Our off-grid homestead is SOLD
Building this homestead transformed my life in so many ways, now it moves on to transform the lives of others. I'm leaving this page up as a monument to this beautiful experience. Thank you to Mark and Kathleen who originally made it possible for us to buy the property. I love you both.
Nestled into the Nehalem river valley on the stunningly beautiful north Oregon coast, the Revolution Gardens homestead sits on 5 acres of mixed forest and field with a year round creek. The farm is bordered by a rare patch of old growth temperate rain forest to the south with views of Onion peak to the north. There is one house built in 2007, two beautiful little guest cabins, a larger Japanese inspired cabin, a Japanese inspired solar/wood-fired bath house/sauna, a timber framed outdoor kitchen, two greenhouses, and two chicken coops. There is hi-speed fiber optic internet access.
The entire complex was designed to be a completely self sufficient off-grid small farm/retreat. Water comes from a small dam on the creek, heat comes from firewood harvested on the property, hot water from our integrated solar/wood-fired systems, and electricity from a hybrid photovoltaic system. All field areas have been cultivated and amended for years and include drip irrigation. Property address is: 77281 Hwy 53, Nehalem, OR 97131
Nestled into the Nehalem river valley on the stunningly beautiful north Oregon coast, the Revolution Gardens homestead sits on 5 acres of mixed forest and field with a year round creek. The farm is bordered by a rare patch of old growth temperate rain forest to the south with views of Onion peak to the north. There is one house built in 2007, two beautiful little guest cabins, a larger Japanese inspired cabin, a Japanese inspired solar/wood-fired bath house/sauna, a timber framed outdoor kitchen, two greenhouses, and two chicken coops. There is hi-speed fiber optic internet access.
The entire complex was designed to be a completely self sufficient off-grid small farm/retreat. Water comes from a small dam on the creek, heat comes from firewood harvested on the property, hot water from our integrated solar/wood-fired systems, and electricity from a hybrid photovoltaic system. All field areas have been cultivated and amended for years and include drip irrigation. Property address is: 77281 Hwy 53, Nehalem, OR 97131
Structures:
The main house is 700 square feet and was built in 2007. It’s two stories, one bedroom, one bath, and includes a large fully enclosed solarium, and another large fully enclosed covered porch. We are currently repainting the interior white.
The main house is 700 square feet and was built in 2007. It’s two stories, one bedroom, one bath, and includes a large fully enclosed solarium, and another large fully enclosed covered porch. We are currently repainting the interior white.
The small adjacent cabin is 100 square feet with electricity and a wood stove.
The thimbleberry creek cabin is 110 square feet with electricity, water, and a wood stove.
The Zen Forest Cabin is 400 square feet and has water, electricity, and comes with a rare tiny Jotul cook stove. This structure is a work of art, and was built almost entirely of natural materials and wood milled on site. For more details check out this excellent video by Kirsten Dirkin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32WtDb3c3ws
The Japanese inspired bath house uses a unique hybrid wood-fired/solar arrangement that is detailed in another one of Kirstens videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DSQ0W2lwtw
The outdoor kitchen structure is 14x14 on a concrete pad, the roof is timber framed from full dimension rough sawn lumber.
There are two 20x48 greenhouses and a smaller 12x16 greenhouse. All were purchased and built new since 2007. Covers are not failing but should be replaced in the next few years.
Two separate chicken coops allow us to move the chickens between fields to clear and fertilize different areas.
Systems:
The water system is fed directly from a dam built on the creek to supply the original historic homestead. This is inspected and legal and we own the water rights. Our system branches off from a four inch cast iron water main that also feeds the two houses across Hwy 53. The water can run low in the late summer but we have never run out. The watershed that feeds the creek is well worth hiking into and contains some of the nicest state forest land in the area. The creek tests clean and we have never bothered to filter, but it would be simple to do.
Systems:
The water system is fed directly from a dam built on the creek to supply the original historic homestead. This is inspected and legal and we own the water rights. Our system branches off from a four inch cast iron water main that also feeds the two houses across Hwy 53. The water can run low in the late summer but we have never run out. The watershed that feeds the creek is well worth hiking into and contains some of the nicest state forest land in the area. The creek tests clean and we have never bothered to filter, but it would be simple to do.
Electricity is supplied by a hybrid photovoltaic system which charges a 24V 750 ah bank of 8 new trojan L16 lead acid batteries. Those batteries feed an outback inverter which converts DC to regular household AC. The photovoltaics use a simple xantrax C60 series charge controller, although switching to MPPT might add a little more bang for a few more bucks.
Overall the system is well balanced and provides about 4.5 KW of usable electricity per day. Lights, tools, and small appliances are no problem, but like most off grid setups, large continuous loads like hot water heating or space heating aren’t really practical. There is a generator backup, but it’s only been used a handful of times. Utility power is nearby for those interested in tying into the grid.
Heat is supplied by wood stoves in every structure. The property produces enough firewood to meet it’s own needs although firewood is also easily purchased. We have an 8x24’ south facing wood shed to quickly dry firewood in the summer months. Converting to propane heat would be simple, we just never needed to. Converting the old majestic wood fired cook stove in the main house to a modern high efficiency stove would reduce firewood use by at least a third.
Hot water is supplied by hybrid wood-fired/ solar collection systems. It’s a dead simple low tech system that works flawlessly. The fire heats the water in the winter when you’d have a fire anyway, and the sun heats the water in the summer, and they work together in the shoulder months.
The hybrid system in the Japanese bath house consists of two large rooftop collectors that drain into a two 50 gallon tanks inside the sauna. These panels can feed one or both tanks depending on the intensity of the sun or the length of the days. In the winter, the bath is fed directly with a Chofu wood fired hot tub heater. These are normally horribly inefficient systems taking hours to heat and gobbling firewood but the way we have installed it creates a steaming tub of hot water in about 90 minutes with an armload of firewood and conveniently heats the sauna space as well.
Flora and Fauna:
Nestled up to a rare parcel of old growth forest, the entire landscape is just overflowing with plant and animal life; western hemlock, red cedar, coastal redwood, and sitka spruce dominate the forest canopy, while vine maple, moss, ferns, elderberry, salmonberry, thimbleberry, blackberry, oxalis, sword and bracken fern, fill out the understory. In addition we’ve planted cherries, apples, hazelnuts, raspberries, grapes, and currants. Elk, deer, steelhead, salmon, owls, beavers, surf perch, rock fish, trout, crayfish, bobcats and coyotes are just some of the wildlife in the area.
Nestled up to a rare parcel of old growth forest, the entire landscape is just overflowing with plant and animal life; western hemlock, red cedar, coastal redwood, and sitka spruce dominate the forest canopy, while vine maple, moss, ferns, elderberry, salmonberry, thimbleberry, blackberry, oxalis, sword and bracken fern, fill out the understory. In addition we’ve planted cherries, apples, hazelnuts, raspberries, grapes, and currants. Elk, deer, steelhead, salmon, owls, beavers, surf perch, rock fish, trout, crayfish, bobcats and coyotes are just some of the wildlife in the area.
Surrounding area:
Behind the property is state land that is great for gathering chanterelle mushrooms in the fall. Right across the street is the north fork of the Nehalem river which has one of the best winter steelhead runs in the state. A few miles up the road is secluded Soapstone lake, the best secret summer swimming spot in the area. A ten minute drive takes you to the coastal village and beautiful beach of Manzanita. A few miles further north is Oswald West state park with amazing hikes and great surfing at short sands beach. A few miles south brings you to Wheeler and Nehalem bay for great crabbing, salmon fishing, and kayaking. On the Nehalem spit there is even more exploring and excellent king bolete mushrooming in the fall. Deeper into the valley is the main stem of the Nehalem river with beautiful Nehalem Falls, and Spruce Run campgrounds, that are never crowded, even in peak season. Obviously, the coastline here is a WET climate but due to the fog shield effect of Neah Kah Nie mountian, there is a micro climate here that is significantly warmer and drier than communities to the north and south.
Behind the property is state land that is great for gathering chanterelle mushrooms in the fall. Right across the street is the north fork of the Nehalem river which has one of the best winter steelhead runs in the state. A few miles up the road is secluded Soapstone lake, the best secret summer swimming spot in the area. A ten minute drive takes you to the coastal village and beautiful beach of Manzanita. A few miles further north is Oswald West state park with amazing hikes and great surfing at short sands beach. A few miles south brings you to Wheeler and Nehalem bay for great crabbing, salmon fishing, and kayaking. On the Nehalem spit there is even more exploring and excellent king bolete mushrooming in the fall. Deeper into the valley is the main stem of the Nehalem river with beautiful Nehalem Falls, and Spruce Run campgrounds, that are never crowded, even in peak season. Obviously, the coastline here is a WET climate but due to the fog shield effect of Neah Kah Nie mountian, there is a micro climate here that is significantly warmer and drier than communities to the north and south.
Community:
The three villages of Manzanita, Nehalem, and Wheeler are a diverse mix of vacation homes, arts community, farming, and working class. Underlying that diversity is a common bond that people who live here love to live here. There is an openness and real feeling of community with a thriving arts scene in Manzanita, generations old farms and dairies in the valley, and an ever increasing number of new organic farms producing vegetables, berries, and meats. Friday evenings during the summer months, Manzanita hosts an impressive farmers market. The winter is great for solitude, storm watching, and beachcombing. Two grocery stores, a small natural market, and three coffee shops ensure the essentials without having to drive too far, and when the big city beckons Portland is just 90 minutes away via Hwy 53 and 26.
Revolution Gardens homestead was a dream we made into a reality. Maybe you have a dream you're ready to make into a reality? Price is $330K For a showing or to ask questions please send inquiries to both:
revolutionginger@gmail.com and brian@capefalconkayaks.com
Ginger is the coordinator for showing and sale, and small farming is her area of expertise. I no longer live in the area but feel free to ask me questions about the off grid systems, I'm happy to talk your ear off about how everything works, what it's like to live off-grid, and what I might upgrade or change.
The three villages of Manzanita, Nehalem, and Wheeler are a diverse mix of vacation homes, arts community, farming, and working class. Underlying that diversity is a common bond that people who live here love to live here. There is an openness and real feeling of community with a thriving arts scene in Manzanita, generations old farms and dairies in the valley, and an ever increasing number of new organic farms producing vegetables, berries, and meats. Friday evenings during the summer months, Manzanita hosts an impressive farmers market. The winter is great for solitude, storm watching, and beachcombing. Two grocery stores, a small natural market, and three coffee shops ensure the essentials without having to drive too far, and when the big city beckons Portland is just 90 minutes away via Hwy 53 and 26.
Revolution Gardens homestead was a dream we made into a reality. Maybe you have a dream you're ready to make into a reality? Price is $330K For a showing or to ask questions please send inquiries to both:
revolutionginger@gmail.com and brian@capefalconkayaks.com
Ginger is the coordinator for showing and sale, and small farming is her area of expertise. I no longer live in the area but feel free to ask me questions about the off grid systems, I'm happy to talk your ear off about how everything works, what it's like to live off-grid, and what I might upgrade or change.