In this week’s podcast: A look into native foodways and indigenous farmers and how to shop both local and online in Central Oregon!
farming
Posted inNews
Got Hemp?
Move over cattle ranching: This industrious green plant is poised to take the number-two slot in Oregon exports
Nestled between views of the Three Sisters to the west and a rocky outcrop of sage and juniper to the east, tiny green seedlings flutter in the wind as they begin to take root. Will and Moira Burns, newly married—and until recently, hobby alfalfa farmers, squat in their newly planted 10-acre hemp field outside of […]
Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Farm Bill
Puts Hemp on Par with Other Crops
Dec. 12 brought historic news for a relatively new and lucrative agricultural market when the House passed the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, informally called “the Farm Bill.” As a result of the Farm Bill, hemp, the non-psychoactive version of the cannabis plant, will be removed from the Controlled Substances list, and federal law will […]
Posted inNews
Deschutes County’s First Century Farm
The Rastovich Family Farm celebrates 100 years of farming in the high desert
On Sept. 19, 1919, George and Anna Rastovich took advantage of the Homesteaders Act to start a 40-acre farm on what’s now called Rastovich Road on Bend’s east side. The Rastoviches immigrated to the U.S. from Yugoslavia in the early 1900s, got married in Spokane, Wash., and had three children before the promise of free […]
Posted inOutside
From Rainshadow to River
It’s pretty uncommon to bring farm-to-table organic meals for a 21-day adventure on the Colorado River. Here’s how one local group achieved it
Whether on her farm, at market, or on the river, Sarahlee Lawrence, owner/operator/founder of Rainshadow Organics, is perpetually surrounded by an entourage of farm folk, or “farmily” as she coins it. In talking to the interns, apprentices and other Rainshadow contributors, it’s clear they’re committed to the new wave of modern farming—and Lawrence is leading […]
Posted inNews
Deschutes County Farm Bureau Appeals New Pot Rules
Will right-to-farm rules apply to marijuana after next legislative session?
After the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners used an “emergency” clause Oct. 24 to quickly change some of its rules for growing recreational marijuana in the County, the Deschutes County Farm Bureau filed a motion to have the changes appealed. Matt Cyrus from the Deschutes County Farm Bureau says the agriculture advocacy group on Nov. […]
Posted inNews
State to County Commissioners: Arbitrarily Deny Cannabis Permits at Your Peril
Since Deschutes County has elected yet another anti-marijuana County Commissioner, it might be instructive to take a look at a recent Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals decision before you buy into the notion that pending marijuana land-use permits are dead in the water. First, a little procedural primer: When land-use applicants seek to grow, […]
Posted inNews
Tumalo Irrigation District Gets Funds for Upgrades
Sen. Jeff Merkley secures nearly $30 million for canal piping
On Tuesday, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced he helped secure nearly $30 million in funding for the Tumalo Irrigation District, as part of the District’s watershed plan to improve water conservation, delivery reliability and public safety through canal piping. The project, which covers more than 68 miles of canals and lateral canals, is expected to […]
Posted inCulture
Farmer’s Diary: Counting Cows in Wisconsin
The luxury of locally sourced food
The latest installment of Farmer’s Diary inspires us to be appreciative of the the access we have to local, healthy food. Recently I traveled back to the Midwest to visit my family and homeland. I flew into Minneapolis and made the four hour drive west to east across Wisconsin to Green Bay. It’s a trip […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Little Bites: The Fight to Save Novicky’s Farm
With greenhouses and trellising systems, Novicky’s Farm offers Central Oregonians the option of fresh, locally-grown tomatoes longer than some other farmers in the area. Today though, Novicky’s—formerly Victoria’s Veggies—is at risk of losing its land. The owner of the property would like to sell the land, and the best option to keep the farm is […]