SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
Founder
New signs on Highway 101 mark the reduced speed
zone around ODOT’s Siuslaw RIver Bridge construc-
tion projects.
JARED ANDERSON/SIUSLAW NEWS
Bridge
from 1A
For the construction zone
itself, ODOT is requiring
workers to escort pedestrians
around any blocked sections
of the sidewalk which are
identified as open for pedes-
trians. This will be particular-
ly useful when construction
must be done on portions of
the sidewalk, which can
block the access path of
pedestrians. To help with
this, ODOT has brought in a
third flagger to help pedestri-
ans traverse the obstructions.
Finally, any debris or mate-
rial created by the construc-
tion is required to be cleaned
up on the open sidewalk.
Tripping hazards are prohib-
ited.
As to why these changes
are only now being imple-
ments, Beers Seydel stated
that it can be difficult to fore-
see problems before they
occur.
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“We are always looking for
ways to improve, and it helps
to have people let us know
when they see issues and
have concerns,” she said.
“We try our best to be proac-
tive in our safety measures on
each project, but unfortunate-
ly needs for specific situa-
tions may not be readily
apparent until we’re in the
midst of construction. Safety
needs can and do change as
projects continue.”
Because of the fluidity of
these situations, Beers Seydel
recommended that the public
stay involved in safety
issues regarding ODOT
projects.
“We look forward to hear-
ing what people have to say
about the improvements and
to their sharing any further
needs that may come up,”
she said.
ODOT recommends that
if other concerns about
the long-term safety of
the bridge come to light,
the public can contact
the Lane Area Commission
on
Transportation
at
lanecounty.org.
from 1A
Additionally,
Estes
believes that everyone can
bring something to the table
when working in groups. She
points to the Quaker’s use of
this idea — which the
Quakers refer to as seeking
unity or “gathering the
sense” of a meeting — for
the past 300 years as the
model used by members of
Alpha Farm.
Estes and a small group of
friends moved to Oregon and
purchased Alpha Farms in
1972. The decision to locate
here was a practical one,
based on a simple desire to
live a less-structured and
less-stressful life with a clos-
er association with the land,
and, hopefully, a healthier
life as a result.
“We were either going to
move to Vermont or Oregon.
Then we realized the grow-
ing season in Vermont is
short. It is beautiful there but
we needed a longer growing
season to be a successful and
productive farm,” Estes said.
“We wanted to grow most of
our own food and Oregon is
warmer and has a longer
growing season so we settled
here.”
Estes is the only surviving
member of the first group
that settled on the 280 acres
of Alpha Farm. The land was
bought and owned collective-
ly and the consensus process
was the manner in which the
group arrived at decisions.
11 A
Estes believes the days of
collective ownership and
putting the needs of the
group before the needs of the
individual may have passed.
“There have been a lot of
changes over the years. It’s
not just at Alpha; it’s in our
society and the people who
come to Alpha. We’ve
become a much more ‘I’ cen-
tered or ‘me’ centered socie-
ty,” she said. “Now, there are
large groups of people that
are not that way. But in gen-
eral, over at least the last 10
or 15 years, we’ve moved to
a place where money and
how much you have has
become much more preva-
lent, particularly among the
young people. ”
As Estes approaches her
90th birthday, her eyes still
sparkle when she speaks of
the dream that inspired the
formation of Alpha Farm.
But there is sadness in her
voice when she looks to the
future of the community to
which she has given her spir-
it and resources over the
decades.
One example of these
shifts in priorities that Estes
points to is related to the
closing of Alpha Bits, the
small café run by members of
the farm.
The café had coffee and
snacks and operated for years
until recently closing its
doors, primarily due to a lack
of interest by newer commu-
nity members.
“Why did we close Alpha
Bits? Because we could not
attract people who wanted to
work as service. Not for
money, not for wages, but to
serve people and take care of
them as they passed through.
And that was the original
idea, that it would be an out-
reach place, to give people a
small space to relax and
renew.”
However, developments
occurring at Alpha farms
may be a precursor to benefi-
cial changes in society, Estes
believes.
“One really positive thing
we’ve been working for a
long time on has happened.
We have entered into a con-
servation easement agree-
ment with the government.
This agreement says that we
will not log our property and
the land and the forest will
remain as it is,” she said.
The agreement is with the
U.S. Forest Service and the
Bureau
of
Land
Management.
Safeguarding the forest
was one of the reasons the
original members bought the
Deadwood property and to
have finally protected 180
acres of the land is a testa-
ment to Estes’ tenacity and
dedication.
“There are three other
property owners nearby that
have signed conservation
easements. Eventually we
hope there will be a whole
protected
corridor
for
wildlife, which was one of
our original goals,” she said.
Estes is also encouraged
by the response of students
speaking out and becoming
involved in national conver-
sations.
“I watch these kids out of
Florida and I think, ‘Yes!
You got it!’ These kids are
amazing, they are smart and
articulate and they are so
impressive and that’s what I
am holding onto,” Estes said.
“I also hold onto the hope
that there will be a recogni-
tion that we are all in this
together. We need to commu-
nicate respectfully and with
appreciation for other points
of view and other opinions,
and that’s what I hope will
happen before I’m gone.”
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