70 acres – Near Scholls, OR – Farming, Intensive Grazing and Restorative Forestry

Description

Hello!

70 acres of land available for farming, grazing and restorative forestry. Hoping to create an informal co-op of  smaller farmers/producers to learn from eachother.

The land – Our family has owned approximately 70 acres of land near Scholls, Oregon for over 40 years. The land is about 5 minutes from Mountainside High School. Originally, wheat was grown on about 40 acres and the remainder was used for grazing sheep. Around 1985, about 40 acres were planted with Christmas trees. Those trees were never harvested and, as you can imagine, are ready for thinning (scheduled for Spring 2022). The remaining 30 acres are oak woodland. The land has been continmate free for at least the last 40+ years (no herbicides, septic systems…etc.).

Looking ahead to the next 40 years, we are working with various organizations to restore the forest and oak woodland habitats on the property using a combination of farming, intensive grazing, oak release, and prescribed burning. We are hoping to find the right individual or individuals to help with this process!

Ideal folks:

• The right fit – integrity, dedication, curiosity, and flexibility. We have had a couple of people try to live on the land, but often more work is required in cleaning up junk piles/vehicles and there have been complaints from neighbors.
• Open to working with various partners in managing the land – Resilience Permaculture Design, NRSC, TSWCD, Confederated Tribes of Grande Ronde, etc.
• Willing to contribute to and follow a plan – In Spring 2023, we are working with Resilience Permaculture to create a Forest Management Plan. This plan will help guide our work.

Optionals:

• Adverse to using herbicides.
• Experience with intensively grazing goats, sheep, etc. Grazing would be specifically targeted at the 30+ acre oak woodland
• Able to maintain and repair fencing. The fencing is quite old in some parts, so we will need to repair the sections that will be used for grazing.
• Experience/interest in small-scale prescribed burning (1-2 acres). Funds for completing the Washington Certified Burn Manager program may be available. Oregon has not launched their program yet.
• Knowledge of permaculture and systems thinking as it pertains to land management.
• Experience in restoration forestry.
• Experience in natural building.

Limitations:

• There is currently no water or power on the land. However, if we find the right folks, we would seriously consider installing a well and power.
• There are no structures on the land currently.
• The land is designated EFU, so only temporary farm housing (e.g. RV, THOW) is permitted. No permanent residential structures are allowed.

Owner’s Short Term Vision for the Property

Restoration work on oak woodland. Thinning of doug fir stands. Having a farmer on-site with sheep, goats...etc. for intensive grazing. Open to other ideas! Additional land could be cleared for other farming activities .

Owner’s Long Term Vision for the Property

Continuing restoration work. Testing out varying ideas of land management. Potential informal co-op of farmers/producers.

Current Use

The land has sat unused since 1985. For several years, bees were kept on the land.

Available Water / Irrigation

There is currently not a well. However, if we find the right folks, we would seriously consider installing a well. We have an installer ready to go with a Spring 2023 install date.

Soil Type / Quality

Soils and Geology
The map below shows the different soils on the property: Aloha silt loam (1); Cascade silt loam at 7-12%
slopes (7C) and 12-20% slopes (7D); Cornelius and Kinton silt loams at 7-12% slopes (11C) and 12-20%
slopes (11D); Huberly silt loam (22); Saum silt loam at 2-7% slopes (38B), 7-12% slopes (38C), and 12-
20% slopes(38D). Soils in the area were mapped in the past by the Natural Resources Conservation
Service (NRCS). These soils are great for growing native trees and recommended actions in this plan are
consistent with the properties of these soils. The soils are listed in the table below and are mapped

Buildings and Structures Available for Farm Use

None

Farm Equipment Available for Use, Sale or Lease

None

Any Restrictions That Could Limit Agricultural Production

There are no structures on the land.

What are you doing as a landholder to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for everyone on your land and in your community?

We are an open family and welcome and encourage folks from all backgrounds.