In Praise of Spring and our Lady Farmers

What a beautiful spring morning we had as Lisa and I ventured out to explore what the mother and daughter organic farming duo, Val and Holly, are sprouting on their 35 acres in the Puyallup Valley. Apparently there’s a lot more then vegetables.

After saying a quick hello to Val, who had her hands full while helping her granddaughter Hadley make green playdo in their country kitchen, we headed out to the fields to where Holly was busy tilling and preparing to plant some greenhouse starts.

The mountain was out today, hovering like a protective mother not so far in the distance and I was once again reminded of how blessed we are to live in the most beautiful place on earth. Also, I must admit, I was a bit jealous that Holly and Val have this iconic view at their backdoor.

Lisa, meanwhile, was focused on something equally as amazing. She pointed to the freshly upturned earth at our feet. “Carrie says it’s like chocolate frosting,” she said, referring to farmer Carrie Little of Mother Earth Farms who also lives in the Puyallup Valley.

And certainly, the soil was indicative of just that. Years of organic cultivation and sustenance from nutrients created on-site at Zestful Gardens have given it a light texture and a deep, honest color.

Holly finished the field she was working on while Lisa and I tromped around a bit more in the fields, like kids on a big playground. Lucky for us, when she could spare a second, she was gracious enough to allow us to take a few pictures of her up on the tractor. Only a week or two away from having her second child, her belly is full and robust (although, I think she may describe it a bit differently).

But I still found the scene amazing: a child lucky enough to be working the land with her mother right up until her birth and hopefully after. With Holly’s years of commitment to biodynamic and organic farming her children have a rich resource to learn from. In fact, we all do!

But there was work to be done, and so Lisa and I retreated back to the farmhouse to meet some other important members of this multi-generational farm family. Chickens, goats, pigs, and sheep do their part to support sustainable practices at Zestful Gardens. As Val explained to me, goats and pigs act as a team to completely clear fields that had originally been consumed by blackberries. Goats nibble the tips of the patches, shaping them into a workable size for pigs to then uproot. Sheep provide Val with the wool she needs to spin yarn for her fiber art pursuits. Chickens of course provide their eggs, manure, and soil churning capabilities.


Whether visiting with Holly out in the fields, meeting the animals with Val and Hadley, or just sitting on the front porch while Hadley served us lunch, I was touched by the beauty and vitality of Zestful Gardens. I am so grateful that we have a multitude of women here in Pierce County who are dedicated to feeding the community and saving our farmland through sustainable practices and loving, knowledgeable stewardship. Their contributions to those of us who are interested in eating as both a physical and ideological link to the earth are obvious and profound.

To find out more and to sign up for Zestful Gardens’ CSA please go to their website.