New to the Crew

[Richard Chrappa]

Hi All. I am happy to join! I am currently working at the RE Store, cultivating a healthy relationship, beautifying my front step gardens, thinking about what food to grow this year, harvesting winter vegetables and collecting wild herbs. I am not typically a joiner but do have a social life. It makes me happy to share with like-minded people. My friend Dean and I started the Bellingham Permaculture Club (though I always preferred to call it a "Guild") in about 1994 but have not been active lately. It was always hard to get people out to my County property so I ended up working alone a lot with not much time for groups. Since then I have moved to town and started working full-time. I miss those heady days of being lonely, poor and immersed in natural cycles. Ha ha!

I have a fair knowledge of natural systems and native plants so I may be of help transitioning your place to a natural state or identifying beneficial or hazard plant species. I'd like to offer some workshops on foraging and identifying wild edibles. I'd especially like to take a group out to ID all the wild edibles in their early spring transition to get to know them before the berries come and they are less obvious. You see, it is all about transitions!

[Richard Chrappa]

No Dave, I'm sorry. I don't keep any records. The photography is strictly for fun though I do sometimes write a relevant journal entry or keep mental notes. The Salmonberry flowers with snow were taken on February first one year at 500' elevation. This year they had not opened by March 25th! I am usually only photographing flowers and berries, not the bare branches and buds. Not a bad idea though. Mostly I like natives and encourage eradication of invasive species.

[dave smith]

do you photograph those early edibles ?

multiple photos multiple angles

record conditions such as soil light availability

id them including latin binomial

with positive id

old useless individuals can research them

find out their food and medicinal uses

warnings contra indications

some folks may want to avoid plants high in oxalates for example

etc

i know their are several nasty non native species which are extremely hard to eradicate

that compete and overrgrow natives

[Richard Chrappa]

Thanks, David. I was already thinking of Folk School. : ) I may just post some times in the near future for the early spring edibles walk and see how much interest there is.

[David MacLeod]

Welcome Richard, good to have you here! Your workshop ideas sound great - you could either do them through Whatcom Folk School or just post them on our Events page and see who shows up.