Help a Trans Farm Protect Their Birds

Sage is a trans, working-class farmer, parent & writer currently living on 10 acres of Molalla and Clackamas land. This year, he has started to use the property to establish a farming project to provide ethically raised meat, eggs, and produce for his community. In the future, he hopes to be able to make an offer on this property so he can provide opportunities to other trans people looking to live, work and learn about trans farm life and foster a stronger connection with the land.

Donating will help the farm project get started and continue to bloom. Sage is a working parent and does not have any access to wealth, generational or otherwise. When this fundraiser launched, he had two chickens, two rabbits, happy worms and a compost setup, and a small garden plot. This Spring, he has obtained more chickens and ducks to sell eggs and help with the slug problem in the garden. He has also started to breed his New Zealand rabbits for meat production and less than two weeks ago, his new doe just gave birth to nine healthy kits. He is hoping to expand the garden and test-run a CSA box this summer season.

Now that the project is in action - help is needed more than ever. Please donate (any amount helps) & share widely. Thank you for supporting this Sage in his pursuit of sustainable trans farm futures!

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Sage has detailed a few specific necessities to get the farm up and running:

1. Fencing & Enclosure Enrichment

Of the 10 acres, nearly 9 of it is untouched forest. This means the deer population has very easy access to the garden, and last year I lost a huge portion of produce to their happy munching. I would like to build fencing around the garden plot and beds, as well as have a moveable electric fence for the poultry to be able to move around the property and create healthy, lively soil. Additionally, supplies are needed to build a duck house and rabbit and chicken tractors.

2. Wash & Pack

To start the process of selling eggs and produce to the community, I need a space to wash and prepare everything. I plan to build a small wash and pack station under the pole shed. This would require tools and equipment to ensure everything meets the food and safety standards.

3. Soil Health

Making sure we get a great yield of produce this year and in upcoming years, soil health is a top priority. Following a no-dig, or "disturb as little as possible" permaculture method, we currently have worm castings, rabbit and chicken manure, and multiple compost piles to mix in with the soil. As we expand the garden plot, we will need to bring in different types of base soil (to amend the thick clay soil), compost, and mulch. These can be costly deliveries, and so far we have managed to do most amendments and mulch hauls for free, but will need to add those nutrients in to make sure we have enough produce to bring to the community.

Additionally, there are some tools and animal feed needed to keep all the living beings on the farm happy and healthy. CSA information will be available soon, as well as pre-orders for rabbit meat in the Spring. Any support is appreciated, and thank you for helping me see this dream through.

Sage