With the Westgarden harvest complete and the beds all mulched and covered for a winter of rest, 2014 Garden Apprentice Abigail Lazarowski took the last several months to explore, recharge, and reconnect with friends and family. Now, we are delighted to welcome her back in a new capacity—as a permanent colleague!
We asked Abigail to share her thoughts on her new roles as the Institute’s Westgarden Steward and Community Garden Leadership Training Co-Coordinator, as well as to recount what brought her to Chinook and what she’s looking forward to in 2015. Here are her thoughts.
“This past season I was the Westgarden apprentice at the Whidbey Institute. I worked alongside Maggie Mahle, the former Land Care Coordinator, tending to the vegetable and herb beds of the Westgarden. I was responsible for the daily care of the garden and lead our weekly community work parties. I was involved in the full cycle of the season, beginning with our crop plan, going through the rush of the mid summer harvest and ending after the final bed of cover crop was sown. It was an incredibly enriching and educational experience for me to work intimately with a small plot of land and alongside such an experienced grower. I feel the knowledge I gained through this apprenticeship has prepared to move into this new position of Garden Steward at the Whidbey Institute.”
“Since I began my journey in agriculture, I have yet to spend a second season with a farm or garden. So this year I’m excited to build upon on last year’s experience. I look forward to digging in deeper and learning more about the patterns, soil, creatures, and people of this place. I hope to grow even more food for the Good Cheer Food Bank and expand our medicinal herb beds. Additionally, there will be a new garden apprentice this season whom I will be responsible for mentoring. I look forward to collaborating with him/her and bringing more people out to our work parties to celebrate this place and share in the growing of good food.”