by Dan Johnson and Adam Rust



The Crew from left: Eric, Wes, Dan, Katie, Diana, Amanda, and Adam
(Nathan and Deb are not pictured, though they worked really hard)  


Mounting my bike and pedaling away from my apartment on Memorial Day, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the day ahead of me.  The plan involved a half dozen of us heading south to Oregon City and Nizich Farms, owned by Diana Nizich, whom only one of us had met (a meeting quite by accident).

This day was to be the first official service project for the group known as Renovo, a ministry of Imago Dei Community Church in Portland, Oregon.  Renovo (Latin meaning "To Renew or Restore") exists to be proactive in reconciling all parts of creation to God, including both humanity and elements of nature.  To put it simply, we endorse any and all movements toward sustainable living, whether they take place in our church, our offices, or our personal lives.

This project was of great importance to us on a number of levels.  First, we understand that as city-folk, we naturally have a disconnection with the land from which our foods are produced.  This disconnect can often lead to a lack of stewardship on our part and the continued exploitation of Creation while we stand by unaware.  

Second, we feel that the move in our culture away from local family-run farms and toward large, multi-national agri-businesses is a move in completely the wrong direction.  This transition hurts local farmers, local economies, destroys communities, and gives an exorbitant amount of power to a few people at the top of those corporations.  For these reasons (as well as the fact that like to work hard on our days off from real work) we were excited to be a blessing for Diana and her chickens.

Many of us were also undertaking this venture independent of fossil fueled transportation, a feat promising to make the day a bit more interesting, exciting, and, most importantly, sustainable.

Our bicycling caravan rolled out of SE Portland around 7am and, after putting 20 miles of wear and tear on our bikes and our bodies, we arrived at Nizich Farms, just outside of Oregon City.  The sight that met us was not altogether un-expected.  There were many species of fantastic fowl pecking, clucking, and running here and there beneath, around, and through an assortment of junk obviously needing to be moved, chopped, planted, and fixed.

Soon, Diana marched out to meet us and wasted no time in setting us to work around the farm.  One team was in charge of splitting and stacking wood and otherwise clearing the front of the house while another team cared for a large number of blueberry plants in the field. As we worked, the sun came our from behind the clouds, our skin began to sweat, and we enjoyed the benefits of working with our hands.

Around noon, during our lunch break, we stood together in one of the barns, surrounded by chickens and their eggs (some of which were in the process of being laid as we spoke).  We talked with Diana for a little while and she eagerly educated us regarding the benefits of farm-fresh eggs from healthy and happy chickens. We were astounded to learn that Diana’s eggs are so fresh and unadulterated that they can sit un-refrigerated for up to a month without any problem whatsoever (I’ll hold my tongue concerning her thoughts about those “store-bought-industrial birds”).

We also spoke about some of the problems and obstacles that face a modern family farm, deepening our desire to partner with Diana as she communed with her land. After another hour of work, we packed up our things and said goodbye (not before snapping a quick group picture).  This initial workday at Nizich Farms will hopefully be the first of many. There is still a lot of work to be done and not enough hours in the week for Diana to do it herself.  

The event was an encouragement to everyone. It encouraged the Renovo folks by showing us that there still are food producers who care more about the quality of their food than they do their profits. It was a huge encouragement to Diana, as she has no hope of keeping up with all that this farm demands on her own.  From the constant clucking throughout the day and the call of a rooster that followed us as we biked away, we’re willing to bet that the animals were encouraged a bit as well.

Without a doubt, we will organize more of these workdays in the future. The bike caravan will continue to run for those events as well as others. Feel free to contact Adam Rust or Dan Johnson if you have any questions or would like more information about how to order some of the items Diana sells. Also check the Renovo website often for further information about upcoming visits to Nizich Farms.