Thaddeus Christian

Thaddeus Christian was introduced to the growing season in the dark Solano loam, an alluvial sediment deposit sitting astride the Green Valley fault, at the bottom of the Sacramento River Delta. That clay-rich soil was an excellent home for tomatoes, grapes and fruit orchards, and in contrast to the swelling suburban corridors, offered a glimpse at the foundational contexts of words like economy, nutrition, and value.

Decades later, having traversed many of the uncluttered wilds and seas, Thaddeus started a homestead on a low hill under oak and walnut trees in Leavenworth County, Kan. With the Missouri river at his back, and the tallgrass prairie lit by the sun in the west, it’s easy to feel optimistic about farming and hard work and simple pleasures.

Thaddeus has worked as an editor for MOTHER EARTH NEWS. He is also a founding member of Pioneers Press, a publishing house focused on sustainability on the farm and in the city. After working in journalism, his interests turned toward forestry and small-scale agriculture. In a land without mountains, Thaddeus climbs trees, and enjoys backpacking, swimming and fermenting habaneros.