For anybody, including farmers, approaching the traditional retirement age, social security and Medicare begin looming large on the horizon. These large government programs can seem overwhelming and confusing to navigate, leaving one wondering where to start. “Navigating is an appropriate term as it can feel like you’re a bit lost…
The road, up the hill, came to a “T”And I stopped at the red sign.After judging it was all clear for meI drove to my side of the line. Straight ahead, the focus of my stareUntil the view on the horizonCentered my thoughts on a fair pairOf plots highlighted by…
Elevators across Eastern Washington are suddenly finding it hard to insure parts of their structures regardless of condition, and if they do find insurance, the price is sky high. Palouse Grain Growers Manager Mike Bagott said they were unable to renew the insurance on their wooden crib elevator through their…
Nine farmers in the Hangman Creek Watershed are taking part in a pilot program that, if successful, has the potential to help solve a major water quality conundrum: installing riparian buffers without breaking producers’ bottom lines. The Hangman Creek Riparian Restoration and Conservation Program is funded by the Washington State…
Shelly Haas is one of the landowners signed up for the Hangman Creek Riparian Restoration and Conservation Program, but she and her husband, Jim, aren’t very happy about it. The program is funded by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and managed by the Spokane Conservation District. The program…
Cary Janson was one of the first farmers to sign up for the Hangman Creek Riparian Restoration and Conservation Program. The Janson farm runs between Latah and Tekoa, and quite a bit of their ground is along the creek. Janson said he didn’t have any reservations about giving up farming…
Approximately 20 years ago, I erupted through the door of the tiny, one-bedroom apartment my wife and I shared in the first couple months of our marriage. At the time, I was attempting to teach disinterested college seniors the finer points of high-speed aerodynamics in the aftermath of the post…
A common theme played out over the decades is that the lack of working capital and financial liquidity is often the choke point for financial and economic sustainability. This has been observed numerous times over the years in governments, households, and businesses. The financial stress of inadequate liquidity often comes…
