Leaf piles are not just for jumping in now-a-days! A group of local Eugene citizens are giving leaf piles a higher priority in life…growing food for human consumption! We will be visiting with two members of the Potato-Leaf Project, as seen in a recent issue of Eugene Weekly, on the upcoming episode of NextStep’s Reuse Radio! Eugene Master Gardener Ginny Ducale and David Hazen of Eugene City of Peace will be sharing why they are involved in using leaves as a growing medium and why they see these kinds of actions as necessary to the health of our local community!

Permaculture activist and instructor, Jude Hobbs, of Agro-Ecology Northwest, will also be joining us via phone from Cottage Grove  to share her insights on the Potato-Leaf Project and some learning opportunities she is spearheading at the University of Oregon.

That’s Monday night @ 7pm on KWVA 88.1 FM! You can listen online by going to KWVA’s website and clicking the LISTEN NOW button at the top of the page!

Alice Warner-teaches Climate Master classes and walks her talk in her personal life. Alice converted her grass lawn into a sustainable garden that includes over 110 unique plants. Alice reused many materials to build her garden beds, compost bins, and arbors. four years later the grass is gone, the soil is amended and the flowers abound-all for under $200.00.

Anne Donahue is the City of Eugene Compost and Urban Agriculture Program Coordinator. Anne has worked for the City of Eugene for ten years, coordinating programs related to residential and commercial composting, recycling, and Oregon Green Schools.  Her current work is focused on the City’s new Urban Agriculture program with the goal of providing easy to understand best practices for residents who would like to increase city acreage under food production. When not at work, Anne can be found digging in the dirt in her neighborhood community garden with her 11 yr old son Caleb.

Marisha Auerbach has a small plant nursery which focuses on edible flowers and other gourmet specialty food items. She is involved in the creation of perennial forage systems using perennial vegetables. Marisha creates useful items using her resources: Queen Bee Flower and Gem Essences, Herb’n Wisdom for permaculture consulting and herbal products, and Growing Greetings which produces plantable greeting cards and other products.

Click HERE to listen to this episode!

www.wildthymefarm.com/permmarisha.html

Guests: BJ Hurwich and Beverly Farfan

BJ Hurwich has coordinated recycling and composting efforts for the Whitaker Community Dinner, Chef’s Night-out , Project Homeless Connect (PHC) and the Olympic track trials in Eugene, events ranging from 1,500 to 20,000 attendees.   She creates educational materials, works with vendors and steering committees, develops signage, and manages 40-90 volunteers per event.  With yearly improvements, she has nudged these events from simple recycling up to 70-85% waste diversion.   At Chefs Night Out last year, the events greening efforts resulted in an impressive 75% reduction in waste.   BJ loves to pass her knowledge of event Greening on to other master recyclers and event coordinators to help expand their ability to move more events towards Zero Waste.   She is currently developing an apprenticeship program for people who would like to receive training in becoming event Greening coordinators.  When she’s not doing special events Greening, BJ stays busy as an adoption counselor and parent.

Beverly Farfan has been the lead coordinator of the Whiteaker Community Thanksgiving for the last 15 years.  She has kept to the tone established by planners of the first dinner in 1978, “Neighbors Helping Neighbors”.   Every year she is excited to see what many individuals, organizations, and businesses can do to help others in the community.  The Thanksgiving Day dinner may serve 2500 men, women, and children again this year.  The event has grown beyond a delicious meal.  Many items are provided by those in need, such as sleeping bags, blankets, and warm clothes.  Volunteering is her hobby.  She enjoys working with other volunteers planning events.  For eleven years she has worked at Lane Community College as a Cooperative Education Coordinator.  She instructs student interns working with human service organizations and agencies.