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CapitalPress.com
June 17, 2016
People & Places
A family tradition of eficiency
Justin Hedrick,
his uncle and
grandfather look to
reduce expenses
Western
Innovator
Capital Press
Justin Hedrick
Capital Press Managers
Mike O’Brien .............................Publisher
Joe Beach ..................................... Editor
Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director
Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor
Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager
Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager
Age: 29
Title: Partner, Diamond M
Ranch; president, Stevens
County Cattlemen’s Asso-
ciation
Hometown: Laurier, Wash.
Family: Married, two sons,
one daughter
Education: Chewelah High
School
Matthew Weaver/Capital Press
Grandfather, Len McIrvin, and grandson, Justin Hedrick, pause from doing maintenance on one of their
cattle trucks April 13 on property in Plymouth, Wash. McIrvin and Hedrick are partners with Bill McIrvin in
the Diamond M Ranch. Hedrick is also president of the Stevens County Cattlemen’s Association.
In 1973, Diamond M was
one of the irst ranches to start
bringing cattle from north-
ern-tier counties to southern
Washington for wintering,
now a relatively common
practice. The ranch retains
ownership of all its cattle
from calving to slaughter. The
ranch was also one of the irst
in the area to own cattle-haul-
ing semi trucks.
“We will deinitely look at
any new and improved meth-
ods, but also we’re real skep-
tical,” Len McIrvin said. “If
they’re the right kind of cows,
there’s a lot of things the feed
companies, mineral compa-
nies and technology compa-
nies say you’ve got to have
that really you don’t.”
“(For branding), we can
run the same number of calves
with a four- or ive-man crew
as a lot of people can with a
30-man crew,” Hedrick said.
Hedrick joined the opera-
tion in about 2011. All three
partners stress that they are
equals.
“It’s ‘we,’ not ‘I,’” Len
McIrvin said.
“It’s ‘us,’ rather than a
‘me,’” Hedrick agreed.
Len McIrvin’s grandfather
started the ranch. He is the
third generation on the ranch,
Bill McIrvin is the fourth and
Justin is the ifth. They expect
to breed roughly 3,000 head
this year and calve more than
2,000 head, and run a total of
6,000 to 7,000 head.
Kettle Falls, Wash., ranch-
er Scott Nielsen, vice presi-
dent of the Cattle Producers
of Washington, said the Dia-
mond M is always the irst af-
fected by industry issues.
“They’re
principled,
they’re not compromisers,”
he said. “They’re in it 100
percent. ... They are an outit
making it simply on their own
skin — good times, bad times,
whatever else.”
Nielsen said Hedrick shows
a lot of passion for the indus-
try and will take a leadership
role on key issues as president
of the Stevens County Cattle-
men’s Association.
Website: https://steven-
scountycattlemen.com
“We’re an aging indus-
try — there aren’t too many
young people involved,” he
said. “You want a guy like
Justin who is president of the
organization and tells exactly
how (a regulation) will affect
his cows out on the land-
scape.”
“We’re always open to
reading and finding some-
thing that’s going to be
more efficient,” Hedrick
said. “We’ve got 73 years of
learning how to be the most
efficient we can be on our
ranch. What we have right
now is probably the most ef-
ficient we could have as of
today.”
Growing hazelnuts runs in the Aman family
By BRENNA WIEGAND
For the Capital Press
MT. ANGEL, Ore. —
When World War II broke
out, two of Frank Aman’s ive
boys stayed back to work the
family farm just outside Mt.
Angel, Ore.
“After the war my Un-
cle Gordy and my dad, Rus-
sel, came back, and Grandpa
Frank said, ‘It’s these boys’
turn to take the farm over,’”
Tom Aman said.
Russel Aman’s sons Tom,
Tim and Kevin grow and
propagate hazelnuts on the
same land their father and
grandfather farmed. Now as
then, many other family mem-
bers take part in the farm’s op-
eration.
They grow hazelnuts on
the 70 acres of the home place
and sharecrop another 120
acres in the neighborhood,
averaging 3,000 pounds per
acre. Tim is an agronomist for
Hazelnut Growers of Oregon;
Kevin and Tom are agrono-
mists for Wilco Farmers Co-
op.
Established 1928
Board of directors
Mike Forrester ..........................President
Steve Forrester
Kathryn Brown
Sid Freeman .................. Outside director
Mike Omeg .................... Outside director
Corporate oficer
John Perry
Chief operating oficer
By MATTHEW WEAVER
PLYMOUTH, Wash. —
The Diamond M Ranch re-
cently started a different way
of weaning calves.
The ranch used to wean
its calves at a feedlot, said
Justin Hedrick, partner in the
ranch with his grandfather,
Len McIrvin, and uncle, Bill
McIrvin.
“We just started weaning
them the last few years by
ourselves, move cows into
a new wheat or green circle
with the cows, give them a
couple of days, that way they
know it’s home,” Hedrick
said. “Then you go in, preg-
check the cows, and then haul
the cows away and leave the
calves there. They know that’s
home and they don’t try going
anywhere.”
Hedrick said the change
has saved “huge amounts” of
money.
“We’d have calves in the
feedlot for $2 to $2.50 per day
per calf,” he said. “They’d be
in there for 30 days per herd.
Being on circles, we can wean
them ourselves for 37 cents
per day. It’s made a huge eco-
nomic difference for us.”
It’s the latest move by a
long-running ranching family
with a history of striving for
— and achieving — eficiency.
Capital Press
Brenna Wiegand/For the Capital Press
Tim Aman, left, and his brother, Tom, stand among year-old hazel-
nut trees in a greenhouse at their Mt. Angel, Ore., hazelnut farm.
Shown are the choice new blight-resistant varieties from Oregon
State University Wepster, McDonald and Jefferson.
The trees the Aman broth-
ers produce through tissue
culture at the Century Farm
are blanketing the Willamette
Valley at a rate of 800 to 1,000
acres a year, but it’s still not
fast enough to keep up with
the demand for Oregon hazel-
nuts.
At the same time, older or-
chards across the valley that
should continue to produce for
decades to come are succumb-
ing to eastern ilbert blight.
“At least now we have
something to replace them
with,” Tim said.
For the past three decades
Shawn Mehlenbacher at Ore-
gon State University has been
developing blight-resistant
hazelnut varieties.
“The best hazelnut variet-
ies in the world are coming
out of Oregon State,” Tom
said. “We’ve got quite the
gem down there.”
McDonald, grown for its
kernel, is one of the best tast-
ing nuts yet and drops two
weeks earlier than Barcelo-
na, he said. Other promising
varieties include Wepster, a
kernel nut, and Jefferson, a
robust in-shell variety.
Oregon provides 99 per-
cent of the hazelnuts in
the U.S., though Turkey
supplies 70 percent of the
world market. Both provide
the perfect environment for
growing hazelnuts.
“If you shoot a line from
here to the other side of the
world you’ll hit Turkey,”
Tom said. “The 45th paral-
lel with a marine influx is
premier for growing hazel-
nuts.”
Eight to 10 years ago a
massive freeze in Turkey
created a worldwide hazel-
nut shortage. The standard
45 cents a pound in Ore-
gon shot to $1.15. A second
freeze in 2014 saw record
prices — $2 a pound in the
shell. Prices are not expect-
ed to dip under a dollar for
the foreseeable future.
China depends on ha-
zelnuts for festivals such
as Chinese New Year. They
soak the nuts to soften the
shell, split them individual-
ly, soak them in brine and
roast them, causing them to
open like pistachios.
“They’re fun to eat and
they really taste good — I’d
love to see that at an OSU
game,” Tim said.
Recently the Mars Inc.
candy company’s main nut
buyers paid a visit and met
with HGO officials.
“You’re talking millions
and millions of pounds,”
Tim said.
The Amans recommend
hazelnuts to large- and
small-scale farmers alike.
“It’s a sustainable crop,”
Tim said. “You’re not work-
ing the ground; there are
very few pests and there’s
not a big outlay for equip-
ment. They’re mechanical-
ly harvested so your cost
for labor is way down, and
these new varieties have
very upright scaffolding so
they’re very easy to man-
age.”
Entire contents copyright © 2016
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mit an Event.” Calendar items can
also be mailed to Capital Press, 1400
Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR 97301.
Friday, June 17
Going Further on the Bio-
Control Bus: Advanced Biological
Pest Management for Nurseries
& Greenhouses, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Advanced biological control work-
shop and tour/demonstration. This
day is limited to a grower audience
with some experience. OSU North
Willamette Research & Extension
Center, 15210 NE Miley Road, Au-
rora, Ore. Cost: $35. http://www.
pesticide.org/advanced_biologi-
cal_pest_2016
Pruning to Restore White Pine
workshop in Sandpoint, Idaho. 9
a.m.-1 p.m. Pre-register by June
10. Registration fee is $20. (208)
263-8511 http://extension.uidaho.
edu/bonner/
Saturday, June 18
ATFS 75th Anniversary Cele-
bration, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Celebrating
75 years of sustainable forestry and
honoring tree farmers. Montesano
High School and Lake Sylvia State
Park, Montesano, Wash. www.wa-
farmforestry.com
Ketchum Kalf Rodeo, 1 p.m.,
Glenwood Rodeo Grounds, 63
Trout Lake Highway, Glenwood,
Wash. http://Business.gorge.net/
glenwoodrodeo
Tractor-Truck-Garden Tractor
Pull. This is the Oregon Tractor
Pullers Association’s annual Fa-
ther’s Day pull, all tractors are
welcome. Venue: Schurman’s Iron
Ranch, Ridgeield, Wash. www.or-
egontractorpullers.com
Sunday, June 19
Ketchum Kalf Rodeo, 1 p.m.,
Glenwood Rodeo Grounds, 63
Trout Lake Highway, Glenwood,
Wash. http://Business.gorge.net/
glenwoodrodeo
Wednesday, June 22
Idaho Cattle Association Sum-
mer Roundup, Red Lion Templin’s
Hotel on the River, 414 E. First
Ave., Post Falls, Idaho. www.idaho-
cattle.org/
Promoting Beneicial Insects,
6-8 p.m. Oregon State University
Extension, SOREC, 569 Hanley
Road, Central Point, Ore. Learn the
technical details of designing and
establishing plantings that promote
beneicial insects, including annual
and perennial insectary plantings.
Cost: $20 each or $30 per couple.
Register online or call 541-776-
7371. https://secure.oregonstate.
edu/osuext/register/1012
Thursday, June 23
Idaho Cattle Association Sum-
GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE
www.oxarc.com
20 Northwest Locations
mer Roundup, Red Lion Templin’s
Hotel on the River, 414 E. First
Ave., Post Falls, Idaho. www.idaho-
cattle.org/
Lane County Events Center, 796 W
13th Ave., Eugene, Ore. Cost: free.
www.alpacafarmsoregon.org
Friday, June 24
OSU Caneberry Field Day, 1-5
p.m., North Willamette Research &
Extension Center, 15210 NE Miley
Road, Aurora, Ore. http://oregon-
state.edu/dept/NWREC/
Alpacas at the Gathering, 9
a.m.-4 p.m. Alpacas join the sheep
and goats at the Black Sheep
Gathering, with leece, yarn, socks,
scarves and more. Fleece show as
part of BSG Wool Show & Sale.
Lane County Events Center, 796 W
13th Ave., Eugene, Ore. Cost: free.
www.alpacafarmsoregon.org
Saturday, June 25
Washington State Dairy Ambas-
sador Coronation, 5 p.m. Greater
Tacoma Convention and Trade
Center, 1500 Broadway, Tacoma,
Wash. 360-273-7313. Tickets will
not be available at the door.
Alpacas at the Gathering, 9
a.m.-4 p.m. Alpacas join the sheep
and goats at the Black Sheep
Gathering, with leece, yarn, socks,
scarves and more. Fleece show as
part of BSG Wool Show & Sale.
Lane County Events Center, 796 W
13th Ave., Eugene, Ore. Cost: free.
www.alpacafarmsoregon.org
Sunday, June 26
Alpacas at the Gathering, 9
a.m.-4 p.m. Alpacas join the sheep
and goats at the Black Sheep
Gathering, with leece, yarn, socks,
scarves and more. Fleece show as
part of BSG Wool Show & Sale.
Wednesday, June 29
Thursday, June 30
St. Paul Rodeo, St. Paul, Ore. 1-800-
237-5920. www.stpaulrodeo.com/
Friday, July 1
St. Paul Rodeo, St. Paul, Ore.
1-800-237-5920. www.stpaulrodeo.
com/
Molalla Buckeroo Rodeo, Molal-
la, Ore. 503-829-8388. http://molal-
labuckeroo.com
Eugene Pro Rodeo, 4 p.m. to
midnight, 90751 Prairie Road, Eu-
gene, Ore. http://www.eugenepro-
rodeo.com/
Saturday, July 2
St. Paul Rodeo, St. Paul, Ore.
1-800-237-5920. www.stpaulrodeo.
com/
Molalla Buckeroo Rodeo, Molal-
la, Ore. 503-829-8388. http://molal-
labuckeroo.com
Eugene Pro Rodeo, 4 p.m. to
midnight, 90751 Prairie Road, Eu-
gene, Ore. http://www.eugenepro-
rodeo.com/
1-800-765-9055
Sunday, July 3
St. Paul Rodeo, St. Paul, Ore.
1-800-237-5920. www.stpaulrodeo.
com/
Molalla Buckeroo Rodeo, Molal-
la, Ore. 503-829-8388. http://molal-
labuckeroo.com
Eugene Pro Rodeo, 5:30 to 11
p.m., Prairie Road, Eugene, Ore.
http://www.eugeneprorodeo.com/
Monday, July 4
St. Paul Rodeo, St. Paul, Ore.
1-800-237-5920.
Molalla Buckeroo Rodeo, Molal-
la, Ore. 503-829-8388.
Eugene Pro Rodeo, 4 p.m. to
midnight, 90751 Prairie Road, Eu-
gene, Ore.
Wednesday, July 6
OSU Blueberry Field Day, 1-5
p.m. North Willamette Research &
Extension Center, 15210 NE Miley
Road, Aurora, Ore. http://oregon-
state.edu/dept/NWREC/
Thursday, July 7
Marion County Fair, 10 a.m.-10
p.m., Oregon State Fairgrounds,
Salem. 503-585-9998, http://www.
co.marion.or.us/CS/Fair
Friday, July 8
California State Fair, 1600 Ex-
position Blvd., Sacramento, 916-
263-FAIR, http://www.castatefair.
org/
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Index
Dairy .....................................11
Livestock ..............................11
Markets ............................... 13
Opinion .................................. 6
Correction
The story on Page 8 of the June
10 edition on the defeat of a bill
in the California Assembly that
would have changed overtime
rules for agricultural employees
incorrectly identiied the bill’s
author. She is Assemblywoman
Lorena Gonzalez, D-San Diego.
The Capital Press regrets the
error.
Correction policy
Accuracy is important to Capital
Press staff and to our readers.
If you see a misstatement,
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headline, story or photo caption,
please call the Capital Press
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We want to publish corrections to
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