Eden Israel

My
vision is to create a stunning model for sustainable agriculture.

Eden
brings gardening, nutrition, and cooking into her experiences with
children. An organic gardener for 30 years, her wares have found
their way to a Reagan White House luncheon and supplied the first
organic high stall at Seattle’s Pike Place Market. She recently moved
to California and together with her partner carved garden beds out of
a mountainside, putting in fencing and watering systems to establish
year round food production. She also volunteers at the Love Apple
Farm, furthering her study of biodynamics and the microclimates and
wildlife of the Santa Cruz Mountains. She recently published a
cookbook featuring the recipes of a Bed and Breakfast where she
worked in Eastern Washington.

In Fall
2009, I was contacted by Michelle Fuerst, the culinary artist in
residence at
Montalvo. A “Locavore,” she was looking for a local grower to enhance
the
dinners she creates to nurture the artists. It’s not just the food; it’s
the
connection between people. Since then, I have been supplying her with
specialty produce on a weekly basis. The relationship has inspired my
gardening, introduced me to artists, and led to a deeper connection with
Montalvo.

In
addition to providing local organic produce to the Lucas Artists
Residency Programs at Montalvo, Eden presented a fava bean cooking
demonstration for Montalvo’s 2010 Arts
Splash! Open House & Student Arts Festival.
She recently joined the Montalvo Service Group and is a 2010
Provisional.

Eden
Israel studied Early Childhood Education and holds a Bachelor of Arts
in Textiles from the University of Wisconsin. She holds a post
graduate Teaching Credential from Pacific Oaks College in
Pasadena, CA, and is certified to teach in both Washington and
California. She home schooled her 3 sons for their elementary years
was a team teacher for a community school. She developed a Creative
Dramatics program for kids as well as arts and crafts workshops, and
has a myriad of experiences as a substitute for PreK-12 academics.

Eden
interned with a Transcendental Meditation program for children and is
currently a Registered Yoga Teacher. She has a small design business
for clothing, jewelry and home accessories. In the summer when she’s
not gardening, she stitches costumes for Shakespeare Santa Cruz. To
top it off, she plays the ukulele and takes much pleasure in sing
alongs. She plans on bringing all these talents to camp and mixing up
a great recipe for Fun
With Food.