Jan is a member of our Legacy Circle and has been a Daily Acts supporter since 2013. She has loved gardening since college, but when she moved to Rohnert Park, she wasn’t quite sure what to make of the heavy clay soil in her yard. That all changed after she attended a Daily Acts event where Trathen was sharing fava bean seeds.
As Jan learned, fava beans are not only delicious with edible leaves and flowers, but they also “fix nitrogen” in the soil, enriching it by putting more nutrients back than they take out. Jan took these “magic beans” and planted them, not knowing what to expect. In time, the roots of the fava beans helped break up the heavy clay soil, which actively transformed the clay into a diggable soil she could plant in!
Now, every October, Jan throws fava bean seeds throughout her garden to help prepare the soil for the next planting season. After collecting the beans, she chops and drops the greens to add nutrients back into the soil. For years, her garden has provided enough bounty to sustain her,
and she regularly shares with her neighbors or anyone passing by who is curious about what she’s growing. Over time, her garden has become healthier, more generous, and has helped to connect Jan to the people around her. This experience led her to wanting to give back to Daily Acts through a Legacy Gift.
Through this gift, Jan is ensuring that the knowledge, care, and community she found through Daily Acts will continue to take root for generations to come. Her gift is not just about what she gives today, but about what will grow long after: healthier soil, stronger communities, and a more resilient future for Sonoma County.
