ON THE FARM

Solar Cooking Experiment #1:
Basmati Rice

Conditions: 77 degrees. Started at 10:30, checked it at 12:00 and it was done.
Regular rice recipe worked just fine: 2:1 water to rice, plus some salt and butter.

Why solar cooking? My auntie worked with Solar Cookers International and she taught me that solar cooking solutions can help communities worldwide.
And Yakima has a LOT of sun available, so why not?
Learn more about solar cooking here.
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It’s high planting season and our hoophouse is hoppin’.
There’s a whole slew of new plants available.
Get ’em while the gettin’s good!
Apple Mint
Chocolate Mint
Salad Burnet
Bells of Ireland
Goldenrod
Solomon’s Seal
Snap Peas
Armenian Cucumber
Kyoto 3′ Long Cucumber
China Jade Cucumber
Oregon Grape
Lime Balm
Spearmint
Odesa Market Squash
Cream of Saskatchewan Melon
Golden Midget Melon
Catmint
Candy Roaster Squash
Beit Alpha F1 Cucumber
Bumble Bee Sunrise Tomato
Costata Romanesco Zucchini

LOCAL
Doorstep glass recycling (commercial and residential) is now available in Yakima and the surrounding areas.
Interested? Learn more here.

WA STATE

JOB OPENING: Operations Manager
Regenerate Cascadia, Department of Bioregion (Remote)
“The Department of Bioregion is a 501(c)(3) social movement and capacity building nonprofit dedicated to advancing bioregionalism. We develop bioregional frameworks, regenerate our bioregions, and cultivate the conditions for place-based movements, cultures, and ways of living in place to thrive.
Founded in 2019, we operate three core programs: Seeds (bioregional education, mapping, and research), Roots (administrative program services and fiscal sponsorship), and Branches (locally led Departments of Bioregion). Our budget has grown from $140,000 to over $730,000 in three years. We serve 600+ community members across Washington, Oregon, and California through a growing network of employees, contractors, and landscape stewards.”
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Goodenough Community Summer Gathering 2026
What’s in Our way? Forging Paths to Regenerative Community
June 9 – 14
Sahale Learning Center, Tahuya, WA 
“This year we’ll be diving into an issue that plagues so many individuals, communities, even our nation: how can we build trust and connection with people who are very different from us, so we can create powerfully regenerative communities?“
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Human Rights Minor, University of Washington
Know a young person headed to college? Thinking of continuing your own education?
One of the best Human Rights programs is right in our own backyard.

“The University of Washington is fortunate to house one of the strongest human rights programs in the country.  We offer a rich selection of courses taught by scholars from diverse schools, departments, and programs.
The curriculum reflects the rising interest in human rights throughout the world – even as human rights violations persist, and debate continues over the meaning and realization of human rights. Understanding this complex subject requires an interdisciplinary approach, one that combines in a new way the study of philosophy, politics, economics, culture, and law.
The Minor in Human Rights is a tri-campus initiative (UW Bothell, UW Seattle, and UW Tacoma). Students may, but are not required to, take courses from more than one campus in order to earn the minor.

NATIONAL & BEYOND

Earth Law Signature Summer Course
June 1 – June 24, 2026
Live • Virtual • Global
It’s time to give Nature a voice in the legal system.

“Join a global community of lawyers, students, educators, and advocates committed to advancing Earth law and the Rights of Nature worldwide.
The Earth Law Center Signature Summer Course brings together experienced practitioners, scholars, and changemakers to explore emerging legal frameworks that recognize Nature as a rights-bearing entity.
Through live instruction, real-world case studies, and collective learning, participants gain conceptual grounding and practical insight into the future of law.
Whether you are deepening your legal practice, preparing to teach Earth law, or exploring new pathways for environmental justice, this course offers a rigorous and accessible foundation.”
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Honey-Making Stingless Bees in the Peruvian Amazon Become the First Insects to Gain Legal Rights
“Two local ordinances granted rights to at least 175 stingless bee species in Peru, which are culturally and spiritually significant to Indigenous peoples and help maintain a healthy rainforest ecosystem.”
(Source: Smithsonian Magazine, Jan 2)
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53 MIN LISTEN: Farms As Learning Centers: Workshops, Research, and Students
“The only real way to learn and gain experience in farming is to get your hands dirty and put knowledge into practice. For that reason farms play an essential role in training others to get into this sector and navigate the challenges and learning curves of making a living on the land. While most of the farms in our network have shown interest in offering educational opportunities, actually becoming a school is outside of the capacities of most of them. At the same time there are many ways to offer training from offering courses and workshops to student, volunteer, and apprenticeships. In this panel we’ll explore many of these possibilities from the perspective of farmers with many years of experience helping others get their foot in the door as well as those who are just starting to explore how to participate in offering learning opportunities. We’ll cover essential considerations, key learnings and advice, and new ideas that our panelists are exploring to improve their offerings for both learners and themselves.”
(Source: Regenerative Skills Podcast, May 5)
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56 MIN LISTEN: Song of the Cedars
A Conversation with Giuliana Furci, Robert Macfarlane, César Rodríguez-Garavito, and Cosmo Sheldrake
“Bringing in the voice of the forest, four members of the MOTH (More-Than-Human) Life Collective share the story of co-composing a song with the Los Cedros cloud forest in Ecuador and explore how its authorship might be legally recognized.”
(Source: Emergence Magazine, March 2025)
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Planting Medicine: Herbs Against Fascism with Nicole Rose: Part 1
“Emiliano Lemus interviews Nicole Rose of Solidarity Apothecary about herbs to resist fascism. They discuss organizing strategies for connecting with plant medicines as our communities navigate ICE and police violence, prisoner support, protests, and more. We also chat about Nicole Rose’s book, Herbalism and State Violence: Practical Herbal Medicine for Surviving State Repression.
(Source: KPFA, May 5)
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That’s all for this week.
Happy planting Friends!

xoxo,

MJ