I’ve wanted to farm since I was 8 years old reading old Countryside magazines at bedtime. I did farm labor in Maryland back in 1993 after my BA in philosophy. (Got me grounded after all that book learning!) Also co-owned and worked 4 acre farm in Canby, Oregon during brief second marriage. Stewarded 0.5 acres suburban “Beaverton” for almost 18 years converting to permaculture style with large garden. Achieved permaculture design certificate in 2010-ish. More recently, stewarded several acres in Michigan summer 2023 including goat, alpacas, ducks, chickens, turkeys and tomato production.
For stable income, I’m licensed to practice massage in 4 states currently, but came home to Oregon after some floating. Most of my massage practice the past decade has been in concussion recovery and chronic pain reduction, (not management). My goal is to work enough Massage-bodywork hours to support my farming commitment until the farm is self-sufficient. Just being realistic here with the old time farmers I’ve known almost all of whome have off-farm jobs in addition to their farming labor of love.
While my grown daughter was small I started the Portland chapter of the Weston A Price Foundation, dedicated to Real Food for healthy, happy people. I still love not only growing, but preparing, preserving, consuming and instructing about Real Food.
I own many tools, a 19′ yome, (like a yurt-glorified tent), a camping trailer and a sweet 9 yo dog companion. I am a member of the Heritage Lifestock Conservancy.
Definitely willing to work with you to honor your vision and goals for your land AND I will have plenty of ideas if you want to hear them, and plenty of energy to implement regenerative land stewardship with food production models.
My top two ideas for bringing income through your land are: 1) Heritage Chickens fed my special blend of soy-free, canola free, corn free, wheat free eggs. I sprout the grains and let the chickens eat bugs and clover and folks used to call my eggs Medicine. Especially folks with Auto-immune diseases who had to give up eggs to survive. There are several breeds of hearty heritage chickens that are endangered; I would love to help honor their existence and honor the health of our neighbors at the same time with perfect life-giving eggs.
2) Heritage sheep or goats for meat/ fiber/ milk. We could discuss which uses to focus on, but several endangered heritage breeds are triple purpose. I’m especially dedicated to raw milk for families struggling with allergies and autism spectrum difficulties.
Electric for fencing. I have a solar panel for my camper.
A barn or outbuilding would be good. A hoop house or greenhouse would be fantastic. Mix of wood and pasture would be ideal, not essential. Some shade is essential, whether from buildings or trees or both.
4 months farm labor in 1993 on a low-input farmers market veggie farm in southern MD.
2 years managing 4 acres with mature walnut trees, sheep, poultry.
3 months farm labor (unpaid) Michigan helping with alpacas, turkeys, ducks, chickens, some chores for stabled horses and mini CAFO cows.
18+ years gardening in suburbs with bees, chickens, ducks, goats, dogs using permie design features to create habitat that was enjoyed by all.
Ideally, I get my gardening equipment out of storage in Michigan and put it to use making my lifelong dreams come true of tending the soil, the critters and the people with care and respect. I'm open to negotiations and collaboration, but would love to do regenerative "mob" grazing on conventional land because it's true alchemy. Cows are best for regenerating conventional land, but we can do it with goats and sheep as well.
Raw milk source, Allergen -free eggs, Flowers and Bee products. Honey and pollen. Veggies for our own use.
Also, I love fermenting beverages, lacto-fermented more than alcoholic fermentation. Home made sarsparilla/ sassafras is heaven on earth. That would be more of a winter time drive while outside activities are in rest-stage.
I own a 19' yome, (as if a yurt and a geodesic dome had a love child) which can be year round housing with a wood stove.
Currently living in a 15' camping trailer in North Plains.
Willing to live in a traditional home if required.
I treat wild and domestic creatures with respect for their inherent natures. I would extend this respect to all visitors and request that they do the same while visiting the property. This means understanding basic inherent joys and inherent dangers that every being contains and relating to one another with these understandings in mind. Example: I clean stalls daily because no living creature should be forced to live in their own excrement and I speak low and slow to cows, but I know they are huge and could cause me major damage.
I would also love to erect beautiful signs educating visitors about the various features on the farm, (compost piles, hot wires, wood piles, etc.) so they can have a self-guided "tour" if they wish.
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