Tryon Life Community Farm

TLC FARM BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER TO ROOT INTO RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER AND THE LAND, BY SHARING TOOLS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL CHANGE, AND TENDING RESILIENT ECOSYSTEMS.

EDUCATION PROGRAM: *WILLOW CREEK FOREST SCHOOL* OUR NATURE IMMERSION PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM SERVES 10 CHILDREN & THEIR FAMILIES EACH YEAR; WITH COVID-19 PROTOCOLS IN PLACE OUR ALL-OUTDOOR PROGRAM WAS ABLE TO RUN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING A SUCCESSFUL SERIES OF 6 SUMMER CAMPS THAT SERVED OVER 60 CHILDREN. *FIELD TRIPS* OUR FIELD TRIP PROGRAM RE-EMERGED FROM THE PANDEMIC SLOWLY BUT SURELY, WITH SELECT FIELD TRIPS FOR DOZENS OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH AT STATE AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM. *EVENT HOSTING* IN A SLOW EMERGENCE FROM COVID-19, WE HOSTED A HANDFUL OF SELECT EVENTS WITH PROTOCOLS IN PLACE, INCLUDING AN OUTDOOR CONCERT OF IN THE SUMMER WITH THE BIG MOUTH SOCIETY, AND AN EASTERN EUROPEAN FOLK SONGS EVENT. *LAND FESTIVALS* WE RETURNED FROM THE PANDEMIC WITH APPLE FEST 2021, INCLUDING MAKING AND TASTING CIDER AND LEARNING ABOUT THE RICHNESS OF PERENNIAL FRUIT PRODUCTION. *FISCAL SPONSORSHIP* TLC FARM CONTINUES TO BE THE FISCAL SPONSOR FOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN USA, AND HOSTED THEIR ORGANIZING MEETINGS AND MONTHLY GIRLS' PROGRAM (VIRTUAL IN 2021), STAYING SACRED, WHICH USES CULTURAL EDUCATION AND SELF-DEFENSE TO EMPOWER NATIVE GIRLS AND TEENS. IN ADDITION, TO SUPPORT THE RAPID GROWTH OF THE ORGANIZATION, WE SUPPORTED IT IN FORMING ITS OWN LEGAL ENTITY, BANK ACCOUNTS, PAYROLL PROCESSING, AND BOOKKEEPING.

DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. *INCREASED LAND ACCESS* DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, THROUGH OVER 600 PERSON-HOURS OF COVID-SAFE WORKPARTIES, WE WERE ABLE TO BUILD THE SECOND SECTION OF OUR PLANNED NEW PARKING AREA IN 2021, PROVIDING 8 NEW PARKING SPOTS (WITH A VEGETATED RETAINING WALL) TO ALLOW VISITORS AND ELDERS TO ACCESS THE LAND. *ORGANIC GARDEN & FOOD FOREST*: DESPITE THE PANDEMIC, WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE LARGE EDUCATIONAL GARDENS AND TWO FOOD FORESTS (MULTI-LEVEL PERENNIAL FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS THAT MIMIC THE PRODUCTION OF A NATURAL ECOSYSTEM) WITH SAFE PROTOCOLS IN PLACE. ENJOYED THE FOURTH YEAR OF PRODUCTION OF THE 40 FRUIT TREES PLANTED BY LAND PARTNERS IN 2014. *ANIMAL HUSBANDRY*: TLC FARM IS ONE THE ONLY EDUCATIONAL URBAN FARMS IN THE PORTLAND AREA TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO A DAIRY GOAT HERD, WHICH IS VERY POPULAR WITH ALL VISITORS, AS WELL AS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH AND LEARN ABOUT TRADITIONAL FARM ANIMALS. OUR ROVING CHICKEN FLOCK ALSO PROVIDES EGGS, EDUCATION, AND FERTILIZATION. DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE MAINTAINED THE HERD AND FLOCK. *INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL* CONTINUED OUR SYSTEMATIC PROGRAM OF ERADICATING BLACKBERRIES FROM MOST OF THE LAND AND REPLANTING WITH NATIVE PLANTS, BY THE USE OF HAND WORK AND OUR WETHERS (CASTRATED MALE GOATS) WHO EAT DOWN BLACKBERRY PATCHES AS THEY MOVE ACROSS THE LAND. *SUSTAINABLE STRUCTURES*: SUSPENDED IN 2021 DUE TO PANDEMIC.