Enjoy the first day of summer with a tour of our native seed production and farm habitat restoration at Heritage Seedlings’ Lake Farm property. For a list of native species we grow and information about restoration work please go to http://www.heritageseedlings.com/native-seed and http://www.heritageseedlings.com/stewardship
Tour leader: Lynda Boyer, Restoration Biologist and Native Plant Manager, Heritage Seedlings, Inc. Please RSVP if you can to lboyer@heritageseedlings.com
TOPICS: NATIVE SEED PRODUCTION, POLLINATOR ENHANCEMENT, AND HABITAT RESTORATION (riparian, oak woodland, pollinator hedgerows) ON A WORKING FARM
Native Seed Production
To provide seed for projects occurring in Western Oregon as well as our own restoration work, Heritage Seedlings grows over 100 species of Willamette Valley Prairie forbs and graminoids. We have 40 acres of seed production fields producing 4,000 lbs of seed per year. Many will be in full bloom for the tour (list below).
Seed Production TOPICS
Field size: Small production blocks (0.05-0.2 acres) which allow us to grow a diversity of species on a small total acreage which 1) allows us to assess the “best” production methods for that species and 2) not over-produce product.
Production block establishment: Pros and cons of starting with seed vs plants and choosing open field vs weed barrier cloth for seed capture.
Seeding methods: 10 ft seed drill, Earthway Garden Seeder, and broadcast
Weed control: manual, chemical, and smother with sawdust
Critter control: bad bugs, birds, deer, gophers, ground squirrels, and voles. 100’s of pounds of seed can be lost very quickly - we grow native FOOD!
Hydrology: wetland plants can be picky.
Harvest methods: hand harvest, weed barrier cloth, and machine with modified swather.
Drying methods: under the sun (we hope)
Processing method: small combines (circa 1950’s) for small plot size… ahhhh just right!
Stand-longevity and sourcing native seed: wild vs stock seed.
Species in bloom: Achillea millefolium, Asclepias speciosa, Clarkia amoena, Clarkia purpurea, Erigeron decumbens (T&E species), Collomia grandiflora, Eriophyllum lanatum, Gilia capitata, Madia gracilis, Madia elegans, Microseris laciniata, Perideridia oregana, Potentilla gracilis, Prunella vulgaris v. lanceolata, Sidalcea campestris (late-blooming), Solidago elongata, Wyethia angustifolia.
Native Habitat Restoration
Many of you are aware of the 18 years of prairie and oak restoration work at our Jefferson property. 227 acres of that farm now has a permanent conservation easement with the USFW – yeah! Much of the Lake Farm property is working agricultural land but with lots of peripheral oak, hedgerow, and wetland areas just begging for habitat enhancement.
Restoration techniques discussed: site preparation (starting conditions and goals), seeding vs planting, targeted vs general herbicides (what to use when and where), and invasive species control.
HABITAT HOTSPOTS ON THE FARM
Roadside native plantings
Pollinator hedgerows in our seed production area planted with shrubs, forbs and grasses to increase the available habitat for beneficial insects. We will look at both well-established hedgerows and new areas seeded and planted last fall.
A 15-acre CREP planting along a creek completed in 2005
Oak woodland restoration where the native understory plants RULE! The bird species are in heaven!
Nest boxes utilized by Western bluebirds, swallows, chickadees, and wrens.
Water, apples, and cookies provided. Bring your binocs! Easy walking and we will drive to the west side of the farm for part of the tour.
Directions to Lake Farm Jordan St Field (east gate and seed production area)
[no physical address but it’s just east of 8229 Jordan St SE on the north side of the road and 8382 on the south side of the road; and west of Dumore Dr. SE) Sign says Heritage Seedlings 8500/8600 Block – here is a link to a view of the gate location showing Dumore If you hit the Railroad tracks or Howell Prairie after that you are past Dumore and need to turn around.
https://www.google.com/maps/@44.8884606,-122.8806274,502m/data=!3m1!1e3
OLD FASHIONED DIRECTIONS:
I-5 north or south to exit 253 [Hwy 22]
22 east to exit #5 [Joseph St]
Left at exit onto Joseph St (go under Hwy 22)
In ~ 200 yards at T in road [71st] go left
Take immediate Right onto Jordan St.
Continue on Jordan 1.6 miles heading east (1/8 mile west of railroad tracks north side of road and just east of 8229 Jordan St SE on the north side of the road and 8382 on the south side of the road; and west of Dumore Dr. SE)
*You will see deer fencing on the left and a large, green double gate. For the Seed Production fields, go through the gate and down the gravel road past the building on the left and the large oak on the right until the gravel road comes to a “T”. Take a right at the T and you will see the greenhouse. Park at the greenhouse.