Hello fellow permies (I'm a longtime lurker, infrequent poster),
I'm putting a bit of a wish out into the universe, hoping to find a
unicorn: a long-term partner in stewardship for our urban food forest in Portland.
At our 4-plex, we have a big shared yard filled with edible goodies that serves the folks who live here. It’s a diverse system with everything from espaliered apples and a mature quince to hardy kiwis, haskaps, and all manner of greens and herbs. It's a lot to maintain, and I'm looking for a self-starter to help keep the place humming in exchange for pay, produce, and a place to put your knowledge into practice.
A huge plus for this position would be proficiency in Spanish. We have some fantastic, semi-regular helpers who fill in the work gaps, and they are primarily Spanish-speaking. My own Spanish is a work-in-progress and not fluent enough for all the technical nuances of gardening. Your ability to communicate clearly about specific tasks would be incredibly valuable and help you thrive in the role.
The System:
It’s a polyculture of trees, shrubs, and annuals. We have:
Canopy/Understory: Apple/pear espaliers, a mature quince, Hachiya persimmon, figs, hardy kiwis, Cornelian cherry, and young olive trees.Shrubs & Berries: Some suffering blueberries that could use a loving eye, raspberries, 3 types of blackberries, various currants/gooseberries, and haskap berries.Herbaceous Layer: Lots of herbs, companion plants, and rotating annual vegetable beds.Soil & Support: We manage our own yard debris compost on-site and focus on cover cropping and building soil life.The Human Element: The tenants and I have full access to the harvest. The role involves communicating what's coming ripe via an online chat and fostering a respectful, shared-use environment.
The Role (What we're looking for in a steward):
What we're looking for is less of an employee and more of a collaborator who will:
Take the lead on season planning, soil building, and keeping our polycultures thriving.Enjoy the rhythms of weeding, tending compost, and observing the system.Communicate with the community about what's coming ripe.Wants to be in it for the long haul, as there's so much to learn about this specific piece of land.
The Exchange:
My main goal is to make this a
mutually agreeable situation and ensure you're getting your needs met out of the relationship. This includes a fair hourly wage, your pick of the harvest, and a supportive environment to practice your craft. The role has typically been about 8 hours/week.
(Please note, we are not offering housing.)
If this dream of ours resonates with you, please send me a message. I’d love to hear your story and what you're looking for in a project.
