for a new group of plants to appear. If you have not already earned your first Urban Land Scout badge, this is your call to do so. If you have, consider this a timely refresher.

Here in East Tennessee, and in the urban heat sink of Knoxville, it's not yet bitter cold winter, but all the leaves have fallen. The absence of canopy shade combined with our the semi-mild temperatures of this area has allowed for a winter flush of low-lying annuals, like chickweed and dead nettle, to spring up. Or to be revealed. At left is a photo of some chickweed, a staple of edible foraging, at Ijams Nature Center in South Knoxville. You can recognize it by it's bright green color and pointed heart-shaped leaves. Chickweed will also produce small white flowers although I anticipate these might not make it that far. The toothed leaf in the top half of the picture also grows in abundance at Ijams, but I don't know it. Anyone familiar with this plant?

Here's another pleasant surprise with the absence of deciduous foliage: the punky pink and purple arch of wild raspberry canes.  They are more strikingly colored than this photo represents. Keep an eye for them at the edges of fields and forests and make plans to return to them in the mid to late summer.

If you haven't already, commit to using this season to earning your Observation badge. Wherever you are-- bundle up, take a pen and paper or notebook and walk somewhere you've never been before. Go slowly and take notes. Draw pictures (or take photos to draw pictures from in the warmth of your home) and reflect on your observations. Send in your notes, drawings, or other observations to passage (at) urbanlandscouts (dot) com and earn your first (of many) Urban Land Scout badges.

Grundy County

While it is not especially urban, there are a great many people on the Cumberland Plateau who are clearly jedi-like land scouts. Like this woman, Jess Wilson.

I got to go last week with my family and some friends to visit Jess and family at In Town Organics. They are cultivating 3+ acres and running the newly established Cumberland Farmers' Market. The farm is small but dense with green things growing and the family's clever sustainable designs. In addition to produce, the family has turkeys, chickens, bees, rabbits, and two goats (one of whom is too sassy and will be moving on soon).  It was a lovely farm and an inspiring set up.

If you find yourself on the Cumberland Plateau this summer, please make a point of stopping by the market and buying some salad mixes, garlic, or herbs. This market is especially web-savvy: you can sign up ahead of time, place an order online, and pick it up at the market. They've got a beautiful list of products.

The evening after I returned from the Grundy County I ran into my friend Elam Blackman. He was talking about heartache and moving to Austin, TX and I blurted out that he should instead take a trip up to the Plateau. It'll cure what ails you, I promised. There's something about it. If you do go, I recommend a visit to the Dutch Maid Bakery for weird liccorice and to the Marugg Company to heft a beautiful old fashioned scythe (both businesses are in Tracy City).

Bonnaroo and Beyond

Oh, Stadri Emblems, what that everyone had your attentive and kind customer service!

Wahoooooo y'all! Wahooooooooooooooo! New badges arrived today from Stadri Emblems, who I highly recommend, and I am thrilled to see them. They feel like currency. Looking forward to working with many Bonnaroo patrons and giving out many badges at the festival. 

Speaking of Bonnaroo, if you're going to be there, stop by and see us in the Victory Garden or the Carbon Shredders Booth. We'll be talking about basic gardening skills, companion planting, vermicompost, edible perennials, mushroom cultivation, and seed bombing. Additionally, we'll be working on site to expand the garden, trade seeds, and meet other growers and land stewards.

At the Carbon Shredders Booth you can sign up to be an Urban Land Scout, learn about reducing your carbon footprint, wash your clothes with some Seventh Generation detergent (mmmm...clean laundry), learn about some of the green businesses that support the Carbon Shredders booth, collect some Bonnaroo compost for your home garden, and a host of other small steps towards urban sustainability. You can also sit in the shade and take a break from the exuberant mania of the festival.

In other news, I believe we've almost met our financial goal for Urban Land Scout Camp at CAC Beardsley Community Farm. Now we need to find campers. If you know a rising 5th, 6th, or 7th grader at any of the schools listed below (UPDATE: We are opening camp to all 5th, 6th, and 7th graders living in Knox County) please download this application and put it in their hands.

Urban Land Scouts head to Bonnaroo

Will we see you in Manchester, TN? Some strapping young Urban Land Scouts will be running the Victory Garden at Bonnaroo and helping out in the Carbon Shredders Booth.   If you or folks you know are going to be at Bonnaroo, make a point of stopping by the garden or CS Booth to introduce yourself and earn a badge. Both the Victory Garden and Carbon Shredders can be found in Centeroo near the post office. You can also earn a limited edition badge and an heirloom plant through the Clean Vibes Trading Post (while supplies last).