Harriet Fasenfest
Encyclopedia
Harriet Fasenfest is an American writer, urban gardener, and food preservation
educator in Portland
, Oregon
. A former owner/operator of several restaurants and cafes, she coined the term "householding" to refer to the practice of home food growing, canning and storage. She published her first book, A Householder's Guide to the Universe, in 2010.
, and in 2000 opened her last cafe, Groundswell.
In 2004 she transformed her backyard in Northern Portland into a producing garden. She grows produce with an eye to home canning
and storing, and teaches classes in food preservation and backyard gardening. She is the co-owner of Preserve, an educational center for home gardening and food preservation, and creator of the www.portlandpreserves.com website, on which she writes a blog called The Householder's Grab Bag. She also blogs for Culinate.com.
Fasenfest regards home food preservation as a political and economic statement. She coined the term "householding" rather than "homemaking" or "home economics
" to describe her work. She published her views on home gardening and food preservation in A Householder's Guide to the Universe: A Calendar of Basics for the Home and Beyond. The book is organized by month and season.
She lives in Portland with her husband and two sons.
Food preservation
Food preservation is the process of treating and handling food to stop or slow down spoilage and thus allow for longer storage....
educator in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. A former owner/operator of several restaurants and cafes, she coined the term "householding" to refer to the practice of home food growing, canning and storage. She published her first book, A Householder's Guide to the Universe, in 2010.
Biography
Fasenfest was born and raised in Bronx, New York. She moved to the Northwest in 1978 where she owned and operated the Bertie Lou's and Harriet's Eat Now cafes. In 1990 she went back to traveling the country, married, moved back to California, and then moved to Georgia in 1992. While there, she began working with Habitat for Humanity International. In 1997 Fasenfest returned to Portland to work as director of the Performance Salon Series at North Portland's North Star Ballroom, an events arena which combined art and performance with social activismActivism
Activism consists of intentional efforts to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change. Activism can take a wide range of forms from writing letters to newspapers or politicians, political campaigning, economic activism such as boycotts or preferentially patronizing...
, and in 2000 opened her last cafe, Groundswell.
In 2004 she transformed her backyard in Northern Portland into a producing garden. She grows produce with an eye to home canning
Home canning
Home canning or bottling, also known colloquially as putting up or processing, is the process of preserving foods, in particular, fruits, vegetables, and meats, by packing them into glass jars and then heating the jars to kill the organisms that would create spoilage.- North America :In North...
and storing, and teaches classes in food preservation and backyard gardening. She is the co-owner of Preserve, an educational center for home gardening and food preservation, and creator of the www.portlandpreserves.com website, on which she writes a blog called The Householder's Grab Bag. She also blogs for Culinate.com.
Fasenfest regards home food preservation as a political and economic statement. She coined the term "householding" rather than "homemaking" or "home economics
Home Economics
Home economics is the profession and field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home and community...
" to describe her work. She published her views on home gardening and food preservation in A Householder's Guide to the Universe: A Calendar of Basics for the Home and Beyond. The book is organized by month and season.
She lives in Portland with her husband and two sons.