Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries
Preliminary Guide to the Tilth Association Records
1987-2013
MSSM.028
Table of Contents
Summary Information
- Repository
- Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries
- Creator
- Washington Tilth Association
- Title
- Preliminary Guide to the Tilth Association Records
- ID
- MSSM.028
- Date [inclusive]
- 1987-2013
- Extent
- 5 linear feet, 5 boxes.
- Location
- (MASC Staff Use. MS 2003-20: 2-6-11-5; MS 2003-26: 2-6-10-2; MS 2014-18: 2-6-10-4)
- Language
- Collection materials are in English.
- Language
- Materials are in English.
- Abstract
- This accession contains materials from the Pacific Northwest chapters of the Tilth Association, from 1987 to 2003.
Biography/History
(From guide to related collection, Cage 602)
Tilth is a non-profit organization centered in the Pacific Northwest. Its main purpose is to promote organic agriculture. Tilth was originally formed at Palouse, Washington in August of 1974 to host the Northwest Conference on Alternative Agriculture, held in Ellensburg in November 1974. The people who founded Tilth had originally met at the "Agriculture for a Small Planet" symposium at Expo-74 in Spokane. Wendell Berry, an agricultural poet and essayist, was one of the speakers at that symposium, and a letter from him following his visit to Spokane was the catalyst for forming Tilth and for organizing the Northwest Conference on Alternative Agriculture. The Tilth Newsletter was started the following spring, but the group was not incorporated until 1977. As an organization, Tilth has promoted sustainable agriculture and forestry through its newsletter, conferences, workshops, and books. The organization is made up of regional chapters that have individual approaches to common Tilth goals.
Scope and Content
(MS 2003-20):
This accession contains materials from the Pacific Northwest chapters of the Tilth Association, from 1987 to 2003. The collection includes copies of the Washington Tilth Journal, Alternative Market Newsletter, Oregon Tilth newsletter, and newspaper clippings pertaining to Tilth organizations in Sno-Valley, Spokane, Vashon Island, and South Whidbey Island. The collection also includes articles concerning the Pragtree Farm, Pike Place Market, Cascade Harvest Coalition, food alliances, food farming networks, organic farming, and materials from Washington Tilth conferences, the Tilth Association's 20th anniversary, and a directory for Washington Tilth.
(MS 2003-26):
This accession consists of records for the Tilth Association branch in Seattle, Washington from 1981 to 2003. It includes newspaper clippings, newsletters, and documentation of projects pertaining to: worms, compost, organic vegetable gardening classes, the organic harvest fair, children's garden, Seattle Tilth conferences and symposia, and papers concerning a summer project called Teaching Peace through Gardening. The collection also contains meeting records,financial records, project drafts, legal documents concerning the changing of the name from Western Washington Tilth to the Tilth Association. documents pertaining to proposals for grants and city programs, photographs of the organization's members and their programs, as well as lists of organic farmers in Seattle and supporters of the Tilth Association in Seattle.
(MS 2014-18):
This accession consists of records of the Tilth Association. primarily Seattle Tilth, circa 1994-2013. It includes: newsletters (Seattle Tilth, 1994-2013, a few issues missing; Oregon Tilth; Tilth Producers Quarterly); other Seattle Tilth publications; subject files (mainly press clippings); annual conference programs; directories
Arrangement
This is an unprocessed collection received in multiple installments (MS 2003-20, MS 2003-26, MS 2014-18). It has not yet been arranged.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries
http://www.libraries.wsu.edu/masc/
Terrell Library
P.O. Box 645610
Pullman, WA, 99164-5610 USA
509-335-6691
mascref@wsu.edu
Restrictions on Access
This collection is open and available for research use.
Acquisition Information
Mark Musick of Tilth donated these materials to the Washington State University Libraries in 2003 (MS 2003-20, MS 2003-26) and 2014 (MS 2014-18).
Related Materials
Related Material
Tilth Association Papers (Cage 602).
Names and Subjects
Subject(s)
- Sustainable agriculture--Northwest, Pacific
- Organic farming--Northwest, Pacific
- Organic farming--Washington (State)
- Sustainable agriculture--Washington (State)
- Agriculture