Crabapple Swamp Witch
@chisaifirefly.bsky.social
Soil & Permaculture nerd, land rights & climate justice policy wonk, recovering securities lawyer. Make the food and grow the things. Will run for butter and bling.
Lots of degrees to play in the dirt and regenerate nature.
Lots of degrees to play in the dirt and regenerate nature.
omg! we might have hard core kicked off the maga darling on our city council!!!
November 5, 2025 at 5:03 AM
omg! we might have hard core kicked off the maga darling on our city council!!!
If you don't go out in the rain in the PNW, you're stuck inside for months!
Soggy planting day yesterday, but the roses and ground cover are in! Client is thrilled and we both can't wait for the arbor to be covered in fragrant climbing cecile brunner roses.
Soggy planting day yesterday, but the roses and ground cover are in! Client is thrilled and we both can't wait for the arbor to be covered in fragrant climbing cecile brunner roses.
November 4, 2025 at 4:36 PM
If you don't go out in the rain in the PNW, you're stuck inside for months!
Soggy planting day yesterday, but the roses and ground cover are in! Client is thrilled and we both can't wait for the arbor to be covered in fragrant climbing cecile brunner roses.
Soggy planting day yesterday, but the roses and ground cover are in! Client is thrilled and we both can't wait for the arbor to be covered in fragrant climbing cecile brunner roses.
Happy farm stands putting squash on deep clearance day to all who celebrate!
November 1, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Happy farm stands putting squash on deep clearance day to all who celebrate!
City human services commission had a great time putting on a Halloween bingo/service fair at the local senior apartments!
I made a big batch of cupcakes, brought spooky fantasy art from home, and raided the Michael's clearance section for decorations.
I made a big batch of cupcakes, brought spooky fantasy art from home, and raided the Michael's clearance section for decorations.
October 31, 2025 at 3:37 PM
City human services commission had a great time putting on a Halloween bingo/service fair at the local senior apartments!
I made a big batch of cupcakes, brought spooky fantasy art from home, and raided the Michael's clearance section for decorations.
I made a big batch of cupcakes, brought spooky fantasy art from home, and raided the Michael's clearance section for decorations.
Bog magic.
After a morning of clearing blackberries in the rain the sun peaked out and absolutely lit up the bog.
After a morning of clearing blackberries in the rain the sun peaked out and absolutely lit up the bog.
October 26, 2025 at 4:37 PM
Bog magic.
After a morning of clearing blackberries in the rain the sun peaked out and absolutely lit up the bog.
After a morning of clearing blackberries in the rain the sun peaked out and absolutely lit up the bog.
This is why I always recommend purple tree collards. Amazing perennial production year round in a very small space. I've been harvesting all summer and I still have a full sink from cutting back 2 plants.
October 25, 2025 at 9:27 PM
This is why I always recommend purple tree collards. Amazing perennial production year round in a very small space. I've been harvesting all summer and I still have a full sink from cutting back 2 plants.
First build project for a client is wrapped up. A sturdy, rustic arbor for climbing roses to be added and providing shade for the hydrangeas. A support trellis for the espalier apple tree. Shrunk the lawn for easier management and more room to plant.
October 24, 2025 at 8:43 PM
First build project for a client is wrapped up. A sturdy, rustic arbor for climbing roses to be added and providing shade for the hydrangeas. A support trellis for the espalier apple tree. Shrunk the lawn for easier management and more room to plant.
Lunch break and then the moment of truth: did I measure well enough for the long beams to lay level!?!
October 22, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Lunch break and then the moment of truth: did I measure well enough for the long beams to lay level!?!
My first pomegranate! Not completely ripe, but the sun has fled and the rains are coming, so this baby is getting picked and tasted today.
Not bad for a very young plant trying hard to produce in the short PNW growing season.
Not bad for a very young plant trying hard to produce in the short PNW growing season.
October 20, 2025 at 2:52 PM
My first pomegranate! Not completely ripe, but the sun has fled and the rains are coming, so this baby is getting picked and tasted today.
Not bad for a very young plant trying hard to produce in the short PNW growing season.
Not bad for a very young plant trying hard to produce in the short PNW growing season.
It's always a surprise when my saffron crocuses pop up and flower!
They are usually quite fleeting in the PNW because they bloom just as the rain is really setting in. But, they are so pretty, and I usually can pick enough to make a cup of saffron tea.
They are usually quite fleeting in the PNW because they bloom just as the rain is really setting in. But, they are so pretty, and I usually can pick enough to make a cup of saffron tea.
October 19, 2025 at 3:59 PM
It's always a surprise when my saffron crocuses pop up and flower!
They are usually quite fleeting in the PNW because they bloom just as the rain is really setting in. But, they are so pretty, and I usually can pick enough to make a cup of saffron tea.
They are usually quite fleeting in the PNW because they bloom just as the rain is really setting in. But, they are so pretty, and I usually can pick enough to make a cup of saffron tea.
Getting ready for next week's client project, which is a first that includes a building component!
This pile of Alaskan yellow cedar is gonna become a simple, rustic arbor for a climbing rose and a support trellis for an espalier apple tree 😍
This pile of Alaskan yellow cedar is gonna become a simple, rustic arbor for a climbing rose and a support trellis for an espalier apple tree 😍
October 18, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Getting ready for next week's client project, which is a first that includes a building component!
This pile of Alaskan yellow cedar is gonna become a simple, rustic arbor for a climbing rose and a support trellis for an espalier apple tree 😍
This pile of Alaskan yellow cedar is gonna become a simple, rustic arbor for a climbing rose and a support trellis for an espalier apple tree 😍
Today, a large group of HS freshman signed up at the farm for part of a Future Ready program that highlights different school & career pathways.
For an early start, they were so energetic & worked really hard weeding pathways & pruning shrubs in the food forest.
For an early start, they were so energetic & worked really hard weeding pathways & pruning shrubs in the food forest.
October 17, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Today, a large group of HS freshman signed up at the farm for part of a Future Ready program that highlights different school & career pathways.
For an early start, they were so energetic & worked really hard weeding pathways & pruning shrubs in the food forest.
For an early start, they were so energetic & worked really hard weeding pathways & pruning shrubs in the food forest.
Hello darkness my old friend
October 7, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Hello darkness my old friend
Reposted by Crabapple Swamp Witch
Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.
October 5, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Dr. Jane Goodall filmed an interview with Netflix in March 2025 that she understood would only be released after her death.
Ah yes, the annual "oh shit, my garlic order just shipped and I need to figure out where to plant it!" fall vibe.
October 1, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Ah yes, the annual "oh shit, my garlic order just shipped and I need to figure out where to plant it!" fall vibe.
Got my tomatoes in before a whole WEEK of rain!
It's cozy time!!!
It's cozy time!!!
September 29, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Got my tomatoes in before a whole WEEK of rain!
It's cozy time!!!
It's cozy time!!!
My arms want to fall off, but 3.5 hours later the trunk is nearly uncovered & the woodchips are about 3/4 spread around root zone. Little neighbor trees have nice rings of woodchips.
The No Vehicle area is getting marked off & all the good moss, lichen, logs, rocks, bird nests are settled back in
The No Vehicle area is getting marked off & all the good moss, lichen, logs, rocks, bird nests are settled back in
September 24, 2025 at 8:50 PM
My arms want to fall off, but 3.5 hours later the trunk is nearly uncovered & the woodchips are about 3/4 spread around root zone. Little neighbor trees have nice rings of woodchips.
The No Vehicle area is getting marked off & all the good moss, lichen, logs, rocks, bird nests are settled back in
The No Vehicle area is getting marked off & all the good moss, lichen, logs, rocks, bird nests are settled back in
Being a nature preserve board member has some cool perks: I get to assist on a field work survey to collect moss data from the bog to support a study on the long term succession of moss species in a peat bog!
September 23, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Being a nature preserve board member has some cool perks: I get to assist on a field work survey to collect moss data from the bog to support a study on the long term succession of moss species in a peat bog!
Experimenting with different ciders for a beer bread recipe I've made for years. Realizing I shouldn't buy beer, which I don't like, & leftovers get tossed. Whereas I enjoy many ciders.
1st test with the Tieton brand is huckleberry cider. I'm guessing it's a particularly yeasty variety.
1st test with the Tieton brand is huckleberry cider. I'm guessing it's a particularly yeasty variety.
September 20, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Experimenting with different ciders for a beer bread recipe I've made for years. Realizing I shouldn't buy beer, which I don't like, & leftovers get tossed. Whereas I enjoy many ciders.
1st test with the Tieton brand is huckleberry cider. I'm guessing it's a particularly yeasty variety.
1st test with the Tieton brand is huckleberry cider. I'm guessing it's a particularly yeasty variety.
I didn't go overboard on the fancy iris and daylily surplus sale, but I am very excited to see how my little hual turns out next year 🤩
September 17, 2025 at 3:00 PM
I didn't go overboard on the fancy iris and daylily surplus sale, but I am very excited to see how my little hual turns out next year 🤩
My new nursery is starting to come together!
I'm even taking care of myself and using the saw horses instead of gremlin-hunched on the ground!
I'm even taking care of myself and using the saw horses instead of gremlin-hunched on the ground!
September 16, 2025 at 8:03 PM
My new nursery is starting to come together!
I'm even taking care of myself and using the saw horses instead of gremlin-hunched on the ground!
I'm even taking care of myself and using the saw horses instead of gremlin-hunched on the ground!
Two weeks of tree cutting began this morning. Mostly clearing the building site and driveway and removing a few hazard trees. But this beauty is going to have some rejuvenating pruning to get rid of the old swings that girdled a few limbs.
September 9, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Two weeks of tree cutting began this morning. Mostly clearing the building site and driveway and removing a few hazard trees. But this beauty is going to have some rejuvenating pruning to get rid of the old swings that girdled a few limbs.
The terror of trying to keep the gorgeous plants you inherited from your mom alive & thriving 😬
Some are doing great, but this asparagus fern has been struggling all summer.
Finally worked up the courage to prune & uppot because it was really root bound.
And it's got new growth already🙌😍🙌
Some are doing great, but this asparagus fern has been struggling all summer.
Finally worked up the courage to prune & uppot because it was really root bound.
And it's got new growth already🙌😍🙌
September 4, 2025 at 3:32 PM
The terror of trying to keep the gorgeous plants you inherited from your mom alive & thriving 😬
Some are doing great, but this asparagus fern has been struggling all summer.
Finally worked up the courage to prune & uppot because it was really root bound.
And it's got new growth already🙌😍🙌
Some are doing great, but this asparagus fern has been struggling all summer.
Finally worked up the courage to prune & uppot because it was really root bound.
And it's got new growth already🙌😍🙌
Sad sky from the smoke wafting up from all the PNW fires, but the belted Kingfisher is back and swooping around the neighborhood pond!!!
September 2, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Sad sky from the smoke wafting up from all the PNW fires, but the belted Kingfisher is back and swooping around the neighborhood pond!!!
Sister went to an alumni tailgate party and brought home the goods!!!
September 2, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Sister went to an alumni tailgate party and brought home the goods!!!