Urban Oasis: Montavilla Mini Farm Brings Fresh Produce to Portland Neighborhood

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Driving west on Northeast Glisan in Portland's Montavilla neighborhood, you'll pass a car wash, restaurants, bars and a strip mall. It's far removed from the fertile agricultural valleys surrounding Portland. Yet two blocks north sits Montavilla Mini Farm, producing high-quality vegetables from under 6,000 square feet of carefully cultivated soil.

In early May, rows of garlic, onions and overwintered collards thrive, while seedlings of arugula, radishes, beets and kale emerge from the soil. The farm maximizes every inch of this sunny side lot to grow diverse crops year-round.

"I do a lot of crop rotation," said Alyssa Perry, the farm's owner. "I'm strategic about what I plant. I did a lot of learning about what [nutrients] certain plants take out of the soil, and what plants put back in."

The farm began eight years ago when Perry and her husband relocated from Wisconsin, where she had already developed a passion for growing food.

"In Wisconsin, I transformed, first, part of the backyard, then, the entire backyard, and then, the front yard, all to garden," Perry said.

Wisconsin's harsh winters shortened the growing season. Perry wanted to live somewhere with milder winters and extended growing opportunities. Portland, in USDA Hardiness Zone 8B, offered that chance.

Upon arrival, Perry found the perfect spot to realize her vision.

"Where the farm is now was just a big grass fenced-in area," Perry said. "We're like, 'it's perfect.' There's no big trees right here. So it gets a ton of sun, and it's just the perfect space for the garden."

But calling it a garden understates what Perry has built: a small farm in the heart of one of Portland's largest residential neighborhoods. Using organic methods, meticulous planning and learning from setbacks, she's created a thriving urban agricultural space.

"The first year that I ever tried to grow stuff, it went terrible," Perry said. "I got tomato blight, which makes you have to burn the soil. I got huge worms through all of my melons, it was just bad."

Rather than giving up, Perry saw these challenges as learning opportunities.

"I think that's kind of a fun journey to figure out, become an expert on a different crop year after year, especially as something goes wrong," she said.

Between sessions with her personal training clients, Perry tends her field — weeding, transplanting and seeding crops in a continuous cycle.

Her efforts are paying off. The Montavilla Mini Farm will offer 36 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) slots for 2025, during a 16-week season running from July through October. For $380 ($23.75 weekly), members get a box of freshly picked produce. Perry harvests each member's share the day before pickup, ensuring maximum freshness and quality.

Each box, roughly the size of a large paper grocery bag, contains 6-8 different types of vegetables. While not certified organic, Perry adheres strictly to organic growing methods, using only neem oil and diatomaceous earth for pest control. Her meticulous crop rotation means she only needs to apply fertilizer about once every three years.

Buying directly from Perry ensures that this small-scale farm continues to thrive and supports a vibrant local agricultural economy. Customers get to know the person growing, harvesting and packing their produce — all at a price that compares favorably with organic stores and markets.

"The love that people show me is very palpable," she said. "Like 90%, 95% of the time that I am out working, somebody will walk by and stop and tell me how beautiful it is or thank me for having it in the community."

That's part of what keeps Perry going. It all comes back to a simple mission: expanding access to high-quality, affordable produce.

You can reach Alyssa Perry and the Montavilla Mini Farm on Facebook and Instagram. There are still open slots in this year's CSA, but space is limited.

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