Welcome Penguin, Garden Apprentice

Hello Good Cheer friends, Penguin* (they/them) is excited to be here!

After teaching English in Japan for ten years, I escaped last year into the woods. For five and a half months it was my joy to hike the Appalachian Trail. After that, there was no way I could go back inside, so I took an opportunity to finish out the harvest season on an organic vegetable farm.

The real joy of the trail, however, was being able to live simply and experience a community where everyone helps anyone in need, unquestioningly. It wasn’t just hikers, either, but locals who’d never hiked, office workers who brought out snacks for hikers on their breaks, townsfolk who’d immigrated years ago and still enjoyed meeting all kinds of new people, folks driving from A to B who had never heard of the trail but pulled over for someone who needed a ride; there was help everywhere, as easily found as the green on the leaves.

So, since getting off trail I wanted to find a way to stay outside, but I needed to find a way to start giving back to people, and I’m happy to serve the South Whidbey community by working to grow food for us in the garden. Thank you for letting me join you.

*I got my trail name because the Penguins were in the playoffs and I wouldn’t shut up about it, and heeere we are again. LET’S GO PENS!