If rocks were a crop, like blueberries, hops or cherries, you could pick them with the assurance they would grow back next year and you could pick them again. If they were hazelnuts, rocks would drop from the tree — pick themselves — and all you’d have to do was sweep them up. Read more
Making a living from specialty products Read more
GERVAIS — On a sunny morning in early June, Molly McCargar walked between rows of cherry trees at Pearmine Farms, pausing briefly to inspect the fruit for size, color and ripeness. Read more
Consumer demand for antibiotic-free meat has climbed as health messages have reached buyers. The shift reflects an effort to slow the spread of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” — bacteria that have developed immunity to one or more antibiotics. Read more
Wallowa County preserves natural, working landscape of its iconic East Moraine Read more
McMINNVILLE, Ore. — McMinnville, 1971. When a handful of pioneering farmers bought land on the outskirts of this modest rural town and decided to plant wine grapes, people called them crazy. Wine grapes wouldn’t grow in the Northwest, they said. Read more
Derrick Josi interacts with urban audiences online Read more
For a crop facing unprecedented uncertainties — agricultural, regulatory and economic — hemp is finding its legs remarkably fast in Oregon. Read more
Dan Keppen has established himself as a man to know on water policy and problem-solving for solutions in the West. Read more
While he grew up working all parts of the family farm, Max Nilsson says, “the last seven years have been my apprenticeship years.” Read more
After nearly 100 years in business in the Mid-Willamette Valley, Freres Lumber Co. was at a crossroads. Read more
Jason and Victoria Flowers walked through the fields on their family’s property in Worden on a mild November afternoon, pointing toward acreage that’s been part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Walking Wetlands Program for more than 10 years. Read more
The “blue sky” promises of an infusion of tourist dollars that would accompany the designation of a national monument in the Owyhee Canyons didn’t ring true with locals in Southeast Oregon, who for years have watched hikers and rafters visit the area without leaving much behind in the way of cash. Read more
Ranchers across the West, where the federal government owns extensive swaths of forest and rangeland, commonly pay fees to the U.S. Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management to allow their cattle to graze on public property. Read more
To help shape our coverage and defray our distribution expenses, we have asked a select group of rural Oregon entities to join our steering committee, based on their ability to provide a unique perspective on rural Oregon issues. The committee as a whole will represent a wide-ranging, diverse group that can help generate content ideas and advocate for rural Oregon.
