In Which the City Girls Decide They Want Out
Friendly Haven Rise Farm
Joy and I recently attended a class on chicken keeping out at Friendly Haven Rise Farm in rural Clark County, Washington. Venersborg, to be exact.
Friendly Haven is past some fancy up and coming sub-divisions (which will take off as soon as the economy recovers, right?) and up into some hills. The roads are all paved, but the shoulders are narrow. The trees are old and mossy. So are most of the houses.
We spent a nice afternoon on the farm learning about chickens. I got to show off some of my diatomaceous earth knowledge. Because I am knowledgeable. Go ahead and ask. Girl with fancy chemistry degree karate chops master composter! Hi-yah!
We wound our way back down through Venersborg (there’s a store), to Hockinson, through Orchards, and to the freeway. Seeing several “For Sale” signs, we allowed ourselves to dream a little. About a real farm.
It’s quiet out there where the roads have narrow shoulders. If I wanted to insert a cliche, I’d say “a little too quiet…” But I don’t and it’s not. The neighbor’s dog still barks and cars still drive by. But the occasional noise comes without the constant noise of the city.
And as we crossed the Glen Jackson Memorial bridge (named for a big Oregon transportation planner and media mogul) into Portland, our home, we both felt the weight of the city settle over us. And it didn’t feel like home.
The lights on all the time so it’s never dark. The people everywhere. The stink. No room to walk. The traffic.
Here, we’ve got neighbors. Lots of them. Down the street, the biker gang and their Harleys. Across the street, howling huskies. On one side, a domestic violence situation. On the other, Mr. “I Need to Warm Up My Car Every Day Right Outside Your Bedroom Window at 6 am.” It’s been 80F at the crack of dawn and he’s out there warming up his car.
Here, the city places restrictions on our farming efforts. No more than three livestock animals without a permit. No pigs (they do stink). No cows (she can’t be happy without room). No bees without neighbors’ permission. No rooster. He’s quieter than the huskies!
The Venersborg School House
And I love the city. I do. I just don’t want to live it in anymore. I kinda don’t belong here. Even if I look like I do. So we’ve decided that we’re getting out. In 7 years. These city girls are going country! Isn’t there a song about that?
To this end, we’re on Phase 1 of our 7 Year Plan. We have until New Years Day to write and refine our “Getting OUT!” plan. At which point, we will move on to Phase 2. Implementation.
Stay tuned for The Weight of the City, Part 2, as our heroines struggle with the practical considerations of leaving.
City life is over rated, rural-life – under rated, in my opinion. Are you planning to document each step and goal of your plan here? I’ve always found these plans absolutely fascinating and inspiring when I see people post the details!
Yes! The Revolution has taken a new turn. One that neither of us really expected but knew was inevitable. We’re in the very very beginning planning stages right now. Figuring out our finances (yikes!) and estimating what we are capable of. Can I really run a household and work a lot at the same time? Can Joy really finish school and get her business up and running in the next few years? We’ll be setting some very concrete goals and some very abstract goals and hoping for the best!
How exciting for you! That’s kind of how it was when Harold (my boyfriend) decided to get emus. Even though his house was in an unincorporated part of Clackamas county surrounded by Milwaukie and Portland, and we could have kept the emus in the 1/2 acre back yard, it was time to go.
Where abouts are you looking at? We’re in Mulino, close enough to Portland, Oregon City, Molalla, and Canby to be able to serve customers in those areas both for my contracting business and for the CSA farm I run, but far enough out for the cities not to be a problem.
One tip, if you can do much handyman(woman) work, buy a ‘fixer upper’. You’ll get it for less and build sweat equity.
just a note to bond with you….. just discovered you from the folks at footprint farm (http://www.footprintfarm.com/ – sorry don’t know how to make links in comments yet…. yes, i’m a luddite) and am really really excited….. we have goats (for fresh raw milk) in our front yard here in the city. we too have been longing to get out – for about 4 years now…… of planning, scheming, searching, researching and we are finally getting very close indeed!!! in the meantime, we are very pleased to meet you and thrilled to learn all about rabbits and join the revolution!!!
I understand your plight and I have also moved out of that eyesore of a place, the big city of Houston, Texas.
There are adjustments to be made here also however, but I have to say the quiet and the large yard are more to my liking than living in an appartment with alot of noisy neighbors!!! I love it here in the sticks, sa some people have fondly called it, I just think they are jelious because they havn’t escaped as I have. (Sour grapes and all that jazz.)