Davie Maxwell and his mom in the seedling greenhouse of Hidden Oasis farm. Davie starts his leafy green powerhouse crops out from seeds.

Davie Maxwell Pioneers Compassionate Farming for Delicious Leafy Greens

Whole food, plant-based diets and veganic farming are natural partners. Veganic gardeners grow crops without manure, bone or blood meal, or other animal products. While plant-based nutrition is a blossoming trend, raising cruelty-free crops is evolving more slowly.

Using veganic methods, Davie Maxwell grows the world’s healthiest, tastiest leafy greens on his 5-acre Hidden Oasis farm near Vancouver, Washington, a short drive from Portland. I was deeply impressed with his quiet dedication, compassion for the critters that nibble his crops, and eagerness to share his learnings when I visited him on a recent trip.

Seventeen years ago, Davie smoked, ate greasy meat and processed foods, and drank soda. Then he had a relatively minor medical problem that kept him in the hospital, just for one night. That was enough for him. He decided to learn to take better care of himself so he would never have to walk into a hospital again. “Once was enough to last me a lifetime,” he winces.

But change to a healthier vegetarian diet was one step at a time. “If someone back then said I was going to be vegan and specialize in growing greens, I would have thought they were nuts,” Davie told me.

Davie grew flowers when he first started to improve his diet, but after a year or two switched to focusing on leafy green nutrition powerhouses. Although he is a fourth generation farmer, Davie did not grow up on the land and taught himself how to grow cruelty-free and sustainable food. He learned by reading, talking with his family and other growers, and trial and error.

Biff and Bootsie are two of the guard cats who scare off mice and voles. These rescued ferals help Davie while he helps them, feeding them, taking them to the vet, and bringing them inside at night.

The first question vegans often get is “where do you get your protein?” The first question Davie gets from farmers who use animal products on their crops is “where do you get your nitrogen?” (Actually these two are almost the same question. Nitrogen is the distinguishing element in protein, and plants use nitrogen to manufacture the amino acid building blocks of all proteins, plant and animal.)

Davie answers his question the same way that vegans answer theirs: from plants! He uses cover crops to pull nitrogen out of the air and put it into a form that is usable by other plants. He makes a fertilizing “tea” by soaking weeds and remnants of his crops in giant tubs of water for a week or two. The compost pile is indispensible.

Davie endeavors to constantly recycle and reuse the resources of his own land, without the expense and energy required to bring in materials from the outside. Many plants are grown in greenhouses he builds, which helps conserve the need for resources.

Hidden Oasis farm has a couple other distinguishing features. Davie does not use tractors or other gasoline-powered tools. His own strength and labor powers his activities. His mother helps with some of the chores, such as picking, weeding, and packing their crops for delivery to customers.

Hidden Oasis is also a no-kill farm. Mice and voles are local wildlife that love to gobble Davie’s crops. He shares his harvest with the voles without taking their lives, an act of compassion few farmers would match. He does acknowledge though that his 3 farm cats (2 of them rescued ferals who just wandered into his life) kill and eat voles; this is part of nature’s balance.

Mice are seed eaters, and initially Davie’s attempts to sprout spinach from seeds failed dismally when mice would chomp the outdoor infant plants as they germinated. Now he sprouts all his seeds in a greenhouse on heated pads, so they grow faster. Mice could sneak

This gorgeous kale growing in one of Davie's greenhouses will definitely be perfect on one of my green sandiwiches.

into the greenhouse, but again the 3 cats take care this threat does not materialize. Davie does not even kill slugs. Instead, he gathers them and brings them to the back of his farm, as far as he can get from the crops.

Growing crops with Davie’s methods saves money by eliminating the purchase of fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides, and requiring less energy and expensive tools. Davie is in incredible shape from all the physical work his farm demands. Watching the plants flourish and draw accolades from his customers is way more gratifying than a trip to the gym.

Davie finds that veganic farming produces better tasting and smelling crops. Another advantage to growing veganic is that manure can release poison from pesticides that were on plants the animal producing the manure ate. These chemicals can and do kill crops.

For all its financial and health advantages, veganic gardening for Davie also has a major ethical aspect. He has been vegan for seven years. “Once I became vegan I had to find a way to grow food without harming animals. I don’t need the slaughterhouse now to get my nitrogen. I don’t even have to get in the car.”

Davie shared a bag of assorted fresh greens he had grown with me. I can testify to the excellent taste and texture of Hidden Oasis offerings. Using amazing local bread and Davie’s gift, I had the best green sandwiches of my life.

Davie’s dedication to cruelty-free farming, reliance on his own land and labor, and sensitivity to the needs of his growing plants and customers are groundbreaking in this era of convenience and wasteful use of resources. Hidden Oasis farm shows the future of sustainable agriculture as the planet gets more crowded and resources are degraded.

I greatly admire Davie’s humble view of his accomplishments, quiet manner, and connection to the land and all its creatures. Visiting his farm gives me new appreciation for the hard work of so many farmers. Stop and think where your foods came from and how it was produced. For us city-dwellers, so much is required to allow us to flourish on a whole foods, plant-based diet without ever touching

I wouldn't mind adding some of this tatsoi to my sandwich either

the land.

If you liked this post, you may want to read How To Make Delicious Green Sandwiches, which will show you how to put Davie’s greens to good use.

Intrigued? Now you can use our Whole Foods Blog Finder to target informative, fun postings on whole foods, plant-based diets. Quick information at no cost!

Blog posting by Janice Stanger, Ph.D. Janice authored The Perfect Formula Diet: How to Lose Weight and Get Healthy Now With Six Kinds of Whole Foods. This easy-to-follow eating plan is built on a whole foods, plant-based diet that can prevent, and even reverse, most chronic disease. Janice is looking forward to the day she can move out of the city and grow some of her own food – using Davie’s methods.

At 177 foot South Falls, the highest waterfall in Silver Falls State Park, water pounds into a large pool with bone-crushing force and majestic beauty

Oregon’s Silver Falls State Park is a study in green. The forest is thick and welcoming. The sound of water shouts at the park’s ten waterfalls and sings along the steams connecting them. You can smell and feel the freshness in the air, and it’s not because of any canned scent. An amazing hiking trail, with breath-taking scenery at every step, loops around the waterfalls.

Can you feel better simply looking at plants? Thousand of studies show that plant-based nutrition is the healthiest way to eat. But what about just spending time in green spaces, which are open, undeveloped stretches of land with tress and other vegetation? Silver Falls State Park is an excellent example of a green space.

Researchers have found that merely being out in nature, even without exercising, boosts energy and can add years to your life. Being in nature counters stress and may reduce anger, frustration, and aggression. Time outdoors can be transformative.

In other words, nature is the antidote to many of the ills we suffer, both physical and mental. What a low-cost, awesome way to boost health, reduce medical costs, and increase the quality of life. No pretty pictures on television or in the movies can substitute for the

Streams thread the waterfalls in Silver Falls State Park together with a ribbon of lush beauty

real thing.

Yet the remnants of the great forests that once blanketed much of the United States are still being destroyed. While the trees in Silver Falls are protected, ugly patches of clear cuts checker the land stretching around it in almost every direction. Protecting the forest is protecting the future for ourselves and our children.

Diet is inseparable from this task. Forests around the world are destroyed to open land for grazing “grass fed beef” or to grow feed for farmed animals. Eating a whole foods, plant-based diet is the best way to save the trees. This eating choice is effective because it drastically reduces the economic incentive to destroy forests. Deforestation is a leading cause of greenhouse gas build-up because trees store so much carbon in their tissues.  So a plant-based diet slows climate change as well.

Making your voice heard is critical. You can join campaigns against clear cutting and organizations that protect our last remaining undeveloped land. While it’s true that wood is a renewable resource,

Clear cuts, a wound on the earth, embody greed and short-sightedness in a common Oregon scene

mature forests take hundreds or even thousands of years to reach ecological perfection. The complexity of such a landscape is unrivaled for scenic magnificence.

You’ll feel so energetic from an animal-free diet that you will have no trouble getting into the green world to hike, kayak, bike, or whatever else you enjoy. You will be eating health through your eyes as you gaze at unbroken stretches of pure beauty.

Intrigued? Now you can use our Whole Foods Blog Finder to target informative, fun postings on plant-based nutrition. Quick information at no cost!

Blog posting by Janice Stanger, Ph.D. Janice authored The Perfect Formula Diet, the smart person’s nutrition book built on sustainable food choices. Enjoy six kinds of whole foods for permanent, hunger-free weight loss and health.

June can’t arrive soon enough for me. I signed up for an introductory permaculture class held June 2nd and 5th at San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas. Permaculture is an approach to growing food that works with nature. Instead of attacking and attempting to overpower nature – always futile and destructive in the long run – permaculture works in harmony with natural law.

Sunflowers combine the cheerful beauty of flowers with a delicious crop

The result is food for people and habitat for birds and wildlife.

Permaculture seeks to connect people and nature in a seamless web. Horticulture therapy takes advantage of this principle as well, This therapy treats a variety of patients and ailments using gardens and gardening. The lush colors and textures of plants is a welcome respite from a sterile, institutional health care setting.

For example, hospitals may bring patients into the outdoors to tend plants as part of their rehabilitation program. Elderly nursing home residents gain strength planting, weeding, and cutting flowers. Mental health settings can incorporate gardening into group therapy. Even Alzheimers disease patients become less anxious and more focused when engaged with nature.

You don’t need to wait until you are a patient to take advantage of the healing power of gardening. Growing plants is therapeutic for many reasons. First, and most obvious, is the exercise. Gardening may involve walking, lifting, bending, stooping, digging, and other physical tasks. Even tasks that are not strenuous add up when you do them frequently or over a period of time.

Don’t forget the nutritional advantage. If you grow vegetables, fruits, beans, potatoes, whole grains, herbs, nuts, or seeds, you are likely to eat these whole foods. These are the foods you are meant to thrive on, that keep you lean and can even reverse chronic disease. The crops fresh from your garden are the tastiest and most nutritious food you can get. Since you grew it, chances are you will eat and enjoy it.

Indoor environments are usually more polluted with toxic chemicals that the outdoors is. So when you garden, you benefit from the fresh air. Grow your flowers and food organically so you are not poisoned by herbicides, insecticides, and other dangerous pollutants. The daylight boosts mood, and the sunshine teams with your own skin to make essential vitamin D.

Researchers have found the health benefits of green spaces transcend all these practical advantages, though. Simply looking at nature is healing. Gardening is an excellent reason to hang out in a relaxing, green space. Being in nature can overcome stress and fatigue and helps reduce feelings of anger, frustration, and aggression.

Find whatever space you can and grow some of your own tasty whole foods. Even at work, you can suggest a group garden to your

When you grow your own whole foods, you will eat better and exercise more

employer if there is any location for it. Some employers are offering access to a garden as a new employee benefit. All the therapeutic advantages help keep health costs down and morale up. Employees can bring home fresh food for dinner, saving money on groceries they don’t need to buy.

So my permaculture class is beckoning. Please consider joining me if you live in San Diego, or find a class near you. The sun, soil, and the freshest food you can eat are their own reward.

Intrigued? Now you can use our Whole Foods Blog Finder to target informative, fun postings on plant-based nutrition. Quick information at no cost!

Blog by Janice Stanger, Ph.D.  Janice authored The Perfect Formula Diet, a nutrition book built on sustainable food choices. Enjoy six kinds of whole foods for permanent, hunger-free weight loss and health.

Can you feel better simply looking at plants? Just about everyone knows that plant-based nutrition is the healthiest way to eat. But what about just spending time in green spaces? Scientists have found that merely being out in nature, even without exercising, boosts energy, makes you feel relaxed, and adds to longevity.

When my older daughter Rebecca was visiting last weekend, we dedicated a day to getting away from the city into gorgeous mountain scenery. We decided to hike at Mt. Palomar State Park. A two-hour drive took us back hundreds of years to the time that trees were everywhere and wild animals shared our everyday lives. We saw two large deer and a woodpecker with a spectacular red head diligently pecking at a five-story pine tree.

A fallen tree about five feet across became our delightful playground as we

Mt. Palomar State Park peaceful meadow

climbed among its branches. A few minutes walk from there, a peaceful open meadow invited us to stay and share its quiet solitude for a timeless century.

Sadly, because of California’s budget crisis, this extraordinary park will be closed for one third of the year: from December 1st through the next April. What a loss for all of us. Many other state parks will also close. Where will people get to rejuvenate in green spaces? How will we maintain our roots in the natural world?

Isn’t this counterproductive, at a time when health care costs are severely straining government budgets at all levels? Parks enhance health, mood, and productivity. How can anyone think we will save money, even in the short-run, by closing them?

If everyone ate a whole foods, plant-based diet, the national health care expenditure would shrink so drastically we could open every park every day with so much money left over! Wouldn’t that be a better choice for all of us? Live free of chronic illness in places that delight the eyes and the soul – simply by making a new choice the next time you are hungry.

Intrigued? Now you can use our Whole Foods Blog Finder to target informative, fun postings on plant-based nutrition. Quick information at no cost!

Blog posting by Janice Stanger, Ph.D. Janice authored The Perfect Formula Diet, the smart person’s nutrition book built on sustainable food choices. Enjoy six kinds of whole foods for permanent, hunger-free weight loss and health.