Port of Olympia candidate E.J. Zita Applies for Seat on Commission

Above: E.J. Zita has applied for appointment to Port of Olympia position #3, previously held by former commissioner Sue Gunn. Zita will also file this week for election to the position.

By Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

E.J. Zita, best known as Zita, has applied for appointment to Port of Olympia position 3 previously held by former commissioner Sue Gunn.

Zita submitted her application by the May 8 deadline and said she will also file for election for the permanent position. The filing deadline for that process is May 15.

As reported in The Olympian on May 9, local radio station sales manager Jerry Farmer has also applied for the appointment and will seek election to the position.

Zita, a 20 year faculty member at The Evergreen State College with a PhD in Physics, teaches and researches energy physics, solar magnetism, sustainability, and climate change.  She also serves as chair of the Thurston County Agricultural Board and is vice president of her Salmon Creek Basin neighborhood association.

Zita’s application to the port lists extensive recent grant-supported research collaborations, published papers, presentations, and leadership activities, all indicating a forward-thinking vision.

“Serving as a commissioner on the Port of Olympia is an opportunity to advance goals that are shared by Thurston County citizens and the port. Sustainable development and environmental responsibility can be profitable, provide jobs, and protect our future. Open processes and responsive public relations can facilitate useful exchanges of ideas, reduce legal challenges, and restore public trust. I have the vision and the skills to help the port reach these goals,” Zita states in her application.

Zita was directly recruited by some supporters of former commissioner Sue Gunn, who recently resigned from her position due to ongoing health issues and says she will carry forth Gunn’s issues of openness and transparency.

Zita also wants change at the port, and for the port to spend public money for the public good and move into the 21^st century.

“I have more to learn but I know what my values are. Observing port operations for the last ten years, I know what’s not working and I have a vision for what can work,” she said in an interview at her home this past weekend. Her partner, Nancy Armstrong, owns and operates a health clinic in Olympia and is a 23 year retired veteran of the Army Medical Corps.

Zita, who was first interviewed in 2010 by Little Hollywood about her neighborhood’s relationship with the port, says her concerns about port operations began in her neighborhood about 10 years ago.

Salmon Creek Basin neighbors, concerned about increased air traffic and environmental issues, went to the port in good faith.

“We assumed we could talk about it with them in a neighborly way, but we were soon disappointed. They weren’t concerned. So, neighbors got organized. We had never had an association before….We learned a lot about the public process, appeals, environmental reviews, port finances, and public hearings. We helped pass a sensible warehouse ordinance in Tumwater that helped protect our neighborhood, and here we are, ten years later, and they are trying to get around that law….”

Above: Aerial of the Port of Olympia Marine Terminal and Northpoint taken in December 2014.

Asked how that experience translates to her larger vision for the port, she said the port is not interested in working on smart development that is needed for Thurston County.

“We’re not the only ones who have tried to work with the port….When people go to them and try to talk about these things, their practice is to try and shut them down, hire more lawyers and fight the people who are concerned. I don’t think that’s a good way to use taxpayer money….The port should be using our money for the public good. The port should be listening and working with people for the future and the benefit of Thurston County,” she said.

Zita once applied to be on the port’s citizen advisory committee but her application was not accepted. She is currently serving as an advisory board member on the port’s New Market Industrial Campus and Tumwater Town Center Real Estate Development Master Plan, coordinated by the Thurston Regional Planning Commission.

The port owns about 1,540 acres of real estate in Tumwater. It owns 265 acres of property in Olympia.

“I’m glad they appointed me, but I’ve been on five months now, and while I’d still like to think the citizens on the board can make a difference and do some good, I’m seeing some familiar patterns…and it seems like they have their mind made up about what they want to do,” said Zita. The board is expected to study the issues until November. Their next meeting is scheduled for June 11.

Asked how she would work with the county and the City of Olympia in master planning and environmental efforts, Zita praised the city for its leadership on climate change issues and encouraged stronger relationship with the city.

“We have a lot of good people and great resources and a lot of expertise in the area that we should be tapping into to work together.”

Zita was asked about her position on several specific port issues, such as the possible creation of a Berth 4, the recent purchase of a crane, and the port’s acceptance of ceramic proppants used in the fracking industry.  She said she found out long ago that the port does its own environmental reviews.

“The ports are granted a lot of freedom to do what they want to do without much public oversight... Just because they have that freedom doesn’t mean they should use it without consulting the public, and without consulting the experts. The questions I’d ask (for any of these issues) are: Is it good for the environment, is it good for the economy, is it good for local people, and is it good for the community? The port has made mistakes for not consulting more broadly on its plans and I would encourage the port to consult more broadly before making decisions,” she said.

About the port’s financial accountability, she said, “The port is losing $2 million a year. It has stopped including depreciation in its reporting, but we need more financial accountability. The port resists that. We need to hold the port accountable….They have been very creative in its reporting.…If the port is losing funds on projects that are not benefitting the public, then we need to ask why.

“External environmental reviews are needed – the port is like the fox guarding its own hen house….We need good, careful studies done before the port says, ‘We’re going to do this project and nobody can tell us otherwise.’ If we take a closer look, we can prevent big, expensive mistakes that are going to damage the environment and pay a lot of money down the line to fix it.”

Asked about her vision for the port, Zita said she’d like it to be a food hub. Zita says she recently began a formal collaboration with the Conservation Biology Institute in Corvallis, Oregon to model impacts of climate change on agricultural lands in the Pacific Northwest.

“We can create a bigger Tumwater farmer’s market, and create a place where farmers could bring their food for distribution and processing and value-added products. Farming in the county and urban areas is one the fastest growing segments of Thurston County’s economy…. This can create jobs and support people locally, and contribute to our food security….Renewable energy projects is another idea…it’s an investment in the future,” she said.

The 15 acre Armstrong-Zita ranch is located near port property south of Tumwater. Besides their professional careers, the couple offers organic grass-fed beef each summer, taking orders in spring. They have six Angus-Hereford cattle, born and bred on the farm, and are sustainably rotated on lush pasture. Never fed hormones or antibiotics, the animals are slaughtered on-site. They slaughter about three or four cattle a year, serving about 12 families. They also have fresh eggs from free range hens, 38 meat birds, and three horses. They donate beef, eggs, and cash to the South of the Sound Farmland Trust.

Above: On the farm with E.J. Zita and her horses Rusty and Ada this past weekend.

For more information about the Port of Olympia and the subjects discussed in this article, go to Little Hollywood, www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com, and use the search button to type in key words.

For more information from the Port of Olympia, go to www.portolympia.com.

Small Farm Serves the Community In Its Own Big Way

 

Above: Evan Berry of Ladyberry Produce washes carrots she just harvested from her farm's garden last Friday.

 

by Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

 

At an agritourism panel discussion a couple years ago involving six local food producers and consumers, Sara Rocker, a staff advisor to The Evergreen's State College's Flaming Eggplant Café, said that the college was producing graduates who were creating a new workforce in the area of agriculture sustainability and restaurant management.

 

One of those graduates is Evan Berry, 26, who graduated from The Evergreen State College in 2008, receiving her B.A. in Chemistry and Sustainable Agriculture.

 

She is now the farm manager of Ladyberry Produce, and leases land on the 84 year old Esterly family farm in northeast Olympia. She has created a successful business for herself on two acres of land that produces her crops.

 

“I love growing veggies...there is a need for the community farm. I love meeting people. Being here on this land, you really see that heritage - it's quite an honor keeping the local community supplied with food. It's pretty cool," said Berry.

Berry’s future ideas include welcoming Boston Harbor elementary children to her farm to learn where their food comes from. For now, she's willing to stay small.

“I'm still getting the fundamentals down and getting dialed in, but in the future, I want to be involved in the school lunch program, and other public education opportunities," Berry said.

When I first stopped by her farm in December of 2012, she showed off her 24 varieties of garlic that were just beginning to sprout their green stems out from the straw.  Her Community Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) options usually include beets, cabbage, carrots, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, chard, garlic, potatoes, and more.

Chatting with her, she said she would be interested in providing her produce to area restaurants, and learning more about how to do that.

Above: Ladyberry's kohlrabi in December.

 

A whole year later, I caught up with her again this past week, and found Berry busier than ever. She just completed servicing her winter customers though a pre-paid CSA program, and still provides a substantial amount of produce to the nearby Gull Harbor Mercantile, and folks driving by her farm stand.

Overall, she had a great year. During the summer, she harvested about 1500 pounds of garlic, her main crop, 200 pounds of tomatoes a week, as well as leeks, beets, broccoli, eggplant, beans, peppers, lettuce, peas, potatoes, salad greens, summer squash, zucchini, strawberries and more. 

Her 12 week winter CSA program with 20 customers just ended this last Wednesday. With only half an acre in production for the winter, Berry turned down 15 potential CSA customers this year.

“It was the biggest winter operation I’ve ever had ….I’m realizing it’s a niche thing – I definitely now realize people are not gardening in the fall so there’s been a lot of interest and support,” she said this week.

Her winter crops took a hit last month.

“The early freeze in mid-December took out all my cauliflower and chard, so when you emailed me this week and asked me how my cauliflower was this year, I was like, ‘AAARRGGG,’” she laughed. Despite the 11 degree weather that hit parts of the South Sound during that freeze, Berry says she still had enough produce to keep her going.

“I lost a lot of greens too, but I had Brussels sprouts and carrots – about 100 to 200 pounds of carrots.”  She’s still giving carrots away, and has discovered yet another niche customer – those who buy and use boxes of vegetables for their fresh smoothie and juice regiments. “Kale, chard, cukes, beets, carrots, greens…they’re all good!"

Eighty percent of her business income is derived from her farm stand and CSA program, and 20 percent is derived via wholesale sales to local businesses.

“The Mercantile has been great, and my carrots and beets go to the Blue Heron Bakery each week. Lisa, the owner of Nineveh, the Syrian food truck, is so supportive – she buys my eggplant, cukes, anything! She says, ‘I’ll buy it!’ when I call her. That’s been great!”

Berry says the soil is good despite the dry winter and she’s looking forward to tilling the ground in late February or early March to get it ready for spring plantings. For now, she says she’ll start seeding tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant, and more to germinate under lights in the barn, and then transfer them to the greenhouse.

She says she’s looking forward to the next season. “People new to my winter CSA program want to become summer CSA customers!”

Still, despite Berry’s ready smile and upbeat demeanor, she admits, when asked, how she keeps going despite weather problems and other challenges.

“Farming is a gamble in general, making a commitment to sow those seeds, keeping at it every day, to keep working….”

By all accounts, Northeast Olympia and Boston Harbor area residents are happy that she's doing a great job doing just what she's doing.

Above: Evan Berry of Ladyberry Produce shows off her bumper crop of cauliflower in December 2012.

Women In Agriculture Conference

The third annual Women In Agriculture webinar conference will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2014. The location in Olympia will be at South Puget Sound Community College.

Through a combination of in-person networking and presentations, and the viewing of webinar broadcasts, the conference brings the best of national and local speakers to easily accessible locations in Washington State.  Participants will have an opportunity to meet other local farmers and offer inspirational stories and practical advice on how to improve your management skills.

Last year, nearly 500 women at 20 locations in Washington heard a national speaker offer advice on improving farming skills, marketing, labor issues and work-life balance. Financial information and networking with each other about challenges and risks was valuable to everyone who attended.

The localized format of the conference is designed so women producers can benefit from a statewide conference while still meeting their on-farm duties at home.

For registration information, go to www.WomenInAg.wsu.edu, or contact Donna Rolen, donna.rolen@wsu.edu or Margaret Viebrock, Conference Director, WSU Extension, (509) 745-8531 or  viebrock@wsu.edu.

Skill Sharing Promotes Community Resiliency

Above: Tim Thetford demonstrates the efficiency of his homemade rocket stove at a day of re-skilling workshops in Olympia today.

Skill Sharing Promotes Community Resiliency

By Janine Unsoeld

www.janineslittlehollywood.blogspot.com

Many excellent events were scheduled throughout the South Sound today, on what turned into a beautiful sunny day, extending summer into fall. Over 150 people chose to attend a day of interactive activities and hands-on learning held at the Quaker Meeting House in Olympia near Priest Point Park.

About 15 workshops and several on-going demonstrations centered on the idea of “re-skilling” – the learning of basic skills that were often common knowledge to our parents and grandparents.  These skills, needed to survive potentially tougher economic times, climate disruptions, and energy shortages ahead, encourage personal and community self-sufficiency.   

“This is everything I needed to know!” exclaimed Diane Grace, of Olympia, after attending the “How to Build a Rocket Stove” presentation by workshop coordinator Tim Thetford. A retired dietetic technician, Grace is a compost instructor at Sunrise Garden. She was interested in learning how to prepare food in emergencies.

“We need to know how to prepare food in an emergency (without electricity), how to heat water to cook legumes, and have a knowledge of complete nutrition in such a situation…,” said Grace.

Workshops such as learning how to make solar collectors, rocket stoves, and cold frames, beekeeping, candlemaking, cheesemaking, wild harvesting, weaving, animal husbandry in an urban environment, and bio-sand water filter demonstrations kept coordinators and participants busy all day. Several short films on these issues were also featured in a quiet side room.  Regular refreshments allowed many people to stay all day.

Throughout the day, as new people continued to arrive, many workshop coordinators patiently repeated their presentations as people milled around, ducking in and out of activities throughout the grounds. Children also had plenty to do and learn.

Seeing a diversity amongst those in attendance, the power of social media, community groups, and good, old-fashioned word of mouth were attributed as the answer to my question for people I did not recognize, when I asked them how they heard about the event. In order are their responses:

“Facebook”

“Facebook”

“At a VBC event” (Village Building Convergence)

“Email, through the TESC Crier” (the internal email system for The Evergreen State College)

“StreetBank”

“FOR” (Fellowship of Reconciliation)

“My friend Joe”

“Lisa Smith” (Smith is coordinator of Enterprise for Equity in Olympia)

“Through my Permaculture Design Certification class” (at Evergreen)

“Joseph Becker”

“Through the Quaker meeting”

“From a flyer at the Lacey library”

“A friend told me”

“FaceBook”

 

 

Above: David Wittenborn demonstrates how to make a pop and/or beer can solar collector.

David Wittenborn of Yelm provided a lesson on creating a pop and beer can solar collector. Wittenborn is new to the area, having arrived from Chicago two and a half years ago.

“I worked on Wall Street, quit that in 1998, and have been self-employed ever since,” said Wittenborn. He is now a dealer for a solar oven company and creates websites.  Later, Wittenborn announced that the solar panel he had made earlier and placed in the sun was now registering a 177 degree air output.  “It shows you what you can make with trash and found materials…there are so many ways you can make this work.  It’s not the Space Shuttle,” he told the crowd. His solar panel cost about $8 to make, he said.

 

 

Above: Scott Bishop shows the Jennings-Mapp family, Calder, 4, Athena, 12, and mom Kendra, the fine art of candlemaking.

Nearby, Scott Bishop demonstrated how to recycle the wax from used candles to create new candles. Bishop said he’s been making candles for about 20 years. “Don’t leave it in too long, it’ll melt right back off,” he cautioned Athena Jennings-Mapp, 12.  When asked by a workshop observer, Bishop did not recommend using crayons for adding color to candles. “It makes candles smoke when lit,” he said. Bishop says he gives his homemade candles to his church.

Building a money-free economy through local skill trading builds a stronger community.  Robin Lee and Joanne Lee co-coordinated a workshop featuring alternative currency models. Playing a game with workshop participants, each person described what skills they have, and what they need.  Noting hesitation, the coordinators told stories about how hard it can be for some people to think about what skills they could offer.

“We all have something to give,” said Joanne Lee, a life coach. “For example, I’m a yoga teacher, and I need someone to take pictures,” she offered.  An Evergreen student with a Canon digital camera offered her photography skills, then kept the ball rolling by saying she has about 15 large storage containers full of beautiful fabrics such as bridal silks, satins, and wool.  She said she was a seamstress and could make clothing. A man said he repairs electronics, and needs some mulch, help stripping wallpaper, and access to a lawnmower. The conversation continued, with everyone pretty excited, exchanging business cards and contact information, by the end of the workshop.

“Random exchanges – our needs can be met.  It just takes us to be active,” said Joanna Lee.

Robin Lee agreed. “Networking, meeting your neighbors, weekly street potlucks…We can come and share to be nourished in different ways and attend to individual needs.  When we exchange skills, hours for hours, we’re generating a different kind of wealth.  I feel rich when I come home to a clean house, when I can get that service that I ordinarily wouldn’t be able to afford.  I have really seen how a community is built.”

Gita Moulton, the tireless and dedicated community organizer who put countless hours into making the event successful, along with co-coordinator Susi O'Bryan, said she wants to do another re-skilling event in February, centering on crafts and cooking local foods.  

“We need to keep this going,” she said, humbly setting out more homemade refreshments and preparing yet another pot of coffee for attendees.

Several local organizations and resources encourage skill sharing and community transition building. Go to www.oly-wa.us/transitionolympia for more information.

Above: Gita Moulton made sure workshops presenters and participants had plenty of nourishment through the day today.

The Uncertain Future of Left Foot Organics

Above: The Hocker family attended a Left Foot Organics community meeting held at Mercato's Ristorante on Tuesday night to discuss the farm's future.

The Uncertain Future of Left Foot Organics

By Janine Unsoeld

“I had to leave because I was completely worn out and couldn't keep up the pace anymore. It was a move to preserve myself and my sanity,” said Ann Vandeman in an interview with Little Hollywood today at her home in west Olympia.

Vandeman, the former executive director of Thurston County’s popular Left Foot Organics farm, recently resigned from the organization. Vandeman founded the nonprofit in 2001 and now, its future appears to be in question.

In a brief statement released earlier this month, the Left Foot Organics board says it is “committed to maintaining the high standards of operations through the end of the growing season, October 31, 2012.”

Vandeman, who has a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and worked for the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington D.C., was inspired to develop the model farm program worked by people with developmental disabilities by her daughter Geraldine, now 15, who was born with Down’s Syndrome.

Left Foot Organics is now successfully well-integrated into the community, providing local restaurants, food co-ops, grocery stores and local farmer’s markets from Tumwater to Tacoma with fresh produce. It also provides about 100 South Sound customers with regular Community Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) boxes of seasonal produce.

Vandeman explained her resignation, from her perspective:

“I’m burnt out, worn out. I took a leave of absence, essentially a medical leave, ok’ed by the board, in mid-April. About three weeks later, in the beginning of May, the board asked me to meet with them, and they reached the conclusion that they had to shut down the farm. That didn’t make sense to me. The farm has no debt and has money in the bank. We went from ‘we’ve got it handled, to oh my gosh, we have to shut down the farm’. It put me in a weird situation. It became clear to me that I was going to be expected to come back to rescue the situation. Other options were not considered, that I could see. I was not going to be part of shutting down the farm. So I had to resign. I couldn’t go back and be a healthy person the way I was doing it,” Vandeman said.

“I knew I’d have to leave sometime. Founders have to move on to let the organization morph and grow,” she added.

Vandeman explained that a thorough organizational assessment and strategic plan is needed. The five acres of land off of Case Road that Left Foot Organics rents is on a year to year lease, and is not available to purchase.

“A big capital campaign is needed. The whole organization needs to be taken to the next step….It would have been good if we could have had a better transition process, but here we are,” Vandeman concluded.

Asked what her plans are now, Vandeman says she doesn’t know. “I could maybe go camping. I am recovering from being an organization instead of a person,” she smiles softly. In good spirits, Vandeman starts tending to her basil and tomato plants in her front yard.

Left Foot Board Meets With Community Members

At a community meeting held at Mercato’s Ristorante on Tuesday night, Left Foot board members, former board members, staff, growers, business partners, customers and families met to discuss the organization’s future.

Three board members in attendance listened while community members expressed what Left Foot means to them. Over 25 people expressed that Left Foot values people with developmental disabilities, providing them with ample opportunities for inclusion, friendships, meaningful employment, and training in life skills.

“Left Foot’s connection between food and people is very inspiring,” said Phil Owen, co-host of Olympia’s Bread & Roses Hospitality House for homeless women.

Suggestions on how to proceed with the organization without Vandeman were discussed. On the table are several options: seek funding from different sources, change the business model while maintaining Left Foot’s founding spirit, seek partners for a possible merger, alliance or acquisition, or close down the organization.

After some initial confusion about why the organization’s status is in jeopardy, it was noted that although the organization is currently financially stable, it may not be in the near future.

To clarify the situation, Jane Jones, acting executive director said, “Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Founders of nonprofits have passion, and tend to do most of the work. That is not sustainable. The board and the community has to learn new skills. Writing a check is not going to fix everything…the organization has been run on an ethic of scarcity, not abundance.”

Jones said the organization’s annual operating budget is $227,000. The sale of vegetables brings in about $75,000. The annual Fall auction brings in about $35,000-$40,000. Grants make up another third.

At issue is the fact that Vandeman’s position is worth at least $40,000 – $50,000 in annual salary and benefits. While all staff are underpaid, Vandeman has been receiving less than $10,000.

“Ann donated her salary back to the organization. To replace her, the organization is not prepared to pay for two people,” said Jones. Adding to the organization’s future financial crisis, planning for the fall auction has not begun, and it was questionable if it would even occur without Vandeman.

Different business models were discussed that could provide Left Foot with alternative income streams, such as offering compost or commercially produced food products.

“There’s a reason people buy Paul Newman’s products,” said Gary Altman, a former board member.

“Left Foot equals healthy food – that’s the core ingredient. Let’s stay with that mission, but there’s only so far you can get with the current model of fundraising.”

When the subject of grants came up, Altman said, “We had a grant writer, but it is difficult and time consuming. Some grants provide for specific items, like tractors, that help the organization grow, but not operate.”

A pitch for community and new board involvement was made to the group.

After the meeting, Altman asked this reporter, “Maybe you could add that even if you can’t be on the board, motivate someone who can be – someone with special skill sets, people who can see possibilities….The farm makes a difference in the community. It radically changes people – each person there develops their own goals and plans. It changes people’s lives.”

Joe Hocker, 25, is one life that has been changed since he joined Left Foot three years ago. He attended the meeting with his parents, Frank and Lonna Hocker. Asked what he likes best about the farm, Hocker says he likes to feed the chickens, water them, and gather their eggs.

“All of us have jobs. I like to meet people. We’re like family. Without the farm, we’d be nothing. I just want the farm to continue. People there have become my good friends,” said Hocker.

Hocker’s crew leader, Lindsey Baris, agrees. “Joe’s an amazing worker. He’s an extremely enthusiastic worker. He loves being there, and he loves the farm. He’s changed to strive to be a better person. Everyone does, myself included.”

Left Foot Organics promotes self-sufficiency, inclusion and independence for people with disabilities and rural youth through meaningful, paid employment and training in the business of growing and selling quality organic food and farm products. The 2012 CSA season began June 6. Sign up for your share now!

For more information, contact Left Foot Organics, PO Box 12772, Olympia, Washington 98508, (360) 754-1849 or www.leftfootorganics.org.

To reach Jane Jones, Acting Executive Director, email her at work@leftfootorganics.org.