By Caitlin Rothermel In February 2024 in The Vashon Loop, Jenny Bell reported on Puget Sound Energy’s “tree wire” project, a PSE program working to clear roadside vegetation and upgrade Vashon’s power infrastructure. “Tree wire” is sturdy and well-insulated, and considered likely to fare well in storms, resist tree falls, and reduce the need for frequent…
By Lyndsey Braun-Palmer Everything spring-like is springing into action, including egg production! I’d like to introduce a favorite method for creating shelf-stable eggs – dehydration! Dehydrating eggs when you are producing more than you need is a great way to store this food essential for future use. Here’s my step-by-step guide. Ingredients Fresh eggs Instructions…
By Jane Valencia Thomas Vroom and Jordan Ashley Beck own and run Fernhorn Bakery. In true Island fashion, the story of their bakery is nested within several stories related to the local economy and resilience. In Part 2 of this series, we learn about the wheats that Fernhorn uses to create their delicious, nutrient-dense, and…
By Thomas Vroom When one thinks of a wheat field, they imagine “amber waves of grain,” which are fields of ripened wheat about waist-high. This used to be wheat, but really it has now been bred for mechanization, from sowing to baking the cake-like slurry that results in the loaf many people are familiar with,…
By March Twisdale In 2014, there was a high profile coyote attack at Misty Isle Farms. Three Willamette Valley ewes, brought in for the Vashon Sheepdog Classic, were killed overnight. The next night, government-sanctioned hunters shot and killed two coyotes as the pack returned twice, moving confidently toward the flock, passing many tents and dogs…
By March Twisdale If you’re a consumer, this article will offer new information regarding the growing push back against “Bank Taxes” designed to skim the cream off the top of local economies everywhere. If you’re a business owner, this article will point you in the right direction, should you wish to submit a claim. This…
By Jane Valencia Visit the VIGA Farmers Market on Saturday morning, and you’ll come upon Fernhorn Bakery and their selection of fresh-made sourdough organic breads and bagels. Taste, and you know you’re eating a bread like no other, attentively made, nutrient-dense, and with unique, vibrant flavors. Please join us in a conversation with Thomas Vroom,…
By Kim Cantrell and John Rettmann Hope you all are enjoying this beautiful spring. As the trees are budding out, the blossoms have been nothing short of gorgeous, and the early pollinators are at work. Let’s continue forth with talking about pruning; this time, we are getting specific in our endeavor. In the first two…
By Stephen Buller Most people know the golden rule: Treat others how you wish to be treated. Here is a lesser-known golden rule: He who holds the gold makes the rules. Most people I meet think of gold as a commodity, a shiny metal, or pretty jewelry, but when I say gold is the best…
By Marc J. Elzenbeck Hot as the Dot-Com bubble may have been, the AI bubble is blazing. There are strong connections between now and then. At its height in 1999, a smallish company named Sun Microsystems made computers key to powering the graphical internet, and its stock was bid to a staggering 10x price to…