Finding the Perfect Willamette Valley Hobby Farm or Ranch Property

It’s a trend playing out worldwide post-lockdown – many of us are re-considering our priorities and moving away from urban centers into the countryside or suburbs and looking for more space to put down roots, sometimes literally.

Interest in gardening and hobby farming has already seen a huge uptick (for a while it was nearly impossible to buy a baby chicken to raise for eggs), and for those looking to take a deeper dive into the world of self-sufficiency finding the perfect property can be a challenge in a seller’s market. We heard that Peoria Gardens and other local garden suppliers couldn’t keep up with demand for seed and vegetable starts for the first time ever, in a sure sign that more people in the Willamette Valley are not only looking for bigger properties for sale, but also looking for ways to fully utilize the space that they do have.

Meet our Farm & Land Specialist – Pat Long

The Sue Long Realty Group has been helping clients find their perfect home to buy in the Mid-Willamette Valley for more than 35 years, but we’ve also added a farm specialist real estate agent to the team – Dr. Patrick Long. For nearly 40 years, Pat has been traversing the Valley as one of the world’s pre-eminent large-animal veterinarians specializing in llamas and alpacas making house calls. In fact, he literally wrote the book on llama and alpaca herd health.

As a result, Pat knows the back roads and interesting farm properties in the Mid-Willamette Valley better than just about anyone (he’s got shortcuts not even Google Maps knows about).

Beyond animals, Pat has also become a noted niche farmer, by selling rhubarb locally from one of the United States’ oldest patches (in production since 1945). He the first commercially-cultivated Perigord truffle in North America. In fact, he’s become so immersed in the truffle farming community in the Willamette Valley, he’s already helped three other farmers buy their own properties to cultivate truffles on. The truffle farm properties were located on Kieger Island (south of Corvallis), in the McKenzie River Valley (east of Eugene), and near Lacomb, Oregon.

Finding The Perfect Truffle Farm Property in Oregon

Look for the Right Soil Type

The farm has to have the correct mix of sand/loam/clay for optimal truffle production. Of course each truffle species will be a bit different, so soil drainage and texture are also important.

Ability to Irrigate Trees

During Oregon’s dry summers, irrigation is necessary for the trees that will be inoculated with the truffle spores on their roots. Therefore, water rights are essential for the perfect truffle farm property in Oregon.

Geographic & Budget Constraints

Finding a hobby farm property to buy in the Mid-Willamette Valley is always going to require finding land that is compatible with the buyer and their budget. You might find the one property currently for sale with the right soil mix and water rights, but if it’s on an 160-acre parcel and the buyer can only afford 10 acres, the search will go on. With geographic preferences based on which city the buyer wants to be close to factored in, it can get challenging.

For example, it’s hard to find the best soils in the Mid-Willamette Valley for cultivating truffles. Many times, there’s too much clay for good drainage, which is necessary for our wet winters.  Pat therefore also works with a soil scientist consultant with many of the purchases to ensure that his clients know exactly what they are getting. Knowing the right people with the right knowledge is one of the most important aspects when searching for a farm and land specialist in the Willamette Valley area.

As a licensed Realtor®, Pat combines his expert knowledge of the area with the Sue Long Team’s vast experience finding properties, negotiating contracts and getting the best deals for their clients, for outstanding results.

Whether you’re interested in acreage for horse barns and training grounds, llamas and alpacas for fun or your pasture’s weed control, or setting up that lavender-infused goat milk-lotion-body butter business you’ve been dreaming of, the Sue Long Realty Group has you covered in the Willamette Valley.

Are you looking to buy a home on acreage in the Mid-Willamette Valley? Check out a few possibilities below, or get in touch with us and we’ll set up a custom search for you.