General
Horse Heaven
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…
Small town, big community
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…
Effective communication FOR the farm
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…
GIS specialist maps a 37-year career
Mapping Dwaine Schettler’s 37-year career with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is relatively straightforward; it’s the side trails that are unexpected. Schettler is a program specialist at the Washington state FSA office, focusing on geographic information systems (GIS) and compliance. He was born and raised in Waterville, Wash., and graduated…
Signed
Nestled among rolling hills in Lincoln County, Harrington, Wash., is a town with a small population but surprising momentum. Turn-of-the-century buildings are in the process of being renovated, including the Electric Hotel and the former U.S. Bank building. Local businesses line the main street — you can buy a pair…
CTE teacher/FFA adviser continues family tradition
Enthusiasm emanates from Samantha Sims. Now in her sixth year of teaching career and technical education at Ellensburg High School (EHS), Sims has already amassed an impressive record of Washington state FFA champions and top-four finishers at the national competition level. Sims was recently awarded the 2023 National New Teacher…
A deep dive into advocacy
Earlier this year, I was given the opportunity to join the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) in lobbying for our farmers at both the state and federal level. During both trips, I was able to meet with legislators, create meaningful connections with many new people, and experience how our…
Working for Washington wheat
Washington wheat growers are represented by three organizations working together on behalf of the wheat and small grains industry in the Evergreen state. Although it might be confusing, each organization — the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, the Washington Grain Commission and the Washington Wheat Foundation — fulfills a specific…
The insanity of March Madness
Well, it’s that time of year again. Even though you’re reading this in April, it’s March as I’m writing it. Everyone is getting excited, talk of how things are going to play out fills the coffee shop, brackets are filled out, bets made, statistics studied. March Madness, the time of…
Family business finds drive to keep moving forward
Like multigenerational family farms, the “family” part of Younker Bros is important, and it’s something Shane Younker hopes will continue. “We’d definitely like to keep the business in the family if we can. So far so good,” he said. Younker Bros, in Spokane, was started in 1991 when Pat Younker;…
