About

Welcome/Bienvenue!


fruit.root.leaf. is written by a gal who loves homegrown food, sketching, and community engagement (a.k.a. artist, writer, communications & management consultant) and a guy who chases big animals (otherwise known as an ecologist/wildlife biologist).  

fruit.root.leaf is part of a communications effort to:
  • Tell stories about ecology and conservation research in plain language;
  • Engage folks in the delights of artistically responding to the world around us;
  • Provide resources about home-scale self-sufficiency, food systems, and ecology for like-minded folks;
  • Chronicle experiences such as settling into a new foodshed/ecosystem, learning about other cultures through first-hand encounters, and the pleasures of familiar places.

fruit.root.leaf. offers a perspective on living life to the fullest
by experiencing new people and places, gazing from mountain tops, and engaging in local food, economy & community.  You can expect posts to include something about art, community, the natural world and/or something about food.  Beyond this, we serve up a savory variety of posts on a range of topics.  

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About the Author
photo of a person looking out a window

A native of a small town in Montana, I was brought up on home-grown, -preserved, and -prepared food.  At the time, my parents' motive was frugality, which persists in my approach to food today.  Over time, my interest in food has expanded to include international flavors, local production, hunting, gardening, nutrition, cookbooks, and recipe development.  Local, conscious, and ethical food sources are a top priority.  



For variety, I read voraciously, illustrate books and science education material, edit food and science articles for popular and peer-reviewed publications, photograph minutia, and volunteer frequently.  Visit my communications consulting site.


My researcher/wildlife biologist husband (originally from Arizona) and I live part time in Québec, and thus have had to become fairly resourceful about our interests.  As Anglophones learning French as fast as we can, Québec presents a challenge unique in our experience.

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QUICK LINKS

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fruit.root.leaf. is a legally registered business name in the State of Montana, as well as the name of this blog.  All content on this site is the property of fruit.root.leaf. and Bethann Garramon Merkle, based in Montana. All copyrights and associated rights reserved.  Please contact us if you would like to reproduce any content found on fruit.root.leaf. or affiliated sites.


    Be well/Santé!