After a winter spent mostly indoors attending meetings, doing paperwork, or servicing equipment, farmers are usually eager to resume fieldwork. But what are those machines out in the field actually doing? In Eastern Washington, spring comes first in the south. Wheat farmers in Benton and Franklin counties will be out…
Wheat fields in Washington can be home to many insects, weeds, and diseases. Producing quality food crops requires intervention. Many factors are at play in the realm of safety for humans and the environment, including using insecticides, herbicides, or fungicides. In this article, we refer to all these types of…
Sam Kimmell has been a crop advisor with The McGregor Company for nine years. He typically works with about 30 farms every year, helping them make planting and crop input decisions. He grew up on a farm in North Idaho, but after high school, joined the Navy. He and his…
In August 1902, Washington’s Lincoln County briefly became famous for more than just its grain when the manhunt for escaped convict Harry Tracy ended in a wheat field southeast of Creston. Tracy was born Harry Severns in 1875 in Wisconsin to Sarah Catherine Atkinson and Orlando Nye Severns. Details about…
In 1936, the state of Washington began a project to preserve the lore of its earliest pioneers. Elderly people receiving old age assistance through the State Department of Public Welfare were interviewed, and excerpts from those interviews were published in three volumes, the last one in 1938. “Told by the…
In a perfect prelude to the holiday season, producers, stakeholders, and industry supporters from Idaho, Oregon, and Washington gathered last month to hear industry updates, network, and do a little Christmas shopping, all in service to the Pacific Northwest small grains industry. The 2023 Tri-State Grain Growers Convention was held…
In Lincoln County, Josh and Katie Steward’s dream of establishing their first generation wheat farm has become a reality. It remains to be seen if it’s a dream shared by their children: Jack, 12; Sadie, 9; and Gracie, 4. “This was Katie and mine’s dream,” explained Josh. “If they don’t…
Mark and Brett Lambert are the fourth and fifth generations, respectively, to farm their family’s land near Dayton, Wash. They grow mostly dryland wheat, chickpeas, peas, alfalfa, and some cattle. They use direct seeding and no-till practices as much as possible. “I feel blessed with the opportunity to have such…
Speaking to Reid Phillips about his family’s farm, Windy Hill Ranch, it’s obvious how profoundly proud he is to be able to pass it to his son, Palmer. “It takes more than one generation to make a successful family farm or any farming operation,” Reid said. “You have to have…
