General
Reaching out to the younger generation
There’s a lot of issues on WAWG’s (the Washington Association of Wheat Growers) agenda right now that need immediate attention—preserving the lower Snake River dams, the disastrous mandatory buffer bill at the state level, keeping conservation efforts voluntary. Those issues are important, obviously, but there’s another issue that I can’t…
Leaving a legacy
Janet Walthew may live on the west side of the state, but her family’s legacy in Adams County runs deep as they continue to own and lease out the family’s fourth-generation dryland wheat farm. Recently, she came across photos of her grandfather, Henry Bauer, along with an article published after…
Coffee-roasting business brews success on Harrington wheat farm
When one thinks of Pacific Northwest agriculture, wheat, small grains, wine or apples are mainly what comes to mind. There may be a couple of other crops that pop into your head, but I’m sure you’ve never thought of coffee, which doesn’t grow in this region. But local farmer Shelley…
Some big shoes to fill at Lind
Every new year brings changes and challenges, and this year is shaping up to be no different. In December, we learned that Bill Schillinger, director of Washington State University’s (WSU) Lind Dryland Research Station, will be retiring this month. Bill has spent nearly three decades at the station, dedicating his…
Communication key when family is on both sides
Walt Neff has the key to a successful, long-term relationship, whether it’s a marriage or a generational family farm. “Communication. That’s the biggest secret right there,” he said. Neff is part of a landlord group that includes his two brothers and a cousin. Neff’s son, David, is the group’s primary…
Spokane’s ‘truck whisperer’
What do you get when you put together more than 150 years of experience in truck sales, service and maintenance? You get Class 8 Trucks in Spokane, Wash. Owner Marc Lange grew up on a wheat and cattle ranch near Garfield in Whitman County. He had the background and experience…
A little about me…
Since this is my first time writing as president of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG), I thought I’d take a few minutes to introduce myself and my family. I’m the third generation on my family’s Douglas County dryland wheat farm, which was settled in the 1950s by my…
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…
My supportive family made service possible
Well, as this is my last president’s column, I want to pause for a minute and thank a number of people and reflect on the past two years. When I became the current Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) president at our convention in late 2019, COVID-19 was a foreign…
Relationships 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…
