Springville Farms

07/26/2024

07/06/2024

Maupin-based Imperial Ranch Farms and Shaniko Wool Company have helped provide wool to Ralph Lauren for the last three Winter Olympics and Paralympics ceremony outfits. The wool company helped with the summer games for the first time this year, providing wool for the opening ceremony blazers.

06/29/2024

Lavender Wand Season ~ History hands down valuable garden crafts like weaving lavender wands. Stems encase the fragrant flowers like green woven basket, to create artful wands that can ornament closets and drawers, while perfuming clothes, lingerie and bedding. Science reinforces what our ancestors already understood - that lavender's calming perfume, also keeps moths and bedbugs at bay.
As your skills grow, wand making becomes a fragrant meditation, and aromatherapy for the weaver. It's a great craft to share with kids...and of course there is a little magic in every wand.😉 Full step by step instructions at the top of the comments...

06/26/2024

Today this man milked 60 goats, fed and watered about 100 goats (plus a herd of 6 equines) installed a new ignition and replaced the hood on the tractor, repaired a broken well head, tended to the cheese, and sorted goats back into their correct homes after a fence got busted down (by the goats obvi).

There’s a lot of hats to wear on this farm—seems like every day something breaks, doesn’t work the way it should, needs tending to, or surprises you.

Just today Matthew was a milkmaid, a carpenter, an electrician, a plumber, and a cheesemaker.

Or, if you prefer, farmer.

06/22/2024

Louise Mabulo once scoffed at the old wives' tales her grandparents told her about farming. Until she learned the science behind them. As a farmer, she now mixes ancestral knowledge with modern tech.

06/07/2024

Knepp estate was £1.5m in debt. Now it thrums with wildlife, visitors flock there – and farmers are stampeding to copy its success. We meet the star of a captivating f...

05/14/2024

The SRN crew is busy collecting donations for the Live & Silent Auctions at this year's Summer Gathering. We want to showcase items from our wonderful local community! Do you have a special skill or hobby that you could offer as a donation? Here are some ideas:
Home visit from an indoor plant expert
Complimentary appointment with a home organizer
Car tune up from a mechanic
Processed partial animal from local farmer
Service time from a home handyperson
A couple hours of landscaping work
Crafting lessons - knitting, crochet, pottery, any creative outlet
Share your ideas with us at [email protected] and we can craft a custom auction item that works with your schedule. This is a fantastic way to support SRN. We are excited to see what our neighbors have to offer!

Nicole Anderson
2024 Auction Chair
[email protected]

04/25/2024

In the next few weeks, PGE is expected to submit a land use application that would include the clear-cutting of five acres of forest in the northern part of Forest Park, near the Harborton frog crossing used by the northern red-legged frog. This area has significant natural resources that need to be protected and we are deeply concerned about the potential environmental impact that this project would have.

We have published a new statement on the upcoming proposal in advance of its expected submission, you can read it using the link in the comments. After the proposal is submitted, we will review it and publish a new statement on the final proposal. If you want to stay in the loop, keep an eye on our social media feeds and website in the next few weeks for updates from us on that proposal when it is submitted.

04/02/2024

Veggie Planting Calendar for Portland, Vancouver

03/30/2024

03/28/2024

01/22/2024

We'll explore the ways to capture and store water in beneficial ways to maximize benefit towards food production watershed health

01/18/2024

Now is the time to buy onion seeds, which are cheaper and come in more interesting varieties than mail-order transplants. Here’s what you need to know.

01/16/2024

After one full week of sales, 'Holy Italian' sweet pepper is our best-selling annual crop (but — not surprisingly, considering the focus of our catalog — it is number #10 on the overall list of best-sellers, behind nine perennial crops!)

From the unparalleled on-farm breeding program of Casey Piscura and in Carbondale, Colorado, this pepper really must be seen to be believed. The name comes from Casey's exclamation in the field — "Holy Italian!" — upon first finding the extraordinary rogue that led to this cultivar some six plant-generations ago.

Some of these sweet Italian roasters reach nearly a foot in length! They're also thick, fleshy, and excellently flavored. reports that farmer friends from Montana to Virginia have had success with these (vigorous plants, tall and productive) and that they're becoming super popular among farmers market customers and especially chefs.

As with most of Wild Mountain's offerings, we only have a limited supply of these special seeds, and they are going fast!

But also, since I know you're curious, here are the nine perennials that top our best-selling list so far:

1. Northern Maypop Passionfruit
2. Tim Peters Perennial Wheat Grex
3. 'Salish Blue' Perennial Wheat
4. Jerry Lehman's "Field West" American Persimmon Breeding Mix
5. 'Homesteader's Kaleidoscopic' Perennial Kale Grex
6. Welsh Onion
7. 'Giving Tree' American Persimmon
8. South Jersey Hopniss (Apios americana)
9. C. Dale's Pawpaw Breeding Mix

All of these are also going fast — and most are quite limited in stock at this point (especially the perennial wheats, persimmons, and hopniss) — so don't wait much longer!

Thank you everyone for supporting our work!!

01/02/2024

12/28/2023

Dear friends...

For those who haven't read about our experience with George the horse....

‘Over the years, I have discovered that horses are extremely receptive to the Native American flute. There is a healing quality about these instruments that greatly affect these majestic animals, among others, and you do not need to be a professional flute player to work their magic.

Take for instance, George, a formerly injured horse belonging to a woman who resided on a farm west of Portland in Scappoose, Oregon. George was injured years ago and, after his recovery, was never able to run again. He was considered a ‘grazer’. And even so, George's owner loved him with all her heart. Though he was no longer able to run, it was clear that she adored her beautiful friend.
It was during the month of August when she started to plan her wedding for September. In the interim, she hired me to perform at her wedding. It was to be held at her home, outdoors, near her pole barn and with George as her witness.

The wedding day arrived. As soon as we pulled in, we met with the coordinators and then unloaded my sound system and flutes from our vehicle. While setting up, I noticed George on the other side of the fence, far out in the field, occasionally looking our way while he grazed. He was a beauty and I understood immediately why she loved him so.

I started testing my flutes and then situating them on my flute stands. While doing so, I noticed I had peaked George’s attention by the few sounds of my instruments. He moved a little closer to us, I suppose to get a better view. But I did have his attention, which pleased me.

People were arriving for the wedding.

By the time the wedding started, there were over 200 in attendance. I was to play an opening song up at the podium with the groom standing next to me. When all began, I played the first song while the bride walked up the center aisle, making her way to the homemade alter that the groom and I were standing under. She walked so gracefully, smiling and obviously very happy. It was clear that she was proud, for this was ‘her day’, and all who she loved were there. She was also watching George. And, unknown to anyone, so was I.

As I played this first song, I made it a point to funnel my thoughts to a horse whose spirit seemed to be broken. I tried to hit certain notes that would further peak his interest. And it was working. It wasn't too long before George made his way to the fence line, directly to my right, that divided us from him. He stood there and I could see that his eyes were on me.

After my song was over, the bride and groom joined hands and the nuptials began. I stepped down from the podium and walked immediately to my right, where I met George at the fence. I then proceeded to walk along the fence towards the back of the audience, to wait for them to call me up again to play the exit song.
And I was escorted by George who followed me along the fence, to the back.

As I stood there, I looked into the eyes of this beauty of a horse who was standing right in front of me. His eyes were sad and I could feel it. I tried to send him good vibrations through my heart, knowing his spirit was crying.

The nuptials lasted 45 minutes and then it was time for me to join the new husband and wife up at the podium to play their exit song. As I walked along the fence, George followed me on his side of it and this made my heart happy. We made a connection, not with words but through our spirits.

I played my love song, Redwood Goddess, from my Ancient Reflections CD for the bride and groom which was at the brides’ request. As soon as I started playing, I noticed George was getting a bit fidgety on his side of the fence, moving back and forth while attempting to stand in one spot. And so, I decided to funnel my thoughts to him while I played, trying to hit certain notes that he may like.

Then in an instant, George threw back his head and let out a big loud sigh which got the attention of everyone there. I continued to play but the new wedding couple stopped mid way as they were walking down the center aisle to leave. In concern, the bride turned to watch her horse acting like this, obviously startled and was wondering what was happening to him.

All of a sudden, George took a leap in the air and then took off running across the field in a full gallop, He was running as fast as he could with all he had. The bride dropped to her knees in tears, sobbing uncontrollably while the groom attended to her. She could not believe what she was seeing.

But I could.

Never underestimate the power of the Native American flute. They are not just collectible items but are a healing tool for all of life on earth.

Charles

12/13/2023

Looking forward to sponsoring and attending this free event hosted by Abel’s alma mater - the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry
It will be great to hear more about practical knowledge and research on the important practice of silvopasture - integrating livestock with trees and shrubs to enhance carbon sequestration, productivity, and biodiversity.

10/14/2023

06/16/2023

More perennial wheat!!

I thought I'd lost all of the seedlings of this Tim Peters' perennial wheat strain to w**d pressure after just two winters, but I noticed two plants going to seed yesterday — this is one, while the other had just one seed-head. (One strong plant of Tim's 'Mountaineer' perennial rye is doing well nearby too.)

These were grown from seeds from a single plant that survived our first five winters here in Elmer, NJ (a "single plant selection" in plant-breeder parlance). Having been bred in Oregon, this variety is not perfectly suited to New Jersey, but we're working on it! Now these two plants will provide seeds for the next round of selective improvement. I'm thinking I'll plant them in the fall up at , because they don't seem to love our sandy soil here as much as their cousins are enjoying Princeton's clay.

I put cages around them because sometimes deer like to chew on ripening wheat seeds. (They're juicy and sweet, so I can understand it.)

Coming off of our novel (for here) experience with climate-change-driven wildfire smoke from Canada — and as I'm about to head to Minnesota which is currently facing more smoke pollution from Canada — I'm hopeful that perennial staple crop plants like these will soon become widely adopted by farmers and begin playing a role against climate change. Perennial crops remove excess carbon from the atmosphere even as they provide life-sustaining calories and deliciousness.

05/09/2023

Marketplace, For The Win!! I'm getting serious about rainwater catchment as our summers get hotter earlier and temps spike for longer periods. Check out my...

04/28/2023

While we're doing restoration work, our family has a temporary rental and we're hosting WWOOFers and airbnb guests. We're at capacity for hosting WWOOFers living on site for the summer, but if you are local, we'd love to have you help out! https://wwoofusa.org/en/host/26147

04/28/2023

We’re on hiatus! Ironically, that means were extra busy. We are repairing fencing, planting cover crops in the upper pasture, in preparation for some serious food, production, and removing invasive blackberries from the creek, among many other things. No summer camp for a couple of years while we are doing this land restoration, but we are able to host parties, and performances, and other private events. If you’d like to come out and see what we’re up to, get in touch!

03/25/2023

Hello friends! Happy (ahem) Spring! ❄️

While it may be a little colder than many of us would prefer, it's time to start thinking about the summer! Our family is so excited to welcome you back to the farm in just a few short months (likely early June for strawberries!) but we have a TREAT for you!

Our family has decided to replant portions of our Duke and Liberty fields into newer varieties this spring, and since these are two of our favorite varieties and are great plants with great yields, we want to offer them to you! Adding a few blueberry plants to your yard is a great way to supplement your family's summer berry consumption and it's a fun activity for all ages!

The details:
Bare Root Blueberries
Varieties: Liberty (July bearing) & Duke (June bearing)
Fully mature plants, will likely fruit this year
$20/plant

TODAY
Saturday March 25
12-3
*Mr. Hoffman will be there himself so you can get planting instructions from the expert!

22242 SW Scholls Ferry Road
Beaverton OR 97007

03/25/2023

03/25/2023

I am already working on my schedule for my next time in Oregon: April 10-21. Please let me know if you are interested in getting on my schedule! You can message me on here or personally. Thank you!

03/14/2023

We really value the Helvetia farmland, for its beauty, its abundance, and its proximity to the metro area so that so many can enjoy it. Local food supports local businesses and supports our local economy - and, as we found out in the pandemic, local farmers give us access to necessary nourishment even in times of crisis. Please consider signing this petition - the proposed laws would threaten our local farmland community. New development can be encouraged in areas of the metro area that won't affect our food supply and local economy.

Can you spare a minute to help this campaign?

03/09/2023

02/15/2023

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST DONATE REWILD SHOPPE KIDS CAMPS ECHOES IN TIME THE WEAVER'S WHEEL SOCIAL FORESTRY CLUB VOLUNTEER @ OUR NURSERY PHILOSOPHER'S FIRE REWILDING CONFERENCE REWILD TEEN HOMESCHOOL YOUTH HOMESCHOOL MOON & STARS SUN & STARS ENGLISH IVY BASKETMAKING FREE SKILLS SERIES REWILDING 101 SPOO...