Writings – Bunkhouse Acres

Feeding Terrible People

“Love is willing the good of the other as other.”St. Thomas Aquinas…

H-2A Exploitation in 2020

Consider the people whose sweat and tears have washed your plump, red…

bunkhouseacres

I will not be publicly identifying the families wh

I will not be publicly identifying the families who the donated boxes are given to. Families might want to relay their thanks and I will give them that opportunity if they ask. When I was growing up poor, dignity was important to me and my family and I don’t want public mention to deter anyone from accepting my food. Thanks for understanding.

Bunkhouse Acres lies in the Satsop Valley, part of

Bunkhouse Acres lies in the Satsop Valley, part of the 5,000,000 acres of the Chehalis peoples' homeland before Abraham Lincoln confined them to a reservation in 1864. The farm borders Mason and Grays Harbor Counties, which are mostly food deserts. Our mission has always been to get the highest quality food to those who need it most and to reframe wholesome and organic from a cosmopolitan luxury to what's on everyone's plate.

I had no delusions about this ambitious undertaking's cost, which is why I sought community support through crowdfunding from day one. After almost seven months, I have raised enough money to purchase critical equipment and seeds. However, I'm still significantly short of my goal. Going into my first season after nearly a full year of no income due to the pandemic means I need your support more than ever.

You can help by signing up for a CSA box (or donating one to a family in need), making donations to the farm fund, or coming out for a work party. Please keep sharing my fundraising and CSA links (in bio) and continue to donate as you're able. Thank you again to all who continue to support me in so many meaningful ways. Special thanks to @madelinemoy, who helped me raise $2,000 this week through a matching offer.

Thank you,
Shellie-Ann

Seeds are starting to arrive for the 2021 season!

Seeds are starting to arrive for the 2021 season! We’ve ordered from @highmowingorganicseeds, @territorialseedcompany, @johnnys_seeds, and @osbornequalityseeds. Waiting for delicious peas and beets from @row7seeds to be back in stock and for @uprising.seeds to reopen so I can snag that cardoon. We’re erecting a high tunnel and doing some cleanup around the farm. We’ve also added a nursery endorsement to our business license so home gardeners will be able to buy starts from Bunkhouse Acres in the spring. To give the best of myself to feeding you in 2021, I’ve decided to have a hysterectomy that I’ve been putting off for several years. This surgery is less than two weeks away and will be done robotically, which means no overnight hospital stay and a faster recovery. 🤗 Thank you for sending positive vibes and bearing with me during the week or so when I’ll be a little less responsive.

Today’s events have tested the bounds of my comp

Today’s events have tested the bounds of my compassion. The meager condemnation from the president and GOP officials in addition to the laissez-faire attitude of the police amid undeniably unjustified violence has made me sick to my stomach. These people have no real grievance except that a self-proclaimed billionaire will have to leave the White House to make way for a duly elected president. This is a failed state. This is an irretrievably broken state. And you know what, it was never working for people who look like me so I can’t help but think that a clean slate isn’t such a bad idea. #Reset

CSA sign-ups are officially open! We will have pic

CSA sign-ups are officially open! We will have pickup points in Grays Harbor, Thurston, and Mason counties. CSA membership buys you a box of farm-fresh goodies for eighteen weeks from June 5 to October 2. You can also choose to donate a box to a BIPOC or low-income family. Link in bio! #csa #communitysupportedagriculture

There’s still time to make a contribution to my

There’s still time to make a contribution to my farm fundraiser before the end of this incredibly long year. I am hopeful for better days ahead, and looking forward to doing my part in creating a more robust local food system in Grays Harbor and Mason counties.

Meeting this fundraising goal is critical because it means I can put in infrastructure necessary to operate at a more meaningful scale. I will have the resources to provide more members of my community with access to fresh, local ingredients and the opportunity to learn about growing and preparing food, directly on this farm.

On behalf of all those who will eat Bunkhouse Acres’ garlic, eggs and vegetables or have their day brightened by a bunch of our fresh cut flowers in 2021, thank you so much. I wish you a safe, healthy and happy New Year. (Link in Bio)

#Garlic is a pretty big deal around these parts. W

#Garlic is a pretty big deal around these parts. We planted close to 500lbs on Halloween and anticipate a harvest of at least 2,000lbs next summer. I like to say the stinky rose is an easy crop to grow but it does require some patience, planning and protection. This is Thai Purple, a hardneck variety I sourced from @filareegarlicfarm. I’ll keep adding shredded #alfalfa hay every other week for a nitrogen boost and to keep the weeds at bay.

2020 connected me with an amazing community that b

2020 connected me with an amazing community that believed in my dreams and helped me acquire a bit of wealth in the form of a tractor. Thank you!

I’m still fundraising for farm infrastructure costs so please continue to share my successes and donate when you can. Happy New Year!

2020 is almost over, and while I am looking forwar

Cree is a loving and intelligent, sometimes waywar

Cree is a loving and intelligent, sometimes wayward, puppy. No, she didn’t eat the onion but she did dig up the companion chard.

You’ve helped me raise over a third of my fundra

You’ve helped me raise over a third of my fundraising goal in just six months. Please continue to share and donate so we can be fully funded and complete a few critical projects before the growing season. Thank you. 😊 link in bio

While relocating the goat dome and changing their

While relocating the goat dome and changing their bedding, I realized it was quite warm in there. Yes, this is a hostile takeover.

Happy solstice. 'More contagious' means that the n

Happy solstice. 'More contagious' means that the new strain is reproducing faster, and so there are more viral particles in the nostril/throat and persons infected. So the possibility of the virus spreading from one person to another gets higher. Imagine the difference between walking outside when there is a sprinkling of rain while the sun is shining vs. doing the same thing when there is a steady rainfall. This new strain is "steady rainfall" stage where being in the same room with someone who is contaminated, no matter how far they are from you, or if you are wearing a mask, you have a high chance of getting it. Whereas it might be possible to be around someone infected with the current strain virus and not be infected, with this new strain, it's almost certain that you will get it. And if someone from England infects someone here, that new strain will now show up locally. And to the extent that people are not even bothering to observe social distancing, that will be a disaster.

So, any chances folks would have been taking until now - e.g. going out without a mask; pulling mask away from face while talking to someone you know or don't know: not observing social distancing all the time- just when you feel like it; not washing your hands as often; hanging out with friends because you feel that they are safe and coronavirus is not in your circle - it's time to stop all that. It’s also time to donate to my fundraiser if you haven’t already. Link in bio. Thank you.

I’m just rollin’ in dough. #brioche dough. I m

I’m just rollin’ in dough. #brioche dough. I make a #kugelhopf last night with a third of the dough and baked the rest of it plain this morning. I really enjoy baking with my hands and look forward to having a winter bread school as part of this farm in a few years.

Fundraising momentum has slowed, so I am asking fo

My Linktree was getting full so I listed all my me

My Linktree was getting full so I listed all my media appearances/mentions on a page on my website. Link in bio. #blackwomanfarmer #blackfarmer #blackfarmers #supportsmallbusiness #supportblackbusiness #donate #foodsovereignty #agribiodiversity #biodiversity #immigrantsmakeamericagreat #foodjustice #fundraiser #blacklivesmatter #blackfoodjustice #decolonization #shareblackstories #bipocfarmer #supportwomeninbusiness #pnwfarmer #washingtonfarmer #farmingwhileblack #farmher

#Cree is all of nine weeks old! She’s going to b

Very few plants are in bloom and the bounty of sum

Very few plants are in bloom and the bounty of summer has waned, but winter is the time for planning, seed purchase, and construction- a significant portion of farm expenses. I am also faced with the unexpected need for a new irrigation system, which will cost over $17,000 for the minimum equipment. Fundraising momentum has slowed, so I am asking for your help to revitalize my campaign. I want to hit 50% of my goal by the end of the year and the remaining 50% by the end of February. You can donate by visiting the link in my bio (http://linktr.ee/bunkhouseacres) and by sharing this message with your friends and family. Thank you for your continued support of my vision.

Cut flowers are coming! If you want in, visit our

Cut flowers are coming! If you want in, visit our website and complete the CSA survey.

Cree. 🐶 💕

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