Island Farm Studio is a woman-run five-acre flower farm, education/event space + creative production agency located on Sauvie Island, just a short drive away from Portland, Oregon. We are committed to impactful land restoration through the implementation of organic, sustainable practices and in partnership with our network of multi-generational community stakeholders to craft a new story of land stewardship through access and change.

 

We are growing a wide variety of annuals, perennials, grasses, natural dye flowers, and herbs. We hope to cultivate a specialized culinary garden for farm-to-table dining using all organic, sustainable, and regenerative methods. We also plan to host various seasonal conservation-based classes, creative-based workshops, and community silent hours. In the future, it is our sincere hope to broaden our offerings for community rest and care, as we feel that this type of safe healing space is needed now more than ever. Once we build the foundation and structure of this farm during our first year on this land, we also plan to offer community access through multi-generational internships, local school involvement, volunteer days, and partnerships with local therapists. Our priority is to create a welcoming, accessible, and safe space to nurture nature for everyone.

 

We are situated on a new to us, five-acre parcel on Sauvie Island, an agricultural hub and wildlife preserve, located just outside of Portland, Oregon near where the Willamette and Columbia rivers converge. This land was originally named Wapato Island, and was home to hundreds of people living in four villages: Cathlahnahquiah, Clanninata, Clannahqueh, and Multnomah. We are committed to working under indigenous leadership, working towards sustainable soil and land restoration. 

We have broken ground on this beautiful piece of land that we are so very gifted to steward, but we are in need of community support since we received only half of what we expected in loans. While that was a great first step, and those funds enabled us to build a large greenhouse and 1 hoop house, we are still missing essential systems such as electricity, heating and cold storage, and a delivery van. Because this land was not previously farmed organically, the soil needs testing, amending, and intense labor to deal with pest pressures using non-toxic methods. We are engaged in a 3 year soil research project and are committed to organic and sustainable land restoration practices. Special thanks to Cuauhtemoc Villa our indigenous soil specialist for helping us with our farm’s soil restoration plan!

 

In addition to our work as a small-scale cut flower farm, natural dye grower, and creative production agency, our goal is to provide a safe and accessible space with multiple opportunities for the community to learn and heal in nature. Over the next 3 years, we plan to form a non-profit to provide nature-based therapy on the farm to survivors of domestic violence and to queer youth. As we scale up, we welcome other organizations providing support to these communities to reach out to us via email to discuss partnership opportunities such as hosting workshops and events on the farm.

 

Our goals are within reach, but in order to complete the steps necessary to transform the raw land into a fully-functioning farm and crucial community care and sanctuary space, we need your help to secure these essential supplies and critical infrastructure. We believe that the land owns itself and that our role here is to nurture her as she nurtures us. Our highest hope is to restore the soil here back to health and to offer accessibility, as most of us have nervous systems that are limping along, and we are desperate to be nurtured by nature in only the beautiful, loving, healing, anchoring way that she does. Thank you from the center of our hearts for your support, and may there be more and more community healing spaces like the one we are creating.

 

Needed:

 

Flame weeder $1k

Irrigation supplies $2k

Soil testing & amending $3k

Electrical for greenhouse $3k

Misc supplies (buckets, carts, wheelbarrows, etc.) $3k

Education tent deck & labor $3k

Flower cooler (used) $7k

Greenhouse heater $5k

Delivery van $18k

 

TOTAL $45,000

 

How You Can Help:

- Donate on this page

- Share this GoFundMe with your network

- Venmo Christine directly @Christine-James-15

- Follow us on social media @Island_farmstudio

- Like, comment on, and share our posts

- Purchase a flower subscription for friends and family through our website

www.islandfarmstudio.org

- Contact us via email to discuss in-kind donations, supplies, and volunteer hours (while we greatly appreciate all offers, we want to maximize donations and only accept what we know we can use)

 

What your support will help us do:

+ Soil restoration and conservation efforts on the land

+ Grow and sell local no-spray flowers & bouquet flower subscriptions

+ Cultivate natural dye blooms and roots for Botanical Colors (Seattle, WA)

+ Host honey bees and offer hands-on classes with a conservation education specialist

+ Provide sanctuary space and therapy for domestic violence survivors & queer youth plus access to the community at large

+ Offer a beautiful space for events (education classes, farm-to-table dinners, workshops, etc)

 

Thank you so much for supporting us!