Puyallup Speaker Spotlight: Jessie Price, Healthy Cook and Linda Gilkeson, Master Gardener

I can’t wait to see any and all demos about cheese and cheese making. It may not be the healthiest food, but I still love it!

What advice do you have for attendees?

Do a little research beforehand. Look at the schedule and figure out what your “must see” things are. Setting up priorities ahead of time ensures you won’t miss anything you really want to see.

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only have one thing, what would you choose?

I’d want cold beer and a great book. (I know that’s 2 things, but the two together would make it just about perfect!)

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 What are you going to speak about at the MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR? 

On the Organic Gardening Stage: Saturday 3:00 pm: Smart Gardening: Three Keys to Growing Your Most Successful Organic Garden Yet. Avoid gardening disappointments and get the best results in your vegetable garden by working smarter. This talk covers how to time planting dates (spring through fall) in the unique West Coast gardening climate; how to make the most from your investment in organic fertilizers and how to control weeds the easy way.

Sunday 9:00 am: Backyard Bounty: Grow the Most Food in the Smallest Space (With the Least Work). On the West Coast, even the smallest gardens can produce a surprising amount of food 12 months of the year. Learn how to increase the harvest of organically grown fruit and vegetables from gardens of any size, using easy, low-maintenance methods that leave you lots of time to smell the roses.

What are you most looking forward to sharing with FAIR attendees?

The joy of growing your own food and practical tips for getting a bountiful harvest without a lot of work.

Tell us about your background with your particular topic.

I grow most of the fruit and virtually all of the vegetables I eat year-round in my garden. I have 25 years of experience gardening in the West coast climate and have been teaching gardening and organic pest management for over a decade. I have co-authored organic gardening books for Rodale Press and self-published my own books. My newest, most comprehensive book came out this spring: Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest (New Society Publishers). Everything I know about food gardening in this region!

Why should fairgoers attend your presentation?

You will be inspired by the amount of food you can grow, even in a small garden, and I’ll bet you will hear some tips you can use immediately to get great results.

What are you most looking forward to at the FAIR?

Talking about gardening, meeting new people and especially encouraging new gardeners.

What advice do you have for attendees?

Grow as much of your own food as you can! It is a useful skill that everyone should know. It doesn’t have to take a lot of space or labor or time and it will be wonderful for your health and enjoyment (and the environment, too).

If you were stranded on a deserted island and could have only one thing, what would you choose?

A big, seaworthy boat!

Thank you both. We’ll see you at the FAIR!

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Please visit the FAIR website
for more information about the Puyallup, Wash. FAIR June 4-5, and
upcoming FAIRs in San Rafael, Calif. and Seven Springs, Penn. Tickets are on sale now for all fairs.

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