Issue 15: Introducing Thousand Leaves Farm with Miyuki Maruping

Celebrating upcoming Earth Day with vision, determination and pollinators!

When I first met Miyuki in the garden of my children’s former school, I knew she was a powerhouse. Building a large working garden (or mini farm!) with chickens and their coop, an apiary for bees, a greenhouse, composting system, and many plant beds and trellises — on top of keeping hundreds of children on task and in reverence for nature is a LOT of work. But Miyuki always made things happen and is the embodiment of that favorite American adage, “Big things come in small packages!” Let’s wish Miyuki well as she literally ventures into new territory with her new medicinal herb farm and apiary. We cannot wait to see what she grows and the healing products that will come. Happy early Earth Day!

Flavor of the Week: KP Q&A with Miyuki Maruping

Miyuki Maruping is a long-time gardening teacher transitioning to full-time medicinal herb farmer and beekeeper in Conyers, Georgia, right outside of Atlanta. For years, Miyuki taught children how to plant herbs and vegetables, cook with the seasons, build structures to support growing plants, and tend the livestock at a Waldorf school garden. Most importantly, she fosters a love and respect for nature and human connection to the earth. Miyuki earned a bachelor's degree in Policy Management from Keio University in Japan and holds certificates in Permacuture Design and Foundations of Herbal Studies. She is currently a student at Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary. Miyuki’s next venture, Thousand Leaves Farm will apply biodynamic approaches to farming medicinal herbs, as well as offer handmade healing remedies and classes for the community.

Introduce yourself more personally in 2-3 sentences.

My name is Miyuki Maruping. I am a mother of two teenagers living in Atlanta with my husband in a small house in Kirkwood. I love to grow vibrant herbs and pollinator plants to really support all living things on this earth.

Where are you from? 

I live in Atlanta, Georgia.

No, where are you REALLY from? (Haha!) 

I was born in Tokyo. And when I was one, I moved to a neighboring city called Yokohama, and I lived there until I was 25 or 26. And then I moved to the United States.

What’s your sign?

I am a Capricorn.

How would you describe yourself in five words? 

I am a visionary. Determined. Nurturing. Hardworking. And diligent.

What’s your connection to Komerican culture?

I have Komerican friends. And I definitely enjoy good food. I don't know if that counts!

And of course, what are your favorite Korean foods?

Just everything! I love all those little dishes, banchan. And the pancakes — in Japanese we call them jijimi. I like the stir-fried sweet potato noodles, japchae of course. And on a nice, cold night I like to have a hot pot of jigae.

What was your childhood like and what has it taught you?

I grew up in a suburban area. My childhood was full of wonder and joy, you know being able to walk to school every morning. My mom cooked three meals a day, a very typical Japanese salaryman household. But I had the freedom to play with friends in the neighborhood and just explore.

Can you share something exciting that you’re working on now? 

I am starting a microscale medicinal herb farm called Thousand Leaves Farm, named after my maiden name Chiba. When you write my maiden name Chiba in Chinese characters, it means thousand leaves. So I thought it's a good representation of my family origin.

What do people underestimate about you?  

I am a petite Asian female. So when people look at me, I may look fragile, maybe not confident. But like I said earlier, I'm actually really determined and I can make things happen. And I can build some things, too!

Share your proudest moment in the past year.

I have to say signing a lease to rent a plot of land, the space to start my farming business.

What was your hardest moment in the past year?

To be okay with change and to move on to something new. Letting go of the past, but carrying some important things from the past into the future. Also, in my middle age, the body is aching more, and I’m starting to find the limitations of the physical.

We’ve all been hurt in some form or fashion. What are you healing from?

My personal healing is related to this trend of humans creating society to our own benefit, without considering the sustainability of the Earth. So for example, using plastic packaging and materials hurts me. But I have to heal from it because so many things are made of plastic these days. You can't really escape from it, right? I guess that's what I'm working on.

How do you love yourself?

I love myself with my evening ritual. Before I go to bed, I take a nice hot bath with some mineral salts and lavender oil. Then, I head straight to bed. Get good, good hours of sleep!

How do you love others?

By trying to really listen without interrupting. And then before I respond, just take it in. Just to acknowledge what people say and be present for them. And sometimes silence is okay, right? 

What five things can you not live without?

I cannot live without being in touch with the earth. I cannot live without pollinators. Especially saying hello to the honey bees and seeing how they are doing inside the hive. It’s magic. I cannot live without tennis. That's my stress relief and way of being physically active. I cannot live without having connection with the world — traveling is my way of connecting. And family.

What’s your favorite dance song?  

I like Lauryn Hill. Pharrell Williams. Happy, you know?! Yeah, I like that song a lot. 

What’s your favorite kind of pie?

I like pies with lots of nuts. 

H Mart Happiness: What’s your favorite product and why?

“The HMart mushroom variety inspires cooking creativity. It reminds me of the time we found varietals in Colorado with my dad (boletes, hawk’s wing, and chanterelles). He made a mushroom soup that I dream about.” - Molly V.

What’s your favorite H Mart product? Leave a comment and share the love!

Crispy Crust: A Hint of Han - Subversive poetry that soothes

a good Asian

is quiet
is helpful
is obedient
is submissive
is dependable
is good at math
is a team player
is willing to sacrifice
is always ready for more work
is not sneaky like some of the others
and
never makes you uncomfortable
never questions authority
never expresses feelings
never asks for too much
never confronts issues
never threatens you
never makes waves
never gets angry
never quits
never fails

so people say

***

Love, Sarah

Korean School: Arbor Day 식목일 Sing-mo-gil

Fun facts, idioms, translations and history

식목일 [Sing-mo-gil] is Arbor Day in Korea and celebrated annually every April 5th when the weather turns warm. It was a national holiday until 2006, and people were encouraged to plant trees, especially 묘목 myo-mok, baby trees for future generations. While not a national holiday any longer, Sik-mok-il is still widely celebrated and many organizations hold events to continue planting trees or give out seeds for planting or small houseplants.

After the Korean War in the 1950s, the mountains were left devastated and bare. Nurturing trees in Korea became very important. After decades of dedicated nurturing, Korea boasts luscious green mountains and many national parks now — 70% of the territory consists of mountains. Because of the terrain, hiking and climbing mountains are widespread and popular weekend activities. No wonder all Korean moms love trees so much! :)

Sweet & Salty: Some tasty treats satisfying all the senses

• Get your tickets to watch Common Ground next Monday, April 22nd for the 75-City Nationwide Super Screening on Earth Day. I went to a viewing of this documentary a few months ago and cannot stop thinking about how our soils are so depleted, that it is threatening our food supply. It’s scary to consider that we could run out of food in 50 years if we continue the current industrial farming practices. What was meant to increase food production and availability is now threatening it! Common Ground helps us understand the issue while showing us the possibilities. “Reap what you sow” has never felt more relevant - let’s sow better together!