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…
Washington wheat is known all over the world for its quality and keeping that quality high is due, in large part, to growers like Derek Schafer, who’s been growing registered and certified seed for more than 20 years. Schafer, who farms outside of Ritzville, Wash., said he uses approximately 20%…
Down in the Tri-Cities, Kurt and Melody Beckley are confident growers will see the possibilities their new drone-based business, Altitude Agri Services, offers. “I find I’m anticipating that moment when more growers see what the drones are capable of doing, and they want to embrace them and take advantage of…
What is asset allocation, and why is it important for farmers to get it right? Jordan Thayer, a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, breaks it down. Define assets in this context. Essentially, asset allocation is the decision surrounding what percentage of your investments should be in stocks vs. bonds vs….
In agronomy, context is key. That was the message growers heard from Ted Labun at the 2023 Wheat College last month in Colfax, Wash. Labun is the owner of TLC Agronomics Inc., a consulting company based in Calgary, Alberta, that works with producers to grow successful crops by incorporating best…
Every year, during the second full weekend in June, Bickleton, Wash., is overrun with horses, but only some of them are real. Tucked away on the west end of the Horse Heaven Hills in eastern Klickitat County, Bickleton, population 90, features an impressive list of gems: it hosts one of…
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer! I still remember watching the Lawrence Welk Show as the Champagne Ladies pranced out in 1960’s beachwear singing the campy tune. My mom has always considered the song a bit of an insult to rural farm country. Crazy seems to be…
In an industry where your “word” often carries more weight than a written agreement, effective communication between agricultural stakeholders is key to long-term success. Solid and forthright communication is a foundation of trust that takes years for good farming operations to establish. Effective dialog is a constant moving target, but…
