sbfarm

Slow Boat Farm
... deepening human connection to the natural environment through recreation and sustenance.

It started as 21 acres of opportunity and reed canary grass
on an island in the Columbia River.

Sept 2005 Ginni Callahan acquired a farm on Puget Island (Cathlamet, WA, lower Columbia River) In three months of intensive renovation, the house was made ready for habitation.
Returning from Mexico in Spring 2006 Ginni and David began rehabilitation on garage, barn, and land. A rustic kayak launch was carved through the riverside cottonwood forest, and trips launched from there. Produce from SBF was sold at the Puget Island Farmer's Market in late summer
Summer 2007 The First Annual Lower Columbia Kayak Roundup August 2007. Camping. Expanded food production, especially garlic Produce sales at markets, to restaurants, and to individuals
Plans for Summer 2008 The Second Annual Lower Columbia Kayak Roundup August 18-24 2008. Building infrastructure for a retreat or "enrichment" center. Hands-on workshops building a grey water system, kitchen and bath facilities, and produce washing station. Construction of a storage shed, and a meeting shelter/yurt. Disassembly of beautiful old barn for materials. Finding something bigger than a push mower to tackle 18 acres of 7' tall grass.
Vision for the Future includes: "enrichment" center workshops, programs, hands-on recreation, organic gardening, education, sustainable living ... deepening human connection to the natural environment through recreation and sustenance.

Photo Tour

Welcome	sustenance	renovation projects completed	simple living
recreation--kayaking	garden	work parties	solar & wind energy
recreation--other crazy stuff	seasons on the farm	dreams	...or scroll down for the full tour!
neighborhood links	map	workshops

Welcome to Slow Boat Farm!

Within the farm's first year,

the house was renovated and rented with the help of about 20 friends
fences were repaired
water, power, phone were restored to the barn
the winnebago was driven in (believe it or not!)
the concrete room adjacent to the barn (milk room) was renovated and improved
a small garden was dug and fenced, then doubled in size twice
produce was grown, eaten, and sold
the entire 21 acres was mowed
trees were planted and eaten by deer (thankfully not all of them)

From Hwy 4, looking across the Cathlamet Channel at Puget Island

The house & grounds December 2005

The "Back 40" from the barn roof.
SBF acreage extends to the plantation trees beyond the tall cottonwood.

Across the road is an acre or two of cottonwood forest bordering a slough
that connects to Jackson Inlet and the Columbia River.

It's a different world than the pasture land--shady and cool, the domain of beaver and deer and birds.
Through here is our kayak launch.

sustenance

Organically raised food has personality as well as flavor!

So do the people who raise and eat it!

With help from a friend, we raised and sold 70 meat chickens.

Our friends at Kathleen's Animal Protein will be raising pastured poultry here next year.

garden

It's not just the food, it's the whole experience!
I love the textures and patterns, the rhythms, and the interconnectedness of things in the garden.

simple living

As humans on this planet, we are conduits of resources and energy.
At the end, we leave with exactly what we came with, and in between
we just move things around--with our hands, with our orders, and through our bodies.

Here's our philosophy:

good food and sunshine

basic tools

beauty in unlikely places

most of all, friendships!

workshops Past and Future
Composting Toilets Building and using simple composting toilets, by Larry Warnberg, designer of the SCAT (Solar Composting Alternative Toilet) July 2007
Lower Columbia Kayak Roundup 2007 The First Annual "LoCo Roundup" August 2007. Camping on the farm, food from the garden. Top kayak coaches from around the world. Exiting paddling venues.
Lower Columbia Kayak Roundup 2008 The Second Annual Lower Columbia Kayak Roundup August 18-24 2008. Volunteer opportunities abound! Do valuable work with great people and get kayak coaching in trade.
Garden Harvest, tending. 2008 We could use weekly volunteers Trade for great produce! Please contact us if you're interested! 360-849-4016 ginnical@yahoo.com
Grey Water System, Barn Dismantling, Eco-friendly construction 2008 programs to be arranged. Please contact us if you're interested! 360-849-4016 ginnical@yahoo.com ... deepening human connection to the natural environment through recreation and sustenance.

solar and wind energy

Well, you gotta start somewhere!

recreation--kayaking

sloughs of Puget Island are extensive!

Our peaceful launch is just across the street & through the cottonwoods

Sometimes we paddle the 5 1/2 miles to Cathlamet for lunch.

recreation--other crazy stuff

Flag Flying

aka harnessing wind energy to generate smiles!

Team Juggling

work parties
& volunteer/trade opportunities

That's my Sis & new Bro-in-law, all the way from NM making the front walk.

Creative solutions to unique problems

Rule #1: Feed the troops really well

Tree planting is rewarding work, and mud just makes it more fun!

Twenty-one acres is a lot of really tall grass, and we do treasure our friends who share their tractors! Melissa above.

Brad

And we really appreciated Brad's dumptruck, too!

renovations & improvements completed

Yes, we realize that mowing the grass is a repeatable "improvement", but note the other changes.
The garden, Winnebago, sand fill, construction on milk room, blue kayak "sign" planted.

David re-roofs after a storm took some shingles off the house.

dreams

Oh, how we'd love to renovate the barn!
Lots of natural light and ventilation these days.
Price tag is about $50,000-$100,000 more than we have.
Think about the gathering space it could be!

seasons on the farm

The couple renting the house raises orphan calves on bottles, then stakes them out to mow the yard.
Daily three-chicken patrol helps keep bugs down in the garden, and they give eggs, when we can find them. Everyday is Easter!

Fall brings moody skies and sunbursts. And storms that take down trees, a natural form of "rototilling" the forest.

Next year's garlic in the snow (L) Cliffs of the Cathlamet Channel from our milkroom window (R)

Snow means its past time for this slow boater to head to Mexico!

Thanks for taking the Slow Boat Farm Tour!
Scroll down for neighborhood links

Contents of Slow Boat Farm Page

Welcome	sustenance	renovation projects completed	simple living
recreation--kayaking	garden	work parties	solar & wind energy
recreation--other crazy stuff	seasons on the farm	dreams	map

Kathleen’s Animal Protein
Scott and Dolly Hartzell
607 State Route 409 (Puget Island) Cathlamet, WA 98612
360.849.4769
Products: Custom raised pork. Chickens and Turkey custom grass-raised. Eggs from pastured hens.

Little Island Farm
Mike and Kim Howell
316 East Little Island Road (Puget Island) Cathlamet, WA 98612
Phone: 360.849.4492
Products: Boer Goat, Turkeys and Chickens Pasture raised. Eggs from pastured hens. Fruit, Berries, Vegetables, Flowers.

Stockhouse’s Farm
Rob and Diane Stockhouse
62 West Birnie Slough Road (Puget (Island) Cathlamet, Washington 98612
Phone: 360.849-4145
Website: www.stockhousesfarm.com
Products: Flowers, Chicken and Duck Eggs, Rob’s Pumpkin Patch, Vegetables.

Wooden Bridge Farm, Skamokawa, WA
Red Alder Ranch, Skamokawa, WA
Melissa's farm, Longview, WA

Lodging

Skamokawa, WA
Twin Gables on Skamokawa Creek, with dock. 360-795-3942
Skamokawa Center Inn, Paddle Center, General Store, Post Office. 888-920-2777
Inn at Lucky Mud rural lodging with local food on a 40 acre pioneer homestead. Frisbee golf. 800 806 7131

Cathlamet, WA
Rog's Retreat at Stockhouse's Farm on Puget Island 360.849.4145
Red Fern Farm B&B on Puget Island 360-849-4018
Bradley House in Cathlamet 360-795-3030
The Lodge at Rivermile 39 on Puget Island 360-849-4016

Markets
Puget Island Farmer's Market Fridays in 2007 4-6pm
Astoria Sunday Market

Area Info, Community
Skamokawa Centric informative blog on Skamokawa, WA and this oft overlooked part of the Columbia River
Wahkiakum Friends of the River
Welcome to Wahkiakum All about this humble, rural county on the banks of the Columbia River without a single traffic light, but with one heck of a community
Wahkiakum Acoustic Guitar Society
Notes & treats from Beth's home kitchen

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