Megan with her bees.
Being around Megan Horst for just a few minutes makes me want to get solar panels, plant more food and change the world into a more sustainable place.
She grew up in Milwaukee in a family that gardened, had a big raspberry patch and liked to shop at thrift stores but didn’t label themselves as environmentalists. After graduating from Eckord College, with an Environmental Studies/Social Work degree, she went into Peace Corps in Honduras where she worked in sustainable agriculture and natural resource preservation.
Convinced that urban planning was the best way to pursue her goal of promoting a more sustainable world she got a masters degree at the University of Washington. She soon focused on sustainable food systems as it is, in her words “the center of the Venn diagram of all my interests”. (Some of you may remember her “Growing Green” thesis project that inventoried local public lands suitable for community gardening.)
Bountiful backyard
Currently she’s a PhD candidate working with professor Branden Born on urban planning and food. She teaches an experiential learning class each quarter called the “Sustainability Studio” that shows students how to be change agents.
Visiting her house it’s clear that she puts her beliefs into practice. There are solar panels on the roof, a large garden, bees and chickens in the backyard and more growing beds and fruit trees along the side of the house. I was especially interested in the aquaponics system her husband Christian is building and a wicking bed growing kale and flowers in their greenhouse.
Chickens
If you’d like to see what articles she’s published check out her Linked In site. To hear her thoughts on urban ag and where it’s going give a listen to the video below. And hey, did you know that Costco is now selling chicken coops?
Aquaponics in the making
This is where the plants grow in the water from the fish.
Side yard
Greenhouse with wicking bed
