Seeking ~ 1/2 acre near Portland for Vegetable and Flower Market Garden/Arts Venue


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Land Seeker Description

Hi,

My girlfriend and I are seeking ~1/2 acre of land to lease in or near Portland to grow cut flowers and vegetables.  We would use no machinery, tillage, or chemicals. We will farm in a permanent raised beds/market garden style system. We hope to farm this plot for 3-5 years. While doing so, I would like to bring in my brother who is an ecologist to plan and plant native perennial gardens which will benefit the land for years to come. We hope to eventually push our farm towards selling to those who typically do not have easy access to non-toxic, local food; low-income, disenfranchised communities, and such.

We are open to plots in all parts of Portland, Oregon City, Milwaukie, Clackamas, Gresham, or Happy Valley.

We are very serious and committed and would love to discuss further details over the phone!

Thanks in advance.


What features of the property are essential?

Adequate sunlight and water access. Electricity. Fairly well-draining soil. Relatively flat. Easy access to the plot. Uncontaminated soil.


Describe your farming experience

I have worked on two small-scale vegetable farms in Oregon. I was a farm hand at a 2-acre organic vegetable farm in Yamhill County and am currently an apprentice at a 1-acre organic market garden in Central Oregon. I am also a certified permaculture designer and have volunteered/worked with Cully Neigborhood Farm and Zenger Farms here in Portland. My girlfriend, who would be my business partner, is educated in ecology, carpentry, and aquaculture.


Are you currently farming?

Yes

What are your short term goals for the land

We hope to farm this plot for 3-5 years before moving to a larger piece of land, hopefully one that we own. We hope to grow a diversity of vegetable crops; greens, root crops, broccolini, cabbage, garlic, tomatoes, peppers, etc, in a no-till, permanent raised beds system. We also hope to grow cut flowers and tend perennial and native beds, as stated in the listing description.

We will use NO CHEMICALS and little to no MACHINERY. We will initially sell our vegetables/flowers through either a small CSA or a farmer's market, and a small number of restaurants and markets. Eventually, we hope to get our food in the hands of low-income community members, school cafeterias, or similar folks in need.

I am a fiction writer and my girlfriend is a watercolor painter, so, if possible, we hope to eventually host readings, art shows, and/or intimate musical events on the farm. This is not a necessity, but just something we have done at our home in the past and would like to continue.


What are your long term goals

We hope to eventually operate a similar style farm on a property that we own, may it be individually or cooperatively. And we hope, in the long term, our farm can continue to integrate more and more permaculture and climate-resilient systems while we simultaneously work to get our food in the hands of those who need it most.

Creating a more permanent arts venue, and possibly an artist residency on the farm, is also something we would like to prioritize in the long term.


Describe your housing needs

No housing is needed. We will be living in Portland.


What will you do as a farmer to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for everyone on your farm and in your community?

Firstly, we'd like to open up the farm for anyone in the community to visit during work hours. We'd also like to host volunteer days.

I think it is just important for the future of farming for people of diverse backgrounds to realize that farming in America is not just for old, white men. Anyone can farm. So I guess we'd also hope to be part of pulling down the veil of the American farmer identity by sharing our knowledge, our tools, and such. And, if we did ever hire someone to help us farm this plot, I'd like it to be someone who does not fit the 'traditional' identity of an American farmer.

Additional Land Seeker Details

Regions interested in farming:
North Willamette Valley, Portland Area

Acreage desired:
Less than 1 acre

Seeking land access by:
November 1, 2024

Interested in raising the following crops / livestock:
Flowers, Herbs, Orchard/Fruit, Vegetables

Interested in these business arrangements:
Lease for cash, Lease for trade, Partnership

Interested in these growing practices:
Organic, Not Certified, Biodynamic, Dry Farming, Season Extension

Date when this profile was last modified or created:
June 6, 2024



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