Moscow Food Co-op Producer Profile

by Patrick Vaughn, from the September 2004 newsletter

Elizabeth Taylor is a farmer who pays close attention to what the flora and fauna of her acreage are “telling” her. That’s because she views herself as just one of the players in a symbiotic relationship within the local biome of her organic farm. The beautiful produce that results from her approach has made her one of the “touchstone” vendors for many of us shoppers at the Moscow Farmers Market.

Elizabeth was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, and grew up in Illinois. At 18 she hitchhiked to California and began a literal transformation from conventional Midwestern life to free-spirited, West coast nomad. California was everything you would imagine for a young woman on her own in the 70’s.

“It was beautiful and exotic compared to the Midwest. I was eating oranges off of trees and artichokes out of the fields.”

She credits her mother with teaching her to really appreciate plants and bugs, and both her parents with instilling values that put money in perspective.

“Our family was very frugal. My Dad made me work for our older neighbors for free. By the time I grew up I had learned that I don’t need that much money to live, and to be OK with that.” So with the seeds of independence, strong work ethic and love of nature planted in her character, Elizabeth determined to support herself and forge her adult identity. Her California adventure really became the start of over 20 years of farming.

For two years Elizabeth “lived like a migrant farmer,” making her living as a farm laborer up and down the West coast. She remembers harvesting onions and being part of an apple harvesting group in Washington. She picked raspberries and cut hops in California. Needing to find a place for her dog to have puppies, she stopped in Santa Barbara, and ended up working on a start-up farm. This was on the front end of small acreage sustainable farming, when “organics” were just getting started in California. Elizabeth says that experience reinforced the importance of a strong work ethic, taught her necessary growing and machinery skills, exposed her to a broad, new menu of vegetables to grow, and showed her that, “You can do it.”

“A lot of people want to farm but don’t know how to get there. Working for that young farmer getting started in Santa Barbara I saw that you just keep at it and work hard.” After 3 1/2 years she found herself with the skills and experience to run her own farm. Elizabeth got an opportunity to rent a home with acreage in Santa Barbara and farmed there for 14 years.

By the mid-90’s, Elizabeth had saved up a sizeable “nest egg”. She got married and loaded up her farm implements and tiller into her truck and moved to St. Maries, Idaho. But, in her own words, “we were not meant to be life-long partners.” After four years she and her husband parted amiably.

Elizabeth now owns her acreage on Highway 6 just outside of Santa, Idaho.

“I was called to farming,” she says. “The environment is so clean around my farm; no agriculture—just timber land all around. My farm takes care of me. I get everything I need out of her. I feel very blessed…daily.”

She maintains a considered but passionate view towards farming, characteristic of a dedicated and skilled craft person.

“I think of my garden as a piece of art. I look at my garden and it’s beautiful. It wouldn’t be that way without diversity. I grow over 50 different varieties of vegetables and fruit. It’s like a chorus, and everything’s groovin’.”

“A lot of my health and ability is directly related to being outside 16 hours a day with plants. I feel honored to serve them. Plants and the forest really teach me values. I feel responsible for my place.”

She appreciates the fact that the Co-op is dedicated to getting local produce, especially knowing it’s easy to get organic produce from California.

Elizabeth’s approach to stewardship has earned her loyalty both among neighbors in the community of Santa and among Moscow’s farmers market customers. She said that she feels so supported and validated that it sometimes brings tears to her eyes. The feeling is mutual. As one of her customers said on an August Saturday, “She grows lettuce so beautiful you could get married holding a bunch of it.”

Pat Vaughan is being trained by local flora and fauna to become a useful member of the chorus.

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