Going Out on a Limb: Life on the Family Farms of Lisa Perry & Ricardo Galvez

Doors at 6:00 p.m., show from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. PDT. (If the event is sold out, unclaimed seats will be released to the waitlist at 6:45 p.m.)

Where: Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River, OR 97031 A livestream option is available. These show typically sell out and we advice buying your tickets early.

STORY:
Here in the Gorge, family farms have shaped both the landscape and the community for generations. Orchards stretch across the hillsides, tended by growers whose livelihoods rely quite literally on their sense of place. From microclimates and soil conditions to insect cycles and wind reports, their work blends inherited wisdom with modern science. And the agricultural community reflects a diversity of backgrounds – homesteaders, Finnish, Japanese, Mexican, among many – all of whom have contributed to the Gorge’s agricultural knowledge and legacy.

Together, local farmers anchor an agricultural industry that generates more than $200 million and the Gorge ranks in the top three for pears and cherry production. Yet behind those numbers is a way of life that is anything but simple. What does it take to grow fruit in a place where frost can erase a season overnight? What’s the best way to prune a tree – or hundreds of them? How do families keep farms alive in the face of rising costs, shifting regulations, and the constant pressure of development? And what might the Gorge look like without them?

Join us for a conversation with farmer Lisa Perry, who, along with her husband Ricardo Galvez, tends one of the many family farms that make up the Gorge’s rich agricultural community. She’ll share stories of their challenges, successes, and the deep connection to place that keeps them farming in the Gorge.

About the Speaker:
Lisa Perry is a fourth-generation farmer, born and raised in the Columbia River Gorge. She grew up in the tight-knit community of Pine Grove, spending her childhood checking irrigation boxes and riding tractors alongside her dad. When her father lost the farm, Lisa was forced to confront what it truly meant to be a farmer—and whether she wanted to continue that legacy. As she considered her own future in agriculture, new questions emerged - from simply, why plant one crop over another? To the more complex, like why are farmers so often the last to be paid for their work?

Despite the uncertainty, Lisa found her way back to agriculture. She spent summers and weekends working on her stepfather’s 100-acre fruit farm, learning hands-on from an experienced grower. In 2017, Lisa and her husband, Ricardo Galvez, had the opportunity to start their own venture. They founded Out On A Limb Farm after purchasing a 14-acre fruit orchard from Ricardo’s grandfather.

Today, Lisa works full-time on their farm in Dukes Valley, just southwest of Odell, where she and Ricardo grow pears, apples, plums, peaches, and nectarines. Their produce is grown for a local packing house, in addition to being sold online and in person at The Farmer in Odell fruit stand.

About Sense of Place:

For 16-years, Sense of Place has connected people through place and storytelling.

Our flagship speaker series features people with unique knowledge of the Columbia River Gorge and who consider the natural and cultural history that has shaped this place. Guests have included: scientists, tribal members, authors, farmers, and many others from throughout the Pacific Northwest. The stories shared deepen our understanding of the Gorge and strengthen our connection to the landscape and to each other.

Learn more about Sense of Place and check out our online archive and past events HERE.

For more information, visit senseofplacegorge.org or follow on Instagram @senseofplacegorge. Subscribe to the Sense of Place Newsletter for event updates and behind-the-scenes stories.

Sense of Place is a program of Mt. Adams Institute, which provides programs that
strengthen the connection between people and the natural world through
education, service, career development, and research.