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Stewart Conservation Easement:
44 Acres located along the Deschutes River, south
of Olympia in Thurston County.
Conserved in 1994.
The
property is comprised of two major landscape types: river floodplain and upland terrace. The property is
primarily a riparian corridor ecosystem which includes
wetlands, uplands, old meander channels and a distinct
river valley wall. There is about .75 miles of river
frontage and the land lies within the Deschutes River
flood plain. The wooded portion contains Western Red
Cedar, Grand Fir, Douglas Fir and Western Hemlock. The
deciduous trees and shrubs consist of Oregon Ash,
Red-osier Dogwood and Indian Plum.
Deschutes Legacy: The Stewart Property
by Rich
Stewart
(Spring 1995)
Barb and Pete Ockfen moved to their small farm on the Deschutes
River in 1925. Their son Ken was born on the farm the same year. The
family worked on the farm and slowly developed a small dairy herd of
25 Jerseys. They were largely self-sufficient and it was a good life.
I was five years old where I first went to the farm to visit my
aunt, uncle and cousin. It was to be my second home. I loved being
outdoors--doing farm chores, milking, haying, or hoeing corn in the
"Drudge Patch" as I called it. There was always something to
do, and Barb and Pete had a knack for making it enjoyable. There were
able to bring out the best in people.
After a long day of haying--this was before hay balers--we would
jump in the river to cool off and settle the dust. Then we would check
the crawdad traps and head for the barn and the evening milking. About
once a week, usually after summer morning milkings, Ken and I would
spend a hour throwing buckets of water at each other.
Along about dark, Pete and I would go down to the river and
nightfish for cutthroat trout. I can still smell the smoke form Uncle
Pete's cigar as we sat on the riverbank fishing in the moonlight.
About 10:30pm we would take out catch and head for the milk barn.
The mice were active at night and with several wire-haired terriers
helping, we would storm the barn--cutting off escape routes, laughing,
and generally having a good time. It may sound strange reminiscing
about chasing mice in the milk barn, but it was great fun!
 The Ockfens were able to make a living
milking 23 Jerseys. They did
this for years and I was lucky to be a part of it. It seemed everyone
who spent time on the farm developed the same love for the lifestyle
and the beautiful surroundings.
The cows were sold in 1963 but the
Ockfens, semi-retired, stayed
on. Pete used to say there was no place he'd rather be than on the
farm, and nothing he'd rather be doing than working there. So the
Ockfens retired to the farm where they spent most of their lives.
In the late 1970's, Debbie and Mel Low became neighbors on the farm
and helped with all the chores. The farm would not be what it is today
without their contributions.
Gradually, the influx of people in the Northwest was becoming
apparent, even in our secluded area. The tremendous salmon runs up the
Deschutes were declining. There were fewer crawfish, fewer nighthawks
in the summer evenings, and meadow larks were disappearing. These were
almost imperceptible changes, but the old-timers could sense it.
The Ockfens wanted to shield the farm form these changes. When Pete
was in his early 80s he said that eventually the entire area would be
covered with houses, regardless of what we did.
Then in 1985, 44 acres of adjacent forest on the Deschutes River
came up for sale. We knew the property well and bought it. Except for
plowing five acres of thistle and turning it into pasture, the area
has remained as it was. Some of the broad-leafed maples are over 150
years old. Trilliums, Oregon grape, salal, and maidenhair fern abound.
Western red cedar, white fir, immature Douglas-fir, ash and cottonwood
make up most of the trees. Black-tailed deer, beaver, raccoon, skunk,
opossum and coyotes are inhabitants.
As the area continues to grow, property taxes have increased. I was
told it would be very difficult to have the property classified as
open space. Then I learned about the Capitol Land Trust and their
program of conservation easements designed to protect natural areas.
I talked with Stu Martin and Bruce Turcott from the Trust. With
their help, we were able to protect the land from logging and
development with a conservation easement. Now the land will remain in
its natural state.
Pete Ockfen did not live to see the 44 acres protected. He died in
1992 at the age of 92. Barb and Pete had been married over 70 years,
and with their son Ken lived on the Deschutes for over 65 years. Barb
is now 96 and still lives on the farm with Ken. They live the simple,
honest lives of farmers and they love the land. The preservation of
this Deschutes River forest is dedicated to Barb, Pete and Ken Ockfen.
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