Beth Gibans

I am interested in serving on the Board for several reasons: to broaden and strengthen the representation of the organization to eastern Oregon; to offer my own experience and organizational skills to an organization serving the broader regional interests of sustainable agriculture; and to learn from and be a part of the efforts of Rural Roots and its members.

I have over ten years of farming experience, which includes starting up farm operations first in Portland and then in Joseph, OR, most recently. I have also been instrumental in getting two farmers markets started in Wallowa County and still serve as the manager as well as a primary vendor. I first became involved in sustainable agriculture as an intern at The Land Institute in Salina, Kansas in 1988, where I also worked as a development assistant, conference organizer, and special projects coordinator. I left there to apprentice at the University of Santa Cruz's apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture, and went on to start Sauvie Island Organics, in the Portland area with another apprentice from the program, which is still a farm with a CSA serving 200 families plus several restaurants. I left that farm in 2000 to start up Backyard Gardens as a small market garden operation.

Currently I am cultivating over an acre of vegetables which I sell locally through the farmers markets, several restaurants and local stores. Last year a local food group that I helped organize sponsored a Community Harvest Dinner featuring all locally grown products. It was a huge success. These kinds of efforts, bringing the community together around quality, clean, healthy food and which many hands have a part in creating that excite me. I also cater featuring local products whenever possible and use the opportunity to inform people's palates about the joys of eating seasonally and eating well.