Nearby In The Neighborhood

My neighborhood is called River Road. The Willamette River forms the eastern boundary. The other boundaries to the triangle shaped residential area are an old trane yard to the west and a divided highway to the north.

Fifty years ago, this area was agricultural with dozens of small orchards and truck farms. Only a few remnants remain such as the tract of land just above the "A" in the foto below. Even that property is now subdividing into suburbia. The area around Garth Lane, below was a 6 acre cabbage field only 15 years ago.

The shady two lane road that went through the neighborhood is now four lanes and a turn lane wide, the grocery store and hardware store long gone. The neighborhood is highly automobile dependent.

Yet a new trend is emerging and that is transforming suburban properties into placesfor taking care of more needs where we live. Within a five minute bike ride, there are at least ten properties that are purposefully making changes. This exciting new trend includes emerging social and economic networks and collaborations.

The immediate neighborhood. The fotos is several years old, some infill has occured but there is a great deal of open space for food production. Within the area of this foto are a half dozen "serious" property conversion projects.

Dharmalaya is a suburban ashram. Many positive events, trainings, classes take place here. Spirituality combines with social acitivism.

Ravi, at Dharmalaya, stands in front of what is becoming a nice add on green house. Also, gray water system and garden.

Permculture workshop at Dharmalaya.

Dinner at Dharmalaya

Dharmalaya. Music and dancing in the straw bale. Home made entertainment.

Part of Jean's front yard turned into a garden.

Across the street from Jean, Heiko's entire front yard becoming a food forest.

Heiko explains creating a front yard food forest to a bike tour .

Down the street. Al's place is seeing some serious changes. This will become a mini eco village.

Green house frame up at al's place.

Al's place, tour visits new cultivation.

Bill explains making earthen bricks for a wood oven to be built here.

Same location as above. Bricks built and wood burning oven constructed for outdoor kitchen a few steps from the straw bale below.

Property conversion action at Al's place attracting neighborhood interest. A Friday evening potluck in July. Straw bale structure will become kitchen and showers for the eco village under development.

Jason and lots of new leaves for sheet mulching.

Heiko, who has designed Jason's site plan, explains the design.

An underused part of Jason and Kaveri's place is already planted with many fruit and nut trees.

Down the street. Mark is full on with reworking his one acre place. The u shaped driveway will be replaced with a fruit and nut orchard - reclaiming automobile space.

Mark's back yard. Lots happening.

Soil building, new green house. Mark's place is happening.

Other properties in River Road visited on recent bike tours.

Tour of Jan's Place

Several other photos from River Road

Party in the Goodwill parking lot to celebrate a "permaculture mural" several years ago. Neighborhood place making.

River Road Community Orgnanization put on a wonderful pancake breakfast in 2010 with plans for another one this [2011] September.

Rosetta Park, a place to meet and greet your neighbors. Chemical free, neighbors help maintain it.

Infill, plant nursery becomes suburbia. These new houses across the street.

Neighbors help look after a filbert grove on city property with logistical support from the city.

RRCO news letter includes articles about Permculture and property conversion.

Its great to see these changes in the neighborhood!