We are the Duleys, a family of 3, (Vanessa, Andrew, and Nathan,) who are really excited about starting our own small farm.
Originally from Alaska, we spent 4 years traveling the US, playing, and discovering new places, before finally deciding that Oregon was the right place for us to permanently settle down. We have never been more happy with a decision in our life. Oregon is home to us!
We’ve spent the last year living and working on a pasture raised pork and poultry farm (Campfire Farms) and have really loved everything we have been learning about humane animal husbandry, permaculture, soil health, marketing, and what it takes to run a successful meat farm. We would really like to build on these skills by learning more about produce production, regenerative soil practices, composting and vermiculture, and/or orchard or viticulture. With this in mind we are open to a potential mentor or partnership.
Though we do arrive with our own, fully functional, home-on-wheels, we are looking for a farm that can offer 2+ bedroom housing and few acres for us to practice the skills we are learning by starting our own farm business. We have very much enjoyed working with poultry and have raised/adopted a small flock of <25 ducks for my son to sell eggs. We would like to relocate them and expand the business.
Our goal for building our farms is to start small, utilizing 2-5 acres, learn, and build slowly using increasing farm revenue in-order to keep ourselves out of large debt, to run a clean and organized farm with strong healthy soil, and to practice ‘best-practice’ husbandry and farming. I want to feed the soil with healthy green and brown manure and use no-till practices. I want to creating a circle of production where the animals help feed the food and the food helps feed the animals, while both are a benefit to humans nutritionally and financially. I really hate seeing food of any kind go to waste. Feed humans, feed animals, feed the soil, repeat.
We would like to eventually own 10-15 acres to raise poultry and produce, probably some pork, and have bees for honey and wax products. We’d love to have a small orchard, berries, and a few vines on our property for personal use. We know that dreaming big is great, but planning realistically plays out better in the end. We’re willing to allow our selves to go as far as the farm and the land is able to support. It would be ideal to move right onto a larger property that can eventually sustain our long-term plans, but we also understand that it might be more realistic for us to spend some time working closely/partnering with someone else’s farm and only a few acres of our own, as a leaping point.
For 13 years in the past we were owner/landlords to many properties, and also ran a daycare in our home. We fully understand the need to have separation of personal life and work business, even if those two are located on the same property. We also know what it’s like to have inconsiderate tenants and thus strive to be orderly, courteous, and always on-time with financial obligations.
Note: We are ready to move, but are also doing great on this farm. We will be giving a contracted 3-month notice before leaving our job when plans are finalized. A well thought-out move is our goal; anytime December or later.
Housing, electricity, cell service, and a well. Water rights for a lease-to-own. Personal Privacy.
We have experience with pasture raised pork, including land management and animal movements, breeding, farrowing, vaccinations, and castrating. We have experience with free range, pastured meat ducks and chickens, as well as free range layer chickens and egg production. We have experience with some of the marketing and sales of these products. We have farmer's market experience and customer service. We can operate equipment well.
I have a very small no-till personal garden. We have a small flock of laying ducks and a few laying hens. We have a tiny bit of experience incubating.
2-5 acres: Build healthy soil across the property with regenerative practices and composting. Have pasture raised poultry, eggs, and a no-till garden for produce for small market sales, direct to consumer. Possibly sell value-added items. Purchase poultry processing equipment and create a processing trailer for personal use and for rental. Possibly raise <20 piglets to hog finishing weight yearly, (depending on the location and acreage.) Have 1-3 bee hives. Plant trees and shrubbery for long term land health and animal well being.
Market our name, Valley of Drakes, and build clientele.
First 2 years: Have our farm at least break even and grow slowly, additional income on the side from outside work.
3-5 years: making $1000+ monthly profit from farm sales, with personally earned income on the side.
Be able to move poultry processing off our property. Continue to rent out the processing trailer.
Have established healthy soil across our land and a deep understanding of regenerative soil practices and a healthy composting system.
Grow cover crops for soil health, animal feed, and carbon neutral practices. Have a good, organized, rotational practice for poultry/livestock and soil regeneration.
5-8 Years: Own 10-15 acres. Have our farm bring in $2000+ income for our family monthly by continuing the practices listed above on a larger scale, plus any new 'ventures' or skills we have learned along the way.
Have an established name in the market and a refined list of products.
Probably raise hogs (and maybe other life stock) for marketing our own meat.
Have a designated part of the property set-aside where our son can/can eventually run his own farmstead.
Have a well enough established farm to take on some more humanitarian projects such as:
Have a petting zoo (or other farm experiences) for special needs children and adults, and emotional therapy for all ages.
Have a small cabin or two where guests can come and work-camp for a while, get back to nature, and heal.
2 bedrooms is fine, 3 bedrooms would be awesome; 1 bath is fine, 2 is great.
We are open to many kinds of building structures and can make repairs, particularly if it is helpful for the lease/purchase agreement. Water, Electric, Sewer, Cell Service
We want to build a business that offers it's products to all people; something for everyone, and at every budget. We want to have a safe place for people to visit and leave feeling fulfilled, happy, and healthy. We're grateful for the opportunities we have been given by fellow humans, and we want to be open, caring, and loving to others in return.
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