Become a Farm Plot Host
Vegetable Plots
Do you have an unused sunny area in your yard? Is it currently growing weeds? Consider hosting a farm plot. We are currently only taking on new farm plots in the portion of Piedmont north of Lombard and west of Vancouver. However, as more volunteers join, we will be able to add plots elsewhere.
Hosting is agreed upon on a year-to-year basis. Once we’ve set up the plot, if you decide the next year that you’d like to take it over, that’s fine. Hosts pay for any permanent improvements such as planting fruit trees or installing drip irrigation, unless this is sponsored by a donor.
Poultry Pasture
We are extremely interested in raising more chickens. In the City of Portland, there is no maximum number of poultry that can be raised on lots of 20,000 sq ft or greater. If you have this amount of space (a large empty lot) anywhere in North or Northeast Portland and are interested in it being used to raise laying hens, please get in touch!
Volunteer
Help on the Farm
We are in the process of getting regular volunteer opportunities organized. Please fill out the farm hand volunteer form in order to be kept in the loop on these sorts of opportunities.
Long-Term Volunteer Needs
Mustard Seed Urban Farm needs the help of committed volunteers who can help on long-term projects
- Grant Guru: Do you have experience successfully applying for grants? As we get off the ground, we need help getting agriculture- and community-related grants. Volunteers would research applicable grants, write applications, help administer funds, and submit follow-up materials to grant providers.
- Social Media Manager: Do you have a couple hours a week to spend getting the word out about the farm on Instagram? Volunteers do not need to live in the Portland area, although that is preferable.
- Bookkeeper: Do you have experience keeping the books for a nonprofit? Want to put those skills to use helping us focus on raising the healthiest and best food we can? This person does not need to reside in or near Portland.
- Bee Keeper: Eventually we would like to have a bee hive. Do you have experience keeping bees? Live in or near North Portland? Consider becoming Mustard Seed Urban Farm’s first bee keeper!
If you can help in one of these areas, please fill out the long-term volunteer form.
Feed the Chickens
Kitchen-to-Chickens Bucket (Coming Soon)
Divert food waste from landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and feed the chickens all at once. Chickens can eat almost all kitchen scraps, turning them into nitrogen-rich manure and eggs! The process is simple:
- Sign up to get a vented 2- or 5-gallon Kitchen-to-Chickens bucket
- Put all food waste in the bucket
- Put it out on your block’s designated day every week
-OR- - Level up by collecting buckets and delivering them to the chickens
In order to launch the Kitchen-to-Chickens program for a given street, we will need a volunteer to take responsibility for bucket collection and delivery. If you are interested in participating, fill out the interest form.
Donate
As a new nonprofit, Mustard Seed Urban Farm has many start-up costs as well as on-going costs. Consider making a financial contribution in order to sustain our work. Monthly contributions are greatly appreciated. If you would like, you can sponsor one of the following items.
Recurring Contributions
$60 / month
Feed the Goats
Your donation will pay for the cost of hay for the two goats, Mrs. Turpin and Mary Grace (named for characters from Flannery O’Connor’s Revelation).
$40 / Month
Feed the Chickens
We don’t get eggs without chickens. Your donation will keep Frida Kahlo, Queen Elizabeth I, Amelia Earhart, and Marie Curie fed.
$20 / Month
Maintain the Website
Fancy websites like this don’t come cheap! Help us pay the recurring costs associated with the website so more folks can hear about Mustard Seed Urban Farm.
One-Time Contributions
$300-$500
Start a Farm Plot
Depending on the size of the plot, it costs between $300 and $500 to create new paths and planting beds, add manure and compost, install drip irrigation, and get the first crop in the ground.
$600
Plant an Orchard
Your contribution will pay for a diverse array of (usually dwarf) fruit trees, manure and compost, irrigation, and planting.
$2,000
Build a Greenhouse
Your contribution will pay for materials and construction costs. Anything left over will be used to get the greenhouse filled with plant starts.
Ways to Donate
You can set up one-time or recurring online donations of any amount using the button below. You can also click one of the links above to sponsor a specific item.
Checks can be made out to Mustard Seed Urban Farm and mailed to 934 N Farragut St., Portland, OR 97217.
Mustard Seed is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit, so your donations are considered tax deductible.