LAUGHFEST INTERVIEWS—PART 6

Jeff Abbas—as it turns out—lives in my neck of the woods. I met him last year when we were both presenting at an event called “Women of the Wild” held at our area Girl Scout Camp. Jeff led a workshop on how to identify and prepare edible wild plants. It was absolutely fascinating and identifying wild plants became a new toy for me to play with! I discovered my whole property was teaming with wild foods (and I had previously though were just weeds!). I have gotten really good at making nettle pesto and mustard green pizza as a result. 

But I’m only just beginning. Jeff, on the other hand, is a guru in this regard. He has such wisdom. Jeff and his wife, Mary, run a Community Sustainable Agriculture (CSA) called The Kitchen Table.  Here's the Facebook page for the CSA.

Jeff a passionate conservationist and a very engaging teacher. I’m super psyched he’ll be sharing his knowledge with us at this year’s Laugh-Fest. Here is my interview with him.

LAURA: Jeff, I am happy you said YES! to the invitation to present at the Laugh-Fest. Tell me, how did you come to know so much about the natural world—it’s plants and animals?

JEFF: I’ve been fascinated by natural science since I was old enough to walk. I can’t explain it. When I was growing up in a little town called Denver near Waverly, Iowa , we’d go outside after a rain and there were these limestone rocks with fossils in them that that would pop up out of the ground. I was just so fascinated by them. From then on, I was hooked. I’d spend most of my time walking around and exploring the woods. I didn't do sports. I preferred time in nature.

LAURA: It is obvious how much you love nature. But how did your love of nature turn into wisdom about it? Who taught you?

JEFF: When I moved back to Iowa from California in 2001 I had a job with Ion Exchange, that grows native wildflowers and prairie plants. Howard and Donna Bright were my mentors there. Since I was their webmaster I compiled thousands of pictures and hundreds of pages of research. I learned so much about tall grass prairie edibles and medicinals. It was truly fascinating.

LAURA: This event is all about saying YES! to life and to new experiences. It is about freedom and joy and laughter and play. How do you think learning about wild foods furthers this goal?

JEFF: Gathering wild plants is such a joyful experience. It is an adventure! The moment I set food in the woods or on the prairie I look ahead at what’s coming and I say a little prayer: “Thank you, God!” and I smile and I start hunting. When you start finding things, it is really rewarding. That is a “Yes!’ for sure!

LAURA: You’ve have learned a lot about harvesting plants sustainably. How is that done?

JEFF: It is kind of difficult to harvest sustainably when you are in a wild situation but we’ve learned how to do it. When we harvest a patch of wild leaks or spring beauties, for example, we leave some behind in strategic places in the patch. This allows the seeds to spread so that next time we come to harvest, there are actually more plants than last time!

LAURA: It sounds like you have had a very interesting life-path. How have you cultivated the joy you exude today? What makes you such a happy person? We want to know your secret.

JEFF: Learning. Learning and applying that knowledge. That is what makes me happy. Somebody once called “phasey” because I go through phases in my life, like when I started stamp collecting. It was an intense phase where I went full bore for like six months and built a dramatic collection but then it tapered off. But I never really lost the enthusiasm. Well, after a lifetime of going through so many phases, I have acquired quite a bit of knowledge. I know a lot about history, archeology, botany, prairie botany…I love it!  I am a scientist without college!

LAURA: Ha ha! What’s your phase right now?

JEFF: Grandkids. We have young grandkids. I’m actually building a nature trail for the grandkids. There are a number of species of plants coming up. I’m restoring the goat prairie. It was originally an oak savana and I am bringing several acres back to its original state. I love teaching the grandkids about the land and what’s on it and about the people who were before us and how they preserved it for us. I want them to understand how to treat the land with reverence and respect because it doesn’t belong to us. It belongs to the future and we have to do our part to preserve it.

Jeff hiking with one of this grandchildren

LAURA: So at the Laugh-Fest we will get to take short hike with you and learn about the wild plants and harvest some that are in season at the time. Will we actually be eating them?

JEFF: Absolutely! We are even going to work with the camp cook to provide some wild foods that will be incorporated into dinner on Saturday night. That way everybody will have the chance to taste some great things like nettle pesto pizza and watercress and wild leak salad.

LAURA: Mmm! That will be delicious. Nettle pesto pizza is my favorite. Most people think it sounds terrible but once you try it, you’ll be convinced!

JEFF: Ha ha! That’s right. That’s why Mary and I offer foraging workshops at our farm throughout the spring. People love to learn these things. It’s really exciting.

LAURA: There might even be morel mushrooms in season. Last year at the Laugh-Fest some of the hikers found some.

JEFF: Yeah, that’s the time of year for morels but it depends upon the weather.

LAURA: You’ll be joining us for the whole day of Saturday, along with your wife, Mary, who will be celebrating her birthday that day. What are your hopes for the Laugh-Fest?

JEFF: I take so much joy out of an attentive audience and the questions they ask. Sometimes the questions are challenging enough that I have return to the research to get a decent answer for them. It inspires us all and that’s really fun. And I look forward to laughing and celebrating Mary's birthday with all of you!

Jeff and Mary Abbas

Oh, and by the way, check out Jeff and Mary's blog. I just tried baking a recipe they posted: http://ktcsa.blogspot.com/2015/12/little-round-things.html. The are scones made into cinnamon rolls and they are out of this world!

Learn more about the Laugh-Fest of the Midwest to be held May 13-15, 2016 in Ferryville, Wisconsin by clicking on this link.