Hello and welcome to my site! My name is Annya Uslontseva and I come from a long line of proud knowledgeable urban farmers and gardeners with great respect for the land and it’s many creatures.
20 years ago, my husband and I have made a decision to move from our home in Russia to the United States of America. We were very young and eager to start our own adventure. At the time, I did not know that this move clear across the world will somehow end up bringing me closer to my agrarian heritage.
Today, I live in the beautiful Seattle with my dear family, which consists of one husband, one 7-year-old son, two dogs, six chickens and one cat. And all of us have our own special way of enjoying the garden.
As you might have already figured out, my little urban farm is called Slug Race (due to the wet climate of Pacific Northwest we are constantly racing against the slugs and yes, they do often win, but more about this in future blog posts). The garden is located in Rainier Beach on a regular city lot. But even though it has a small geographical footprint of only 1/8 of an acre, it has completely captured my heart and imagination!
This will be my 8th year in the garden and overtime the garden has taken on a life of its own and now it seems to possess the ability to feed us, to inspire it’s many victors and supports a diverse ecosystem of pollinators, birds and even small mammals.
My petite urban farm has been part of the Seattle Tilth’s 25 best urban farms tour (which later became Seattle Tilth’s Chicken Coop & Urban Farm Tour), neighborhood garden tours and, is a beloved spot for family and friends to visit.
When I’m not working in or enjoying the garden, I’m often in my studio—I’m an owner and a principal designer at AUA Design, a clay and mixed media artist and a student of yoga.
This site is about our life and garden, and how the two come together and complement each-other.
This is a new site, but before long, you will be able to find blog post here along with garden inspiration and pro-tips. You will also be able to learn about the upcoming events and classes happening here during 2017 growing season and beyond.