General
Northcentral Washington settles down
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…
Educator works with region’s farmers, ranchers
Growing up on a farm near Uniontown, Wash., Mark Heitstuman determined his career goal early on. Active in his FFA group at Colton High School, he envisioned working in agricultural education. After high school graduation, Heitstuman attended Washington State University (WSU) and earned his degree in ag education in 1987….
Get involved
As I grow older, I look back at my early days of farming. I was full of ideas, ambitious, and willing to put in the time. It took some trial and error, but we introduced GPS to the farm, streamed fertilizers, and implemented no-till and minimal tillage practices. Now, I…
Program seeks to develop leaders in natural resource sectors
After nearly a half century of success, Washington’s vaunted natural resources leadership program, AgForestry, is taking a hard look at itself and its role going forward. AgForestry was established in 1977 and designed to develop leaders in natural resource sectors. At the time, it was based on a similar program…
Honored to be your president
Hello all. My name is Anthony Smith, but you can call me Tony. I’m so excited to be in this position as president of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG). I farm in central Benton County, south of Prosser, in a dryland operation. My wife, Karen, and my son…
A bitter experience
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…
End of the road
It’s hard to believe it’s been a year already, yet here we are with another convention upon us. Soon, you’ll have the privilege of meeting our next president and will no longer be subjected to my monthly ramblings. I can say, with certainty, that I appreciate your indulgence and patience…
Steward Farms, Lincoln County
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…
Harvest 2023
For thousands of Washington wheat farmers, the 2023 harvest has wrapped up, and they are deep into seeding next year’s winter wheat crop. This year’s harvest came early and went fast. Most producers reported average to below-average yields with average quality. Producers north of Highway 2 battled snow mold issues,…
Vital link in transportation chain is largely unseen by farmers
Captain Jeremy Nielsen’s role in the transportation chain that takes wheat to market is mostly unseen to farmers, but without him, their grain would be dead in the water. Nielsen is a river pilot, responsible for navigating ocean-going vessels through the lower Columbia River. Using a ladder on the outside…
