Help us Build our Dream
Donation protected
When Rob and I were talking about what we wanted to do for our wedding registry possibilities, neither of us were overly excited about walking through department stores with a hand scanner. We are both at a point in our lives that we have most of the things that make a home. Until recently, the only major thing we were missing was a home to build from.
We have been so, so fortunate to have found that home; although it is coming to us in about as interesting of circumstances as nearly everything else in our lives. To be able to secure our dream, we have chosen to get cooperative (in the literal and legal sense) with some of our closest friends and purchase a farm located in our beloved Alsea Valley. Our goals with the property are as wonderful as they are feasible, and we are eager to share them with as many folks as we can.
The House
sits on 3.84 acres along the Alsea River, only about 1.5 miles from Alsea, 38 miles from the Oregon Coast, 20 miles from Corvallis. The main dwelling has 2340 square feet and also features a covered walkway to a garage that we intend to quickly convert into a stand-alone dwelling. Inside, the builder of the home took a lot of care to put quality into the building. There is a formal dining room (with pecan floors), a den or "game room" featuring 3 walls of sugar pine built-in cabinetry and bookshelves, and a large living room with a huge bay window. There are 3 bedrooms for Me, Rob, and the kids, as well as a basement and attic with potential for finishing into more usable home space.
The Land
The house sits on a bit of a hill from the surrounding field that leads to a steady year-round creek. One thing that made our jaws drop about this location is that it comes with water rights to irrigate agricultural fields. If you're not a farmer, this means a whole lot about how you're able to think about using your land. There is at least 1.5 acres that we can easily convert into farming endeavors as we develop the property. There are two or three already established apple trees, and about half a dozen plum trees (Lily's favorite!). There are also at least 2 garden spaces that have previously been developed and are just waiting to be tended into productive land again.
The Business
But what would we be farming? Flowers, of course! The business plan that we are developing with our partners includes several inter-related goods and services to turn this place into an incredible wellness retreat for all around (including generous donors to our cause!) Aspects of our business include: medicinal flower farming for essential oil extraction and dried flower sales, rendering of farmed medicinal flowers into self-care products like salves and bath tonics, off-grid hot tub and spa amenities, agrotourism lodging accommodations, and therapeutic amenities like yoga or meditation, etc. The name we have chosen for our enterprise is Hempstead Whole Health Cooperative, and we're interested in living up to the name in how we treat our land, our guests, and our friends and family that help us make this dream a reality.
Your Donation
Will help us in a number of ways, and we intend to use all donations with the intent of honoring our benefactors in a way that could also benefit them in the long-run. With funds from this gofundme, we will be able to tackle some of the initial renovations that the home needs like paint throughout the whole home, updating the main and master bathroom, and contribute to updating the garage into a liveable and rentable space. We likely will allocate some funding to interior design to help us cultivate a good environment to host classes or workshops at the farm. We intend on constructing at least one cedar soaking tub and constructing an off-grid wood heated hot tub. In addition to the garage, we are interested in further developing the land with additional "non-permanent" structures like yurts and tinyhomes to offer to guests as lodging options. With all these mentions of lodging options, I hope that the message of "we would love to share our dream with the people who helped make it possible" comes through.
We have been so, so fortunate to have found that home; although it is coming to us in about as interesting of circumstances as nearly everything else in our lives. To be able to secure our dream, we have chosen to get cooperative (in the literal and legal sense) with some of our closest friends and purchase a farm located in our beloved Alsea Valley. Our goals with the property are as wonderful as they are feasible, and we are eager to share them with as many folks as we can.
The House
sits on 3.84 acres along the Alsea River, only about 1.5 miles from Alsea, 38 miles from the Oregon Coast, 20 miles from Corvallis. The main dwelling has 2340 square feet and also features a covered walkway to a garage that we intend to quickly convert into a stand-alone dwelling. Inside, the builder of the home took a lot of care to put quality into the building. There is a formal dining room (with pecan floors), a den or "game room" featuring 3 walls of sugar pine built-in cabinetry and bookshelves, and a large living room with a huge bay window. There are 3 bedrooms for Me, Rob, and the kids, as well as a basement and attic with potential for finishing into more usable home space.
The Land
The house sits on a bit of a hill from the surrounding field that leads to a steady year-round creek. One thing that made our jaws drop about this location is that it comes with water rights to irrigate agricultural fields. If you're not a farmer, this means a whole lot about how you're able to think about using your land. There is at least 1.5 acres that we can easily convert into farming endeavors as we develop the property. There are two or three already established apple trees, and about half a dozen plum trees (Lily's favorite!). There are also at least 2 garden spaces that have previously been developed and are just waiting to be tended into productive land again.
The Business
But what would we be farming? Flowers, of course! The business plan that we are developing with our partners includes several inter-related goods and services to turn this place into an incredible wellness retreat for all around (including generous donors to our cause!) Aspects of our business include: medicinal flower farming for essential oil extraction and dried flower sales, rendering of farmed medicinal flowers into self-care products like salves and bath tonics, off-grid hot tub and spa amenities, agrotourism lodging accommodations, and therapeutic amenities like yoga or meditation, etc. The name we have chosen for our enterprise is Hempstead Whole Health Cooperative, and we're interested in living up to the name in how we treat our land, our guests, and our friends and family that help us make this dream a reality.
Your Donation
Will help us in a number of ways, and we intend to use all donations with the intent of honoring our benefactors in a way that could also benefit them in the long-run. With funds from this gofundme, we will be able to tackle some of the initial renovations that the home needs like paint throughout the whole home, updating the main and master bathroom, and contribute to updating the garage into a liveable and rentable space. We likely will allocate some funding to interior design to help us cultivate a good environment to host classes or workshops at the farm. We intend on constructing at least one cedar soaking tub and constructing an off-grid wood heated hot tub. In addition to the garage, we are interested in further developing the land with additional "non-permanent" structures like yurts and tinyhomes to offer to guests as lodging options. With all these mentions of lodging options, I hope that the message of "we would love to share our dream with the people who helped make it possible" comes through.
Organizer
Aerica Neeland
Organizer
Alsea, OR
