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CapitalPress.com
May 15, 2015
People & Places
Beginning farmers get a helping hand
Headwaters Farm
Incubator assists
growers as they learn
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
PORTLAND, Ore. — Be-
ginning farmers generally
face no shortage of obstacles
— lack of land, lack of equip-
ment, lack of money, lack of
experience.
The Headwaters Farm In-
cubator, situated on 60 acres
near Portland, Ore., helps
new growers surmount these
hurdles by providing resourc-
es and expertise at a price
they can afford.
The
program
was
launched in 2012 by the East
Multnomah Soil and Water
Conservation District, which
aims to equip growers with
conservation-oriented skills
they can later apply on their
own land.
“We’re looking to increase
the number of new farmers,
we’re trying to keep land in
production and we’re trying
to make sure it’s well-stew-
arded,” said Rowan Steele,
the incubator’s manager.
The district bought the
former ornamental nursery
for about $1.3 million in
2012, dedicating part of it to
riparian restoration and di-
viding 30 acres into blocks of
about 1-2 acres apiece.
Growers rent these parcels
and pay to use the incubator’s
tractors and water, but the
program offers ways to ease
the financial burden.
The lease is set at $600
per acre, but farmers are only
expected to pay one-quar-
ter of the price during their
first year. The cost increases
incrementally until growers
pay the full value in their
fourth and final year of the
program.
Payments for water are
waived for those who install
water-preserving drip irri-
Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press
Rowan Steele, manager of the Headwaters Farm Incubator near Portland, Ore., speaks about the crops
and facilities on the 60-acre property. The program trains conservation-oriented beginning farmers.
Western Innovator
Headwaters Farm
Incubator
Location: Southeast of Portland,
Ore.
Size: 60 acres
Property cost: $1.3 million
Founded: 2012
Owner: East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District
Number of farm operations: 13
Mission: Preserving farmland and training conservation-oriented
new growers
Duration: Farmers graduate after four years
Amenities: Irrigation system, two tractors, tillage equipment, barn,
cooler, greenhouse, washing stations, office space
gation systems, and farmers
who are diligent in con-
trolling weeds can avoid the
$200 yearly management fee
they’d otherwise incur.
While the district is un-
likely to ever generate profits
from the incubator — or even
break even — the goal is to
graduate farmers who share
its values of conserving soil
and preventing erosion, Steele
said.
“It’s a good investment,
from our perspective,” he
said.
Across North America,
there are 111 farm incubators
averaging more than 10 acres
each, according to data from
Tufts University.
Farm incubators allow
growers to build a client base
for their crops without first
making major investments.
Pete Munyon, a vegetable
grower, said the availability of
irrigation, cold storage, ma-
chinery and washing stations
at the incubator has allowed
him to concentrate on his
business rather than worrying
about developing “infrastruc-
ture.”
“You’re able to get a pro-
fessional farm going a lot
cheaper,” he said.
The incubator provides
farmers with time to find their
niche, said Emily Cooper,
who is producing crops on
the property for the second
season.
Cooper initially focused
on selling bulk vegetables in-
tended for canning but found
the demand was insufficient.
She has now diversified to in-
clude fresh produce.
“It gives you the freedom
to make some mistakes and
experiment,” she said.
Not every aspiring farmer
is offered a spot at the incuba-
tor, though.
Steele said he typically
only accepts half the appli-
cants to the program, choos-
ing those who have a solid
business plan and preferrably
some experience with food
production.
Other programs in the
Portland area already provide
people with the opportunity to
explore their “farm intrigue”
or serve as apprentices un-
der other growers, he said.
Headwaters Farm Incubator
is geared toward honing farm-
ing skills and expanding sales
channels.
“We’re essentially a
springboard for people who
have the knowledge and com-
mitment to begin that pro-
cess,” Steele said.
Rick Reddaway began
growing produce on a quar-
ter-acre owned by his in-laws
before joining the incubator
program in 2013.
Since then, his revenues
have risen every year and
he’s aiming to earn enough
from farming to stop working
other jobs during the off-sea-
son.
With his final year at the
incubator approaching, Red-
daway is preparing to “wean”
himself from the facilities and
borrow money for a tractor.
Leasing or buying a suit-
able property is another prior-
ity, he said. “I’m at the point
I’m looking for options. Find-
ing a place is my biggest con-
cern.”
With several other grow-
ers nearing graduation, the
district is examining how to
assist them with the transition.
One idea is to partner with
Multnomah County to identi-
fy properties at risk of losing
their deferred property tax
status because they’re not be-
ing farmed. Those landowners
could then lease their proper-
ties to incubator graduates.
“It seems like a natural
progression,” Steele said.
“We’re generating new farm-
ers. Let’s connect them with
someone who is trying to keep
the land in production, what-
ever the reason.”
N. Dakota farm boy who lost arms finishes high school
MILNOR, N.D. (AP) —
An 18-year-old North Dakota
boy who lost both arms in a
farm accident 15 years ago is
graduating from high school
and preparing for college in
Minnesota.
Parker Sebens fell into a
running grain auger on the
family farm near Milnor, in
far southeastern North Dako-
ta, in September 2000, when
he was 3 years old. He spent
54 days in a medical center
near Minneapolis, where he
went through more than 50
hours of surgery before an in-
fection forced doctors to am-
putate his arms.
Even without prosthet-
ic arms, Sebens can still do
things like driving and tex-
ting, using the remaining
stumps of his arms.
“People can feel sorry for
me, but I think that goes away
after they see how much I can
do,” he told KSTP-TV.
He even shoots pool with
his dad, Mitch Sebens.
“He kept impressing us
KSTP-TV/Lee Zwiefelhofer via AP
Parker Sebens, 18, sits in a computer lab at Milnor Public School in Milnor, N.D. Sebens who lost
both arms in a farm accident 15 years ago is graduating from high school and preparing for college in
Minnesota. Sebens fell into a running grain auger on the family farm near Milnor, in far southeastern
North Dakota, in September 2000, when he was 3 years old.
all the way through; he just
learned one thing after an-
other,” his father said. “When
I think about it, it’s hard to
think about what he’s had to
go through growing up when
the other kids had it so easy,
but he did it.”
Parker Sebens soon will be
getting two prosthetic arms,
then heading off to college
at Minnesota State Universi-
ty Moorhead. After college,
he’d like to become a motiva-
tional speaker.
Mother Rene Sebens is
finishing a scrapbook for her
son as his graduation day
nears.
“I thought for a long time
he was going to die there, I re-
ally did,” she said. “I guess I
just wanted everyone to know
he’s living it and accomplish-
ing everything that we want
him to.”
Family, friends and even
strangers have helped him
immensely as he’s grown
up, Parker Sebens said. He’s
gotten thousands of cards and
letters over the years and they
keep coming.
“They really just push me
to get everything done,” he
said. “I just wish there was
just a way to give back to ev-
eryone.”
Parker Sebens said he has
been determined throughout
his life to find ways to do the
things he wants to do. Aside
from cooking and laundry,
there is very little he can’t do.
“Every day he amazes
me,” Mitch Sebens said.
Calendar
Friday, May 15
Washington FFA Convention, 8
a.m., Washington State Universi-
ty, Pullman.
Saturday, May 16
Washington FFA Convention, 8
a.m., Washington State Universi-
ty, Pullman.
PerryDale Parents Club Taste
of Italy Dinner and Auc-
tion, 4-9 p.m., Polk County
Fairgrounds, Rickreall, Ore.,
503-932-0558, fundraiser to
supplement educational needs
for students.
Sunday, May 17
Frozen Assets: How we can
and why we should save the
world’s frozen water, 7-9 p.m.
Capital Press
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Capital Press Managers
Mike O’Brien .............................Publisher
Joe Beach ..................................... Editor
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Index
Van Tassell Student Lounge
at Wenatchee Valley College,
Wenatchee, Wash., 509-
943-0705. Mountaineer and
climate scientist Steven Ghan
takes us on a visual journey
along the North Cascades,
showing evidence of glacier
retreat and shares solutions
to prevent global ice melt and
how to preserve our snowpack.
Wednesday, May 20
Seafood HACCP Segment II,
8: 30 a.m.-5 p.m. University of
Idaho, Boise, 208-364-6188.
This workshop is for seafood
processor personnel who
develop, reassess and modify
the HACCP Plan and manage
verification activities.
Thursday, May 21
Saturday, June 13
Food Allergen Workshop, 8: 30 a.m.-
Rickreall Gun Show, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Polk County Fair Grounds, Rickreall,
Ore., 503-623-3048.
4:30 p.m., Holiday Inn, Yakima,
Wash., 360-902-1961. Food
allergen workshop for processors,
retailers, consultants, sanitarians,
regulators.
Wednesday, June 3
Frozen Assets: How we can and
why we should save the world’s
frozen water; 7-9 p.m. Walla Walla
Public Library, Walla Walla, Wash.,
509-943-0705. Mountaineer and
climate scientist Steven Ghan
takes us on a visual journey along
the crest of the North Cascades,
showing evidence of glacier retreat
and shares solutions to prevent
global ice melt and how to preserve
our snowpack.
Sheep in the Foothills, 10 a.m.-1
p.m. Boise Foothills Learning Center,
Boise.
Sunday, June 14
Rickreall Gun Show, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Polk County Fair Grounds, Rickreall,
Ore., 503-623-3048.
Saturday, June 20
Ketchum Kalf Rodeo, 1-9 p.m.
Glenwood, Wash., Glenwood.
Sunday, June 21
Washington Potato and Onion
Association Annual Convention,
8 a.m.-9 p.m. Northern Quest
Casino, Airway Heights, Wash.
Ketchum Kalf Rodeo, 1 p.m.-9 p.m.
Glenwood, Wash., Glenwood.
Monday, June 22
Washington Potato and Onion Asso-
ciation Annual Convention, 8 a.m.-9
p.m. Northern Quest Casino, Airway
Heights, Wash.
Tuesday, June 23
Washington Potato and Onion Asso-
ciation Annual Convention, 8 a.m.-9
p.m. Northern Quest Casino, Airway
Heights, Wash.
Saturday, July 11
94th Annual Idaho Ram Sale, 8
a.m.-4 p.m. Twin Falls County
Fairgrounds, Filer, Idaho, 208-
334-2271.
Drought ................................. 3
Ag Education ................... 14-16
Dairy .....................................11
Livestock ..............................11
Markets ............................... 13
Opinion .................................. 6
Correction
A caption for a photograph provid-
ed by the Oregon State University
Extension Service on the front
page of the May 8 edition misidenti-
fied the grass being examined by
Clare Sullivan, OSU Extension field
crop agent. Sullivan is examining
tall fescue, not perennial ryegrass.
Capital Press regrets the source’s
error.