Posts by Trista Crossley
Mobile mechanic specializes in farm, construction equipment
Big Iron Repair owner Scott Carroll has shifted gears in his career nearly as many times as he’s rebuilt heavy equipment transmissions and engines. His journey began in the late 1970s on his father-in-law’s Eastern Washington farm. Carroll was born and raised in Ephrata, Wash. After high school, he found work as a truck driver.…
Read MoreRelationships key to being a successful landlord
In an industry where keeping the family farm in the family is often paramount, Jan Abrams’ father, George M. Miller, gave her a gift. “My father made it clear that the farm is a business. He said, ‘I don’t want you, out of some sense of sentimentality, to hang onto the farm if it needs…
Read MoreFood and Farm Tour
More than 60 legislators, legislative staff and industry stakeholders descended on Walla Walla in late September to take part in a two-day food and farm tour that highlighted issues facing agriculture and celebrated the region’s many farms. Stops on the tour included a wheat farm, a grain elevator, a vineyard, a potato storehouse, a tree…
Read MoreIs a family farm by any other name still a family farm?
What is a family farm? Definitions vary, depending on the person answering, but one thing is for sure—it shouldn’t be based on the farm name. “I think most people don’t realize that every business they interact with on a daily basis is in a legal entity of some kind,” said John Kragt, an attorney with…
Read MoreFinding the right recipe
In Eastern Washington, cover crops hold promise, but growers are still weeding out some issues. Ryan Poe, a grower from Grant County and president of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, ran into one of those issues in 2019 and 2020 when he planted a cover crop at the same time he direct seeded 25…
Read MoreWhere to find marketing tips for beginners
Nonfarming landlords and beginning farmers who want to learn to market their own wheat have options…it might just take a little leg work. “The secret is education and understanding what it is you are doing and the ramifications of your decisions,” explained Kevin Duling, co-founder and manager of KD Investors, a consulting firm dealing with…
Read MoreAtmospheric scientist sees chance for above-normal precipitation through rest of year
After one of the driest crop years on record, can Pacific Northwest growers expect an equally dry fall? Eric Snodgrass doesn’t think so. “When we look at the longer-range models and when we look at what’s going on out in the Pacific Ocean, there are no strong signals suggesting we will have a drier October/November,”…
Read MoreSnodgrass to revisit weather at convention
Want to hear more long-term weather predictions from Eric Snodgrass? The principal atmospheric scientist for Nutrien Ag Solutions will be appearing as a keynote speaker at the 2021 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention, Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, at the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane, Wash. In his presentation, Snodgrass will discuss long-term weather trends, the…
Read MoreHitting the Right Note
The Tri-State Grain Growers Convention offers a chance to learn a few things, meet a few people and enjoy some first-class speakers, all in honor of the region’s small grains industry. Cara Pascalar knows just the right note to hit to make it all entertaining. Pascalar is the scheduled entertainment for the 2021 Tri-State Grain…
Read MoreThe Best Medicine
If there’s a humorous way to tackle serious matters in agriculture, Mark Mayfield is on it. Mayfield is scheduled to be a keynote presenter at the 2021 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention, Nov. 30-Dec. 3, at the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane, Wash. Growers can register for the convention at wawg.org/convention/registration/. Mayfield is known for his…
Read More
