TERRA LINGUA FARMS, L.L.C., Eastern Oregon, FARMER TRAINING PROGRAM
We are offering a training program for farmers at this farm.
We are reversing desertification including drought by applying permaculture and natural farming principles to a 20+ acre tract of land. In permaculture one of our goals is that the farmer should make a good living from the project, as good a net as wine growers are getting. We also will increase: 1) carbon holding capacity of the soil, 2) diversification in the farm scape, 3) deep aquifer water holding as well as shallow water holding in the soil. Also we have seen in India and will duplicate rain increase in the neighborhood of the farm.
In natural farming the goals are more to serve nature and allow nature to determine the bounty that we receive, to keep the plan open ended as to financial remuneration. Right now we have a lot of juniper and sage growing on the land. We will determine if there are markets for either of these. In this I am reminded of some of the early projects of Bill Mollison where he planted what he thought was good for the land and then figured out how to use what he planted. We will walk the line between these two approaches, permaculture and natural farming, continually allowing nature to show us ways to turn her bounty into a way to live graciously on the planet.
WHAT WE WILL TEACH: we are doing dry land farming on 20 acres where we will demonstrate that this type of farming can actually regenerate the land in the above ways while the farmer earns a good living. we are particularly interested in people visiting and working with us who want to farm themselves. The main thing that we see regarding farming is that farmers need to be competent. What competence is not is intelligence or knowledge or hard work.
Please watch this video to learn more about what is possible with dry land farming.
Great talk by Gabe Brown who is able to increase organic soil health every year with holistic permaculture methods on 2000 acres:
Keys To Building a Healthy Soil - Organic - Permaculture and Polyculture
Gabe Brown Soil Conservationist - Explains how to remediate and build up your soil quality. .
Also see my blog at handsonpermaculture1.org
we will many varieties of grasses and legumes as he does. we will not be involved with animals as he is. we will be involved with trees as in food forests.
if you want to know more please send an email and ask for our proposal which gives our overall agenda.
If you are interested in coming and learning at our farm contact charlotte at
victorygardensforall@gmail.com.
We will provide housing (in camper trailers) as well as 2 meals a day, at 9 and 4. You need to bring your own bedding. In the summer it may be too hot at night for a sleeping bag so bring sheets as well. Once summer starts for maybe 3 weeks it will be 100 degrees in the middle of the day so we will start work at 6 a.m., stopping at 11 and then going back to work in the afternoon, at 5:00 to 8 p.m. We do not eat meat so you will have to bring your own meat (there is a store 3.5 miles away where meat and other nonorganic goods can be purchased. You can save food from your meals to eat at other times as you wish. \
We will have a 4 day work week so that you can get out of dodge. This will be staggered so everyone does not leave the farm at once. It is 2.5 hours to most places one might want to visit. People come from all over to bicycle around here, so bring your bicycle and tents for when you are off site or if you want to head for our hills and privacy. It is magnificient country, rolling hills., high hills in the background. We are at 1700 feet, a low area or banana belt, as the surrounding areas are all higher.
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At the moment of commitment the entire universe conspires to assist you. Whatever you can do or dream you can do begin it now. Boldness has genius, magic and power in it. Goethe
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” Buckminster Gail Fuller
We have been doing so much with so little for so long that we can do anything with nothing.
Charlotte 001 541-221-2557
www.handsonpermaculture1.org
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