This story was produced by the Oregon Journalism Project , a nonprofit newsroom covering the state.

DALLAS, Ore.—With tattoos wrapping around his arms and a baseball cap pulled low over his face, ex-Marine Mat Jensen cuts an imposing figure.

At least until he crouches down and the two Kunekune pigs on his 40-acre farm race over to him for their daily petting. Or when he’s almost knocked over by a miniature donkey affectionately leaning against his legs.

In 2021, Jensen and his wife, Ava, bought the abandoned property 12 miles west of Salem, naming it On the Edge Farm , where they grow produce for sale at their farm stand, welcome visitors for guided tours, and host a pumpkin patch. They were building a life as first-generation farmers when they were upended by unexpected news in

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