Mary Moss-Sprague, Author, Expert Gardener, Beekeeper and Food Preservationist
Occupation: Freelance Writer
Residence: Corvallis, Ore.
Background: Mary grew up in the Puget Sound region near Seattle, graduated from Garfield High School in that city, and worked for nearly 11 years at the University of Washington, in various health sciences departments. It was there that she also studied expository writing and honed my skills in that discipline. For five years, she wrote and produced a weekly science magazine program for KRAB-FM, a large public radio station. In 1985, she moved to Salem, Ore., where she worked in several departments. In 1990, she moved to Forest Grove, Ore., where she started a plant nursery, became a beekeeper and then a master gardener and master food preserver. She had already begun her writing career and has since written (and had published) numerous articles on a wide variety of subjects. She was a feature article writer for RURALITE magazine for three years, wrote a monthly column for the Forest-Grove News-Times for new Hispanic residents, as well as miscellaneous fiction and non-fiction stories and articles. After that, she wrote the four previously-mentioned books.
Current Projects: Mary just completed a screenplay for a client and is marketing it to agents and producers. There are other personal writing projects on which she works when time allows, including a book about the coming end of oil, etc.
Fun facts: Mary also completed the Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardener program and Master Food Preserver programs receiving certification for both. When she moved to upstate New York in 2006, she joined the Cornell University Extension Service Master Gardener program and received her certification. She also taught several food preservation classes for them in and around Newark, New York. A personal odd fact is that her oldest sister was country music star Loretta Lynn’s road manager during her early struggles to have her talent be “discovered.”