When Vinita Bijur first started volunteering at McAuliffe Park in Kirkland, she was new to gardening and environmental stewardship. As a Bellevue mother looking to make a difference, she found herself drawn to something bigger – a journey that would transform not just her gardening skills, but her relationship with the land beneath her feet.

Her journey began when she joined Tilth Alliance’s Soil & Water Stewardship program, a comprehensive volunteer training that goes beyond teaching people how to grow plants. As Soil & Water Stewards, King County residents are empowered to discover their role in protecting and nurturing their local environment, bringing together modern science, traditional ecological knowledge, and hands-on experience to create lasting change.

For Vinita, now a program graduate, what started as curiosity has grown into a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship and community service. Her story reflects the program’s power to turn beginners into knowledgeable environmental stewards.

Perspective Meets Practice

The program’s unique structure brings together classroom learning and hands-on practice. One Saturday per month, the stewards join a vibrant online learning community where expert guest instructors share their perspectives on topics ranging from sustainable food systems to Indigenous ecological practices. These virtual sessions lay the foundation for the hands-on work to come.

Vinita particularly remembers the powerful insights shared by guest speakers Deepa Iyer, Demarus Tevuk and Mariana Harvey. “They posed the question of how we see our relationship to the land, and taught us about reciprocity and respect. These conversations were really enriching and prompted some deep reflections about how I see my role as a steward.”

Putting Knowledge Into Action

Everything the stewards learn in their online workshops comes alive during the Sunday field sessions, where participants roll up their sleeves and dig into community projects. For Vinita, who describes herself as “a complete beginner,” these hands-on experiences proved invaluable.

“All of the activities enhanced my skill set,” she shares, “but the ones that stand out were setting up container gardens, building the rainwater harvesting systems, learning how to install drip irrigation, and learning how to build a compost bin.” She’s already put several of these skills to work in her own container garden at home, including the mason jar soil testing technique she learned during the program.

Building More Than Gardens

The Soil & Water Stewardship program cultivates more than just practical conservation skills. Through monthly gatherings both online and in-person, participants forge lasting bonds with fellow stewards, building a community of support and shared purpose.

“I really took three important concepts away from the course,” Vinita explains. “Kinship, stewardship and service.” She found these principles interconnected: the kinship developed with fellow participants, the privilege and responsibility of stewarding the land, and the joy of putting new skills to work in service of the community.

Looking Forward

As Vinita continues her environmental journey, she carries these lessons with her. “Practically, I will keep these concepts in mind as I continue my journey in stewarding whichever part of the world I am in. Also, the skill of growing my own food, while nurturing the soil and conserving our water, will be an important one in the future. I look forward to continuing to learn.”

For those considering the program, Vinita offers enthusiastic encouragement. “Anyone who is interested in finding their place in the food, conservation and stewardship sectors should apply! These may seem like different fields but they are so wholly connected to each other, and becoming a Soil & Water Steward is a great way to begin unpacking the complex interconnections between these three fields. I also would recommend it to anyone who wants a deep dive into how to start and care for a community garden.”

A Call to Action

The Soil & Water Stewardship program continues to welcome new participants who share a passion for growing food and building relationships of reciprocity with the land. Whether you’re a complete beginner like Vinita was, or someone looking to deepen your existing knowledge, the program offers a unique blend of practical skills, ecological wisdom, and community connection.