Zenger Farm

	Zenger farm is an old dairy farm on the southeast edge of Portland. Since 1994 it has been owned by the city of Portland. Originally purchased as part of a program to manage flooding in the Johnson Creek Watershed - the farm has wetlands that are useful in helping absorb excess water during floods - community activists, such as Steve Johnson - saw the value of continuing a farming tradition on the land as well.
	Until the early 1970s Zenger Farn was surrounded by other small farms and old residences. But after a freeway went through less than a mile from the property, the surrounding lands were rezoned commercial. This factory, that borders the farm's western edge used to be the Foster Drive-in movie theater.
	Just down Foster Road from the farm are a lot of auto wrecking and body shops, a toxic storage facility, warehouses, a tatoo parlor and a lot of noisy traffic.

	Zenger Farm is a little piece of tranquility in the midst of industrial sprawl. In the back part of the property are several acres of wetlands which are being protected as wildlife habitat as well as for flood control.
	Since 1995 Zenger Farm has been offering educational programs about farming and nature.

Here Sara Cogan, the education coordinator for Friends of Zenger Farm shows a group of students from inner city Portland some of the vegetables that are grown on the farm.

Friends of Zenger Farm was formed in 1999 to formalize the educational programs started by Marc Boucher-Colbert in 1995. Boucher-Colbert wanted to use the farm for his Community Supported Agriculture farm and in return he offered opportunities for children and adults to come out learn about farming. Friends of Zenger Farm has expanded the original program and they work closely with Portland Public Schools and Portland State University.

For more information about Zenger Farm: http://www.zengerfarm.org/programs.html