Place of Residence: Leavenworth,Washington

Background and Personal History: Eron Drew is a native of Northern Wisconsin. She holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Geology, Conservation Biology and Zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2000, Eron and her husband relocated to Washington State where she worked for Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission as a Salmon Recovery Biologist in Western Washington. In 2004, they moved to North-Central Washington, where she permanently resides.

For 5 years Eron managed the Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort’s organic garden and implemented their farm-to-table program. For the past 9 years, she and her husband have owned and operated Tierra Garden Organics, a 5-acre (going on 40!), WSDA-certified organic family-run farm. They grow over 200 varieties of produce and manage a large swath of alfalfa and mixed grains. Their produce is sold through two farmers markets, an on-farm CSA program, a second CSA program located in Wenatchee, Wash., several retail establishments and a growing clientele of restaurants.

Eron is also a WSU Chelan/Douglas County Master Gardener and teaches regularly on subjects including vegetable production, seed starting, basic hydroponics, container planting and fire-wise landscape design. She is currently the Education Director for the E. Lorene Young Community Garden in Leavenworth, Wash., and is past president and a founding board member of the Leavenworth Community Farmers Market.

One of her most recent projects is founding FARMY-Food Army, an organization aimed at offering support to small and start-up farms in North Central Washington and fundraising for a future equipment co-op.

Eron is a regular contributor on gardening to the Wenatchee World newspaper, has published several stories and essays, and has won awards for her nonfiction writing. Her gardening work has been featured in The Seattle Times and on several television episodes.

In addition to her gardening work, Eron is the Retreat Center Manager at Tierra Retreat Center in Leavenworth, Wash. Tierra Retreat is an environmentally minded venue with the mission of Quality, Simplicity and Stewardship. It is one of the many sustainability-minded enterprises located at the Tierra Learning Center.

More Places to Find Eron on the Web:

If you would like to read more from Eron including essays, past garden-related articles and more, please visit her personal blog, Farmertopia.

If you would like to be connected with her farm, please follow the Tierra Garden Organics Facebook page or visit the Tierra Learning Center website.

For more information on farming activism in North Central Washington, check out the FARMY Facebook page.