Heritage Walnut and Main House

We selected a site based in the city for the Institute because if permaculture is to become a major part of a sustainable future, it must be applied where the majority of the population lives. We are only 350 feet away from a major bus stop that is part of Portland's great public transit system -- www.trimet.org.

We are in the process of building an Ecovillage by combining our land with the apartment complex adjacent to us and converting the apartments to condominiums.

See www.columbiaecovillage.net.

History of the property which does not include the future condominium property.

One third of the land is covered by an old orchard with fig, apple, plum, pear, walnut, and hickory trees. The rest of the land is pasture that will become the demonstration gardens and food forest. The original large chicken coops and out buildings are still here as well as a pond system that is being restored.

The property circa 1920. Original Orchard

The main building on the land is a large Arts and Crafts home built in 1912. The early history is sketchy, but we have been told that the original farm was at least twenty acres of orchard and was one of the first farms in the Concordia area of Portland. The house was built by Magnus and Emma Ek. Magnus Ek was a cabinet maker and millwright who came to this country from Sweden in 1882. The restoration of the house is nearing completion.

Over the years the land was sold off leaving only the current 1.6 acres. The land remained with the Ek family until August of 2002, when it was purchased by Tracy and Thadd of the Cully Collective. We acquired stewardship (and ownership) in April of 2004 and moved in June of 2004. We extend our many thanks to Tracy and Thadd and the Cully Collective for preserving the land from development and beginning the process of healing the land.

ABOUT US

Joe and Pam Leitch are life partners who believe that permaculture and its related aspects could be a part of the solution to the current threats to the environment.

In their pre-permaculture lives, Pam practiced nursing and then family law and Joe worked for IBM for 25 years as a field engineer and in sales. They saved their money, quit their mainstream jobs and got trained as permaculture teachers. Joe has been a student of natural building, solar and urban gardening since the 1970's and is on the board of the Home Orchard Society. Pam's pre-permaculture areas of study included globalization, social justice and alternative economic systems.

Tigard Rainwater Collection