Yummy Chocolate at the Mother Earth News Fair, plus a Wealth of Information

Theo Chocolate Organic & Fair Trade Certified

Wow, what a weekend! 

  

Anne Marie and Dianna attended the Mother Earth News Fair in Puyallup,WA on Saturday and Sunday and had a most wonderful time.  Mother Earth News invited B&D Lilies to exhibit, but after 6 months of Garden shows, shipping and planting—and because it was Anne Marie's Birthday Weekend—we decided to play instead.

We took cell phones to stay in touch at the fairgrounds, but no computer, catalogs, business cards or even a camera went with us, just a notebook for the seminars and backpacks for goodies.  We pretty much limited ourselves to books, tools, plants, seeds and chocolate, plus one ice cream cone each day—because the sun finally decided to shine after a very long week of cold and rain—but despite our self-imposed "restraint", the car was still rather full Sunday night.

I love the cover of Victoria's book!

Theo Chocolate (above), a Seattle-based company with marvelous designer blends, was one of our favorite booths, along with two local Permaculture nurseries and the Mother Earth Fair Bookstore.  Theo Chocolate does mail order, so try the Bread and Chocolate, Fig, Fennel & Almond, and the spicy Coconut Curry, for a few of Dianna's favorites.

We attended both of Joel Salatin's presentations plus those of local gardening gurus, workshops on making your own medicinal salves, lotions and oils, plus checked out solar and wind demonstrations.

Victoria Miller, who lives off-grid on Canyon Creek Farm,  spoke about raising and housing ducks, and has her first book coming out this fall, which I just pre-ordered.

Good thing this is only a once-a-year event because it will take months to completely read our two dozen newly obtained books—several signed by their authors—and start putting all this new-found knowledge to use.  When attending an event like this, buy your books early in the day, because when the talk ends, the corresponding books sell out within minutes.  Anne Marie half-jogged to the bookstore and barely snagged two copies of Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to Year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest, one for herself and one for "Ruth" who was sitting next to Dianna, and had both copies signed by Linda Gilkeson following her purchase.

This was the second year for the Western Washington location and the next one will not be until 2014 for the west coast, but if you are near Seven Spring, PA on September 20-22, 2013 or Lawrence, KS on October 12-13, 2013, check out the Mother Earth News Fairs.