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Leave a Comment We are glad to report that Slow Money Northwest is organizing an event in Portland, and that Farmland LP will be presenting.
The date is April 11th and you must contact the organizers to register for attendance.
Craig and I look forward to meeting local investors and other progressive food and farming enthusiasts.
My mood has been elevated of late, probably because of the longer days, stronger sunbeams, and the obvious signs of spring, such as emerging flowers and leaf buds.
So I thought now would be a good time to review the winter in images, both as a way of saying goodbye to the season and letting readers know what it’s been like in the Willamette Valley of Oregon these past few months.
Dec. 7, Fern Rd Farm. Though technically late fall, on this day of frozen fog it felt like winter had arrived. In this image the epiphytic lichens on an Oregon Ash tree are weighted down by the ice crystals. Lichens are able to fix nitrogen from the air and are a major source of soil nitrogen in a forest.
Dec. 7, A2R Farm. This large but still juvenile hawk spent weeks hunting along the northern border of the farm and was often perched on fence posts.
Dec. 12, A2R Farm. A clear afternoon and the sheep graze with the Three Sisters volcanoes as a backdrop. The forage is after harvest re-seeded annual rye grass (foreground) and small grains (background).
Jan. 17, Fern Rd Farm. Lichens, moss and snow on an old fence board. These amazing organisms are shriveled dry in the summer and come to life again each winter.
Jan. 18, Fern Rd Farm. Mac Stewart wades through flood waters. As I described in this blog post, the Marys River set a new record high in January.
Jan. 20, Fern Rd Farm. Squash from neighbor’s compost pile moves across our field during flood (but it’s organic so that’s okay).
Jan. 27, A2R Farm. Moving ewes across the road to fresh grass.
Feb. 2, A2R Farm. The sun burns off patchy morning fog. Many clear winter days begin with fog in the valley.
Feb. 2, A2R Farm. A curious ewe approaches the fence. This breed is a Horned Dorset.
Feb. 18, Fern Rd Farm. OSU students plant native riparian trees along an exposed bank of the Marys River.
Feb. 19, Wattenpaugh Farm. Young pasture, irrigation risers, and snow on Marys Peak.
Feb. 19, Wattenpaugh Farm. Fowl in flight: Seasonal ponds on this and a neighboring farm attract several species of water fowl.
Mar. 8, A2R Farm. Signs of spring in the blossoms and emerging leaves of a small tree along the edge of a field and Muddy Creek.
Farmland LP purchased 100 acres just south of Corvallis in April 2011 and as of Feb. 27, 2012 we now have sheep on the upper portion of this field.
I really enjoy visiting Wattenpaugh Farm. The field begins at the end of a small lane at the highest point on the property. On clear days the snowy Cascade peaks are easy to see and the pasture spreads out for nearly a mile to the east.
We also have great neighbors. Afton Field Farm is directly to our north, and Stalhbush Island Farms leases to our south.
Here’s a close-up view of the ewes. These are due to drop lambs in early April. Forage resources are pretty slim in February and we are glad to have some fresh pasture available for their final month of gestation. By early April the pasture growth will be extremely fast so the lambs will have plenty of milk.
Several improvements have already been made at Wattenpaugh Farm. We collaborated with Stahlbush Farm to place a shared road between our respective properties and this has held up very well all winter.
Stahlbush also repaired a buried irrigation mainline. Various other companies and custom farmers performed soil tests and added amendments, placed tiles on several poorly drained acres, and sowed our custom pasture mix. Over the next month a permanent perimeter fence will be installed.
Not just sheep live here. I met a Pacific Tree Frog in the middle of our field the other day and he or she seemed pleased with the health of the pasture too.
from -> News
The rich soils in Oregon’s Willamette Valley are a gift from the Missoula Floods at the end of the last Ice Age. Between 15,000 and 13,000 years ago as glacial ice sheets melted and retreated, the valley was flooded about 40 times–essentially becoming a temporary lake hundreds of feet deep, over and over again.
For 13,000 years now, rivers have sculpted this once flat, lake-bottom landscape into well-defined channels that don’t meander frequently like they would in a delta zone. But over the past several thousand years Willamette Valley rivers have jumped out of their main channels hundreds of times and occasionally even found new routes, leaving behind clear signs of their movements in features such as oxbow lakes.
When looking over farm fields in the area, the best soils are adjacent to rivers that jump their banks. River-flooded fields tend to have undulations across them, which signifies the deposition of silt, and possibly sand. By contrast, clay is a sticky substance that doesn’t settle out fast during a flood, but will come to rest in calm waters at the bottom of a lake. A good loam is a balance of silt, sand and clay, conditions typically mediated by active river deposition. This means that if we are going to farm on the best soils, we should expect the sporadic flood.
Farmland LP manages three properties in Willamette Valley south of Corvallis. This particular area, and our farmland, was recently subjected to the highest flood waters in about 100 years. The river that set a record wasn’t the Willamette, but a tributary called Marys River.
Seeing what happens at high water is very instructive. We now know where the river may jump the bank with force and can design mitigation strategies accordingly.
For example, our new fence is made with flexible posts that can take the weight of a tree or the impact of rushing water and debris and stand back up after the force is removed–something metal T-posts don’t do.
Woody vegetation in the riparian zone and along edge spaces has economic and ecological values, including acting to absorb, deflect, and spread the force of flowing water. Our riparian restoration project at Fern Rd Farm (funded by a state OWEB grant through the Marys River Watershed Council) was too young to protect the farmland this year, but will provide a stronger buffer in the years ahead. A hedge row north of the gravel drive at Fern Rd Farm may have protected it from erosion, for example. A thick riparian forest at Wattenpaugh Farm may prevent an overflow channel from down cutting and forming a gully in the farm field.
Our pasture-sown land greatly reduces the risk of erosion. Organic farmers, even if they are not planting pasture, tend to do a good job getting a cover crop on fields to keep soil from washing away and to build organic matter and nitrogen stock. This is both a discipline and a necessity since the soil IS the fertility and synthetic inputs can’t be used to make-up for poor land cover and soil loss. Whereas our land is becoming more resilient over time, the downsides to the shortcuts taken by chemical-based farming are revealed most clearly in times of extremes, such as floods or droughts.
A very unusual sequence of events led to the flooding. Snow began falling on the valley floor Jan. 15th. It stuck around and accumulated through Jan. 17th. And although snow depth was shallow in the valley proper, the surrounding foothills and colder, outlying valleys had several inches of heavy, wet snow on the ground.
Then came Jan. 18th and the beginning of record rainfall. The rain gauge at the Hyslop Weather Station just north of Corvallis recorded 2.55 inches on Jan. 19th and a record-breaking 4.05 inches for Jan. 20th. Nearly 3 more inches came down over the following seven days, which kept the water near or above flood stage for almost a week.
The water level gauge for the Marys River is situated near Bellfountain Rd, which is between two of our properties. Observation and forecast hydrographs are updated regularly and this one shows the river near its peak on Jan. 19th.
I visited Fern Rd Farm prior to the flooding and while snow was on the ground. I wanted to check on the status of trees planted this fall in the riparian forest, and remove any equipment that may be carried away with high water. Below is an image showing the river level and snow cover on Jan. 17th.
And this was taken about 24 hours later. The river is at flood stage and all the snow is gone. River levels crested over a foot higher than what is shown here.
It is helpful to see where the rivers are in relation to the farms and how the landscape copes with so much water.
Below is a map of the three Farmland LP properties in the area, which are outlined in dark blue. Fern Road Farm is in the northwest of this image, Wattenpaugh Farm is northeast, and A2R Farm in the south. The Marys River creates the northern border of Fern Road Farm, and a southern and eastern border of Wattenpaugh Farm. Muddy Creek, which joins the Marys River at the southeast corner of Wattenpaugh Farm, cuts through the A2R property. Both rivers flow, in general, towards the north and east, with the Marys River entering the Willamette in downtown Corvallis.
Normal river channels are revealed in dark green, which is tree cover. With light blue lines I have traced the approximate additional paths the rivers took when the flow rates exceeded the main channel capacity. For scale, the N-S blue line representing the Muddy Creek overflow route runs just over one mile through the A2R Farm.
Here are some images of what these overflow channels looked like.
Muddy Creek spills across Airport Road the morning of Jan. 20th. Buildings of A2R Farm are visible about a mile in the distance to the left. Any tree or hedgerow plantings along Airport Road should leave ample room for water passage at this location.
Marys River crossed Fern Rd Farm in a braided swale complex (as opposed to a single, wide channel for Muddy Creek at A2R) and took paths that went different directions, including southward to Evergreen Creek. The above image shows where a large ditch adjacent to a gravel road is insufficient for the record flows. The top layer of gravel washed off and will need to be re-applied. In the background it is clear that the well pump and irrigation pipe are on high ground.
The south field at Fern Rd Farm has over a foot of water on it while flowing slowly towards Evergreen Creek. Litter on the wheel line indicates it had been higher. In the foreground is a tall stand of forage brassica, which shelters a fall sown pasture.
The riparian forest is absent from a portion of the Marys River as it passes along the south-eastern edge of Wattenpaugh Farm. Here is where the river jumped the bank and flowed vigorously northward across the field. Planting trees here would slow this flow.
The properties held up well to the record flood with very minimal impact.
Some of the gravel roads need to be topped off and graded. We lost a few of the trees planted in the riparian zone this fall. Our infrastructure and management plans in the works will make these farms even more resilient in the future.
This is the first question from many concerned friends and colleagues. During the floods the entire flock was at A2R Farm. This was an ideal place as the flooding was restricted to an impressively wide and deep, but single, channel with plenty of high ground on both sides.
So, as you can see below from a picture taken a week ago, the ewes and their babies took the weird weather in stride and are as happy as, well, lambs.
from -> Local,Methods,News,Sustainability
We have had a relatively dry and warm fall so far here in Oregon, although the forecasts suggest this is going to change. The cooperative weather has let us get some last minute field work accomplished and has allowed already established pasture build up biomass for the winter.
I thought I’d just post a few nice scenes from the past few weeks, and add commentary to them.
This year Farmland LP received a grant through a partnership with the Marys River Watershed Council from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. Funds are going towards restoration of riparian zone habitat along the Marys River at our Fern Rd Farm. In the image above you can see an excavator removing blackberries along the river bank. We are also planting native trees and broadcasting native grasses to hold on to the soil and re-establish a riparian forest.
This was a large area of blackberries. We had goats run through it during 2010 and the excavator finished the job this year. Sheep are shown there now. They are hoofing in grass seed we spread and browsing on the shrubbery, which is mostly willow. We will use sheep for managing the regrowth of blackberry while the trees become established. Blackberries don’t grown under the shade of a forest.
Mac Stewart looks over a group of Dorset ewes feeding on forage brassica. These plants taste great and are actually a variety of kale and turnip. Markings on the back of the animals are paint brands. The electromesh fencing seen behind the sheep allows us to precisely manage where they graze and for how long.
A common fall-winter weather pattern around here is for fast-moving low clouds to dump rain for several minutes, followed by sunny breaks. Catch one of these breaks in the evening and the light is fantastic. This image shows both the health of the established pasture, which we won’t graze again for another 2-3 months or perhaps until April. In the background is Chris Hansen’s laying operation. The hens have lots of room to roam and are taking advantage of it.
Well that’s just a sample of what is going on, and I have a backlog of more detailed posts, but those will need to wait until winter truly sets in.
I’ve put together an 8-page document reviewing the major events on the farm(s) over the past several months. It is easy to read and full of images.
You can download it here as a pdf and I hope you enjoy it.
Today was a fine first fall morning. As I stood around talking to John Neumeister and Mac Stewart about sheep forage and breeding plans, the early fog cleared and the sky became wonderfully blue…and noisy.
The geese are back.
I don’t know which goose species is pictured above as I am no ornithology expert and the Willamette Valley hosts four species and nine total subspecies each winter. If we add ducks and swans to the bird list that later number goes up to 28 according to surveys from local wildlife refuges.
Area farmers have mixed feelings about these feathered friends. Large flocks damage grass seed fields, but many farmers also install ponds to encourage water fowl to land on their property. They may receive income from hunting clubs, or just appreciate having wildlife around.
This is the official end of summer but we continue to have summer-like weather. I hope it lasts a while longer as the wet, cold spring delayed that summer feeling. But I can’t control the weather so will accept whatever comes and adapt as needed.
Farmland LP is very pleased to announce that we are a finalist for presenting at the 2011 Slow Money National Gathering’s Entrepenuer’s Showcase. In addition, Farmland LP’s co-founder Craig Wichner will be on two panel discussions: New Slow Money Funds; and Preserving Farmland.
The Slow Money organization seeks to rebuild our economy and culture toward true sustainability, starting with food: to invest as if food, farms and fertility mattered. By helping investors meet sustainable food pioneers, integrating thought leadership with entrepreneurship, and fostering shared learning across a full spectrum of backgrounds, the National Gathering is an opportunity to direct financial resources where they will “do well by doing good.”
Slow Money asks some key questions that are right at the heart of Farmland LP’s mission:
Farmland LP meets these questions head-on, by acquiring conventional farmland and converting it to certified organic farmland using sustainable agriculture best-practices. Instead of depleting the soil with each harvest, we rebuild it. Instead of monocropping and using farming practices that aren’t appropriate to the land, we diversify our produce and custom-tailor it to each plot of land. Instead of shipping our produce and pastured meats to the other side of the country, we rebuild regional food supply. The end result is that consumers can enjoy premium quality, organic, sustainably produced food that is healthy for them, and restorative for the environment. At the same time, our investors enjoy the security of owning low-risk farmland as a “stable store of value” while benefiting from increased cash flow and long-term appreciation of their assets.
We cordially and enthusiastically invite our current and future investors to join us at the National Gathering in San Francisco for three days of engaging, learning and sharing with up to one thousand other hopeful, constructive and fun folks. Featuring keynote addresses by sustainability luminaries like David Suzuki, Vandana Shiva and Wes Jackson; presentations by over 100 thought leaders; in-depth discussion sessions about sustainable farming and investing; film screenings; opportunities to network with like-minded people; and the best of the Bay Area’s local organic food and music, it’s sure to be a memorable, stimulating, inspiring, and altogether tasty experience!
Check out the program, explore the speakers, and then mark your calendars for October 12-14, 2011. You can register for the conference here with a 10% discount, courtesy of Farmland LP!
We look forward to seeing you there!
from -> News
A lot is happening right now. Not only is this prime harvest season, but much infrastructure work gets done in mid-summer. And there is planning for the field work in late summer and fall.
This spring a reporter from the magazine Portland Monthly visited me, and this month subscribers can find the article titled “Seed Money” on page 34. For the rest of us it is available on-line too. Again, it is very nice to have coverage from the regional press about our work connecting the farmland of an area to the population of eaters.
One of our properties is going have the wheat harvested very soon, so this may be the last chance to take a look at the 2011 crop in the field. I love the golden-blond color of ripe wheat, the rustling sound it makes in the breeze, and the way the light gleams and refracts off the spiky awns.
from -> News
While much of the nation is engulfed in a heat wave, it remains fairly cool around here. Only a few days this summer have been in the upper 80s.
The weather has been frustrating for the local seed and vegetable growers, but just fine for pasture. We even had over an inch of rain during a couple days in mid-July.
I wanted to share this image of a picture perfect summer afternoon with playful pigs. I took this soon after Chris Hansen brought these young Berkshires to our Fern Rd Farm. You can clearly see their water, feeder and housing, as well as the nice carpet of pasture. This field had already been grazed three times by sheep, once each in April, May and early July, before the pigs arrived. The pigs are moved to a new paddock approximately monthly and remain outside into the early fall.
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