Ivan’s Meadow is Quin Shakra and my feline friend Ivan’s adventures with plants in place.

Seed production for The Plant Good Seed Company in Ojai, California / plants for sale on our Ivan’s Meadow Etsy shop. 

We currently focus on Southern California native / hardy mint family perennial plants (think squirrel tolerant agriculture). Presently working with:

• • Various Sage species: Cleveland Sage (Salvia clevelandii), Black Sage (Salvia mellifera), Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea), Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla), White Sage (Salvia apiana).

  • Mexican Elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. Caerulea)

  • California Mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana)

  • Catnip (Nepeta cataria)

  • Catmint (Nepeta racemosa / Nepeta nepetella)

  • Wild Dagga (Leonotis leonurus)

  • Western Vervain (Verbena lasiostachys)

  • Matilija Poppy (Romneya coulteri)

  • Gaillardia (Gaillardia aristata)

  • Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa)

  • Adding more when possible (and the critters allow it!).

Writing/Articles/Multimedia

• “The world and its surroundings” – Cornell Feline Health Center (CFHC) donor profile. Ivan was also CFHC's second ever "Kitty of the Month."

• "The Year in Seed" - 2019, 2020, 2021 (pending!) 

• "Agriculture at the Edge" Podcast - five episodes

• Music Video: Alex G, "Bug," directed by Micah Van Hove

• “Sow Good Seed” Ojai Magazine profile, January 2021

• “Riverside Onion Seed Production in Southern California” by me / check out my Medium page for other writing.

• Culinary Breeding Network x Organic Seed Alliance / CALIFORNIA Variety Showcase. Featuring the Riverside Onion, with Steve Sprinkel.

• "The Onion: Riverside," short film with Steve Sprinkel, dir. Micah Van Hove.

• Tending Seeds: Adventures in Gardening, Homesteading, and Herbalism podcast, with Sara Schuster, November 2020. Episode 35

• "Modern Seed Movement: Plant Breeder John Navazio Discusses the Significance of Organic Seed," Acres

• With Goda Trakumaite, co-author of the Adventures in Seed Saving comic book series. Issue #1: Squash and #2: Tomato are both available on the Plant Good Seed web site.

• "Want to Grow White Sage ethically?" by me / check out my Medium page for other writing.

• "Saving Good Seeds," Edible Ojai, June 1st 2024

• "Circle of Life: Quin Shakra embraces botanical lifecycle with Plant Good Seed," Ventana Magazine, Spring 2025.

• "Farm Based Seed Companies: Growing Relationships," a panel with Steve Peters, Don Tipping and Kristyn Leach at 2025 Eco Farm.

• For more off the rails, typo ridden and inchoate writing check out my Kitty Standard Time substack. 

Follow our adventures with plants and place on Instagram, Flickr, and VSCO, or contact directly.