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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2015)
4 • The Southwest Portland Post FEATURES June 2015 Community farm meant to be a place for people to reconnect with nature By KC Cowan The Southwest Portland Post In 2005, a group of people had a dream of saving seven acres of property in Southwest Portland from becoming a 23-house subdivision. Ten years later, they celebrated their victory with an event called “Bloom Fest” at the Tryon Life Community Farm. “Bloom Fest” is one of three annual open houses, although the site is open for drop-in visits six days a week. A non-profit, Tryon Life is described as a “Community Sustainability Education and Demonstration Center” whose mission is to connect people to the land and nature. The open-air tea house is one of many places on Tryon Life Community Farm you can relax. Pamela Zigo was hosting at the teahouse during Bloom Fest. (Post photo by KC Cowan) Located just off Boones Ferry Road, adjacent to Tryon Creek State Park, it is easy to miss the small parking area and sign next to a dirt road that pulls you away from city traffic and down into a bowl of green nature. If you want to see the goats, you’ll have to make your own path through knee-high grass to get there. The largest area to hang out is the “village green,” an open space where, during Bloom Fest, some families sat on blankets enjoying live music. It’s surrounded by the 30 foot yurt, the composting toilets, a large sauna and fire circle. Rustic? Yes. But that’s how the members of this space designed it. It’s meant to be a space for people to reconnect with nature. Brenna Bell, a board member, said although 15 people live there, everyone is welcome to come and make themselves at home. “We have a farm, inside the forest, inside the city,” explained Bell. “Just by getting people on the land, in a place that’s very different from the typical urban landscape, with other people they can meet, talk to and share food and drink, it’s a way of making those connections.” A lot of what the folks on this farm want to do is re-introduce people back to the land that nurtures us, Bell added. And that is absolutely the vibe. According to Bell, “One of the things we’re working at is to counteract to the alienation of industrial culture, where everyone’s in their own box, doing their own thing, looking at their own screen.” At Bloom Fest, there was not a cell phone to be seen, and children made their own entertainment, hunting for bugs and playing in the yurt, unconnected from modern technology. Doing your own thing is the intention. However, there are many community workshops and hands-on sustainability programs. Among those are fermenting wild foods, cheese making and carpentry for women. The farm even offers immersion programs of two to eight weeks to study sustainable living skills. There is a Waldorf-style preschool called the Mother Earth School. Classes are held in the large yurt. In a covered outdoor kitchen area, kindergarten teacher Traci Jo was baking biscuits for the Bloom Fest Traci Jo, kindergarten teacher at the Mother Earth dinner in the hand-built, School, also baked biscuits for the Bloom Fest dinner. (Post photo by KC Cowan) wood-fired cob oven. The nearby open-air tea house was community in such ways as fundraising, decorated with festive lights and gardening, cooking and cleaning and scarves and created a cozy place to participating in workshops. hang out. It offered not only tea, but also Leis explained that Tryon Life kombucha and herbal tinctures for sale. members make their mortgage Jenny Leis was the capital campaign payments in part through renting the coordinator to save the property. The site for retreats. They can accommodate farm raised $400,000 in order to get a up to 100 people. “We’ve never missed loan and to match city and state funds. a payment,” she said proudly. Leis said they try to be accessible How does it all run? Aside from to everyone, but agrees it’s not your the members who live on site, there typical park. Instead, it’s a place for are a host of volunteers and a board people to enjoy a yoga class or dig in of directors. Everyone is dedicated to the garden at a Saturday work party. the proposition of creating a haven of “We’re proud of being scrappy. sustainability and social change. It’s open to everyone and anyone to As Jenny says, “You never know who connect and weave the human world you’re going to meet here, because and the natural world.” everyone shows up. There’s something Leis is also a member of Cedar Moon, that feels really good here.” the “intentional community,” where 15 Tryon Life Community Farm is located people share housing in the two original at 11640 SW Boones Ferry Road. It is open houses on the property. Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Each member is required to spend The next open house will be the Apple Fest 16 hours a week in contributing to the this fall. Family Dentistry • Sedation Financing available through Care Credit Dr. Steven Little 4455 SW Scholls Ferry Rd Portland Oregon 97225 (503)291-0000 fearfreedental.com