Meet our new mudraker

Published 5:14 pm Thursday, July 3, 2008

Even reporters need vacations, and reporter Debra Smith plans to take a long one — all of July.

Herald copy editor Jessi Loerch kindly agreed to take over the Mudraker blog this month. Loerch’s thumb began to turn green after she and her husband, Jerry, purchased a house in north Everett.

She tends a delightful cottage-style garden and recently added three chickens and coop to her backyard. Yes, that’s right, she keeps laying hens, and you can too. She’s a true gardener: She’s excited about the quantity of great fertilizer her chickens produce.

Her other interests include organic gardening, growing veggies and eating locally.

As a copy editor, Loerch edits stories, designs pages and writes headlines. Basically, she does all the tough work and gets no byline. Enjoy getting to know her.

You can contact her directly with questions here, or you can post a comment after an entry on the blog.

Meet a basketmaker: Katherine Lewis, owner of Dunbar Gardens in Mount Vernon, will demonstrate basket making from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 6 at Christianson’s Nursery and Greenhouse.

Lewis grows several varieties of willow on her farm in Skagit Valley before drying them to make baskets.

She’s been making baskets and studying basketmaking for 16 years.

Lewis will demonstrate the art of making baskets and talk about the history of basket weaving in the Schoolhouse Garden at Christianson’s, 15806 Best Road, Mount Vernon.

Lewis will teach a basketry class from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 6 and 7 at Christianson’s.

Students will make a round gathering basket with a handle. Tuition for the class is $100, plus $50 for materials.

Reserve a spot by calling 360-466-3821.[/URL]