Tryon Life Farm Puts Its Money Down for Land Purchase
By Fred Leeson, The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.
Jan. 11–With help from a short-term loan, urban sustainability proponents placed $1.425 million in escrow Tuesday to buy a 7.5-acre site adjoining the Tryon Creek State Natural Area.
The purchase allows the nonprofit Tryon Life Community Farm to move ahead with plans for an organic farm and an education center for urban sustainability issues.
“We are really excited to turn the bulk of our work to our real focus,” said Brenna Bell, the organization’s president.
Formal transfer of the land title from Karl Marlantes of Seattle and his former wife, Gisele Fitch, is expected today. The site is zoned for residential use and once was targeted for 23 high-end homes.
The property will be deeded to the Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Land Trust, which holds land that otherwise could be converted to non-agricultural uses.
However, fundraising is not yet done for the Tryon farm. Bell said a public fund drive in the past two weeks fell about $20,000 short of the $1.55 million sought to pay for the land and a $125,000 yearlong option that expired Tuesday. A short-term loan made up the difference,
Bell said last-minute contributions still are being counted, so the exact amount of the short-term loan is not yet known. She estimated that the farm has received $150,000 in donations from 500 people since Jan. 1. Bell said donors during the yearlong drive numbered more than 1,000.
“We will still have fundraising needs” after the latest donations are accounted for, Bell said.
A long-term $700,000 bank loan is the largest component of the escrow money. The farm expects to retire that debt from residents who pay rent to live in two old homes on the site and from revenue generated from farm sustainability programs.
If title transfer paperwork is completed today, it will mark the anniversary of an eviction date for Bell and about 14 other residents who were renting from Marlantes last year.
Since then, the farm organized as a nonprofit corporation, raised money to purchase the option owned by a Seattle home developer and launched a larger fund drive to complete the purchase. “Talk about coming full circle,” Bell said.
The farm, at 11640 S.W. Boones Ferry Road, is surrounded on three sides by the Tryon Creek State Natural Area.
Residents have scheduled a celebration at 11 a.m. today with appearances by key people who helped with the acquisition. Bell said the public is welcome to attend.
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