A Passion for Gardening

DAYTON - Tami Miller has a passion for gardening and an indisputable green thumb. Her 3.67 acre proper- ty just outside the city limits of Dayton is an Eden filled with flowers, edible land- scaping, vegetable gardens and contented livestock.

Two steers, a flock of lay- ing hens and several Idaho Pasture Pigs free range to- gether in the fenced pasture. Squash vines trail through the perennial beds. Long lines of leaf lettuce define the edge of flower borders near the house. And in the formal vegetable gardens, closely planted heirloom and hybrid varieties thrive in the compost-rich soil.

Every week from April until October, the gardens of Miller's TamiJoyFarm sup- ply 16 families with a large bag of fresh produce through a CSA business model. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. It's a model that has been around for nearly 25 years but is relatively new to rural areas.

Miller had never heard of a CSA until an intern she met at the Monteillet Fromagerie started a one in Dayton several years ago. When the intern moved out of the area in 2011, a void was created that Miller de- cided she could fill. "I've always enjoyed gardening," she said. "I figured that I could expand my gardens and make a little money do- ing what I love."

A CSA is a business part- nership between the farmer and the consumer, common- ly referred to as a shareholder. Each spring shareholders pay a sum of money upfront for a "share" of the farm's annual harvest. The money provides important cash flow early in the year when the farmer needs to buy seeds, plants, tools and/or equipment for the growing season.

In turn, the farmer works hard to provide an abun- dance of ultra-fresh produce to his or her shareholders. But as is the case with all farming endeavors, there are no guarantees. If hail wipes out the pepper crop or squash bugs kill off the summer squash, everyone mourns the loss together and appreciates the crops that survive all the more. It's this shared risk that sets CSAs apart from other commercial transactions and helps foster a "we're in this together" kind of relationship between the farmer and the share- holders.

And for Miller, her CSA is all about relationship. "I've made many new friends," she said. "I love talking 'garden' and intro- ducing my shareholders to new varieties and recipe ideas every week." She also communicates farm news, recipes and various garden- related musings through an online newsletter and a TamiJoyFarm blogspot.

Heirloom varieties make up about 60% of Miller's garden. Heirlooms generally aren't as disease resistant as hybrids, so Miller has to work harder and smarter to keep her plants healthy and producing. The payoff in flavor is worth the extra work and worry according to Miller. "Nothing beats the intense flavor of an heirloom vegetable or fruit," she said.

TamiJoyFarm started out with ten charter sharehold- ers in 2012. Rosemary and Fred Giacci were among the first to sign up. "I love the variety of vegetables I get every week, especially the heirlooms," said Rosemary. "I'm a cook, so freshness and flavor are very important to me." The Giaccis were members of a large CSA in the Tri-Cities before switch- ing to TamiJoyFarm. "We get a better variety of organic produce from Tami and we believe in supporting small local businesses."

First-year shareholder Ronda Reisdorph lost her entire garden to deer last year after spending a significant amount of time and money starting plants - including many heirlooms - from seed. The experience was so frustrating that when she heard about Miller's CSA, she decided to join. "Tami is like my personal gardener," she said. "She does all the work and worries about the pests so I can enjoy fresh produce every week."

Andee Thurston and her husband, Sean, own and operate Elk Drug in Dayton. They are busy parents to two-year-old Kyla and have a baby on the way. "I just don't have time to garden like I want to," said Thur- ston. "But I love the idea of knowing where my food comes from so the CSA is perfect for my family."

Each week Thurston plans meals around what she receives in her share. "I don't want to waste a thing," she said. "And Tami always shares ideas on how to pre- pare veggies I'm not familiar with."

The CSA is truly a labor of love for Miller, who spends an average of five to six hours a day in her gar- dens, and twice that in the spring while she's getting the gardens going. She starts most of her plants by seed so she can offer a greater variety to her shareholders. The thirty different heirloom tomato varieties she planted this year bear testimony to her commitment to abundant diversity and will be featured during the upcoming Heir- loom Gardener's Food and Wine Weekend in Dayton. See the article about this event on the front page for more complete information.

For more information about TamiJoyFarm contact Tami Miller at (509) 520- 4827 or email tamijoymill- er@gmail.com.