Saying Goodbye: Katherine Deumling

Rutabagas, turnips, bok choy or even a 10-pound haul of tomatoes? For years, 47th Avenue Farm shareholders have been turning to Katherine Deumling for creative ways to turn all kinds of vegetables into dishes even a skeptic (or teenager!) will love. We are sad to say goodbye to Katherine, who passed away in mid-July after a long fight with metastatic breast cancer.

A leader in the Slow Food movement and a dedicated advocate of land use and preservation (especially small farms), Katherine lit up the world with her zest for life. Her website Cook With What You Have has inspired CSA shareholders around Oregon and beyond to try new recipes and embrace even the hardest-to-love veggies. Katherine understood that food connects and sustains us in countless ways and that every meal is a moment to celebrate. Her recipes and cooking tips are illuminated by a commitment to family, to social justice, and to health – of individuals, and of the planet she worked to protect.

Join us as we raise a fork or a glass, bite into a carrot, slather a slice of whole grain bread in butter, and remember the day Katherine saved you from one more giant kohlrabi. Our dear friend will be deeply missed and never forgotten for the ways she changed us.

You can make a contribution in Katherine’s honor through the Cook With What You Have front page to Street Roots, Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center, or CSA Partnerships.