louise

Working With Plant Life

Louise holding mints, basils, parsley, lemon balm, and sage she cultivated.
Louise holding mints, basils, parsley, lemon balm, and sage she cultivated.

Plant Study

All of my work with the Earth has been driven by a passion for plants and to understand the natural world. I have been working with plants for a decade. I started with whatever space I had to grow whatever I could. My passion took me into books and eventually farming.

I practice seed saving, container gardening, foraging, and using plants for food and medicine. These herbs were harvested from one of my earlier gardens.

Louise in garlic beds she planted with colleagues.
Louise in garlic beds she planted with colleagues.

Food Access Work

I am excited to have been a part of a diverse team in 2023 that worked to make food accessible for everyone at the Dahlia Campus for Health and Well-Being. Their creativity, respect for the community, and their actions to cultivate well-being through food systems made me proud to be a part of that team. While at the campus, you could catch me outside laying irrigation, educating others, planting beds of veggies, helping out at our weekly farm stand, or weeding the therapy garden with colleagues and community members

Louise harvesting collard greens in an aquaponics greenhouse.
Louise harvesting collard greens in an aquaponics greenhouse.

Greenhouse and Perennial Care

For two seasons I worked in traditional and aquaponics greenhouses taking care of annuals and perennials for sale for farms and gardens. I take an IPM approach to pest management, keep a log, and, and have experience with drip tray, overhead watering, and zero waste systems.

Louise holding a jar of wound healing salve oil she infused.
Louise holding a jar of wound healing salve oil she infused.

Herbal Medicine

For half a decade I have been working with plants to make medicine. Salve and infused oils have been a focus and I have thoroughly enjoyed the process. It is deeply fulfilling to connect with the plants and be in direct relationship with them. I know this was the way of my ancestors and I look to carry on and share this legacy with others. I am excited to expand my repertoire to include tincture medicine, as well as other topical medicines such as creams, soaps, and toners.

Louise and her first personal greenhouse.
Louise and her first personal greenhouse.

Starting From the Seed

After seven years of working with plant life, I manifested my dream of growing a garden from seed in my own greenhouse. It has been very rewarding to apply my knowledge in greenhouse management and plant production to growing my own garden space. I was able to plant a fully producing herb, flower, and vegetable garden from seeds I planted months before. It completely opened up new doors to how I learn from and engage with growing food and perennials.