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WASHINGTON: STUDY TO FOCUS ON WOLVES’ EFFECT ON PREDATORS, PREY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2017 VOLUME 90, NUMBER 8 Page 10 WWW.CAPITALPRESS.COM $2.00 A different kind of FARMER Cultivating knowledge about ag and history produces a bumper crop of fun “The problem in America is that we’re teaching our kids how to be collectors, and that doesn’t work. You always have to be a producer.” Jeff Smith, Twin Oaks Farms By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press E AGLE, Idaho — Jeff Smith’s Twin Oaks Farms are about so much more than just making money. It’s also about benefi ting wildlife, youth development, edu- cating the public about agriculture and, often, sheer fun. Smith grows crops such as pumpkins, sweet corn, clover hay, corn for silage, sunfl owers and Idaho’s famous potatoes. He also rais- es livestock on his 200 acres. But this is not your average farm. For Smith, providing habitat for wildlife comes fi rst, followed by teach- ing Treasure Valley residents about agriculture. It’s also about youth development — and setting world records. Making a living and having a blast in the process are all part of life on the Eagle, Idaho, farm. ‘D-Day’ on the farm One unlikely event takes place each summer on the farm. Every June, to com- memorate the D-Day landing during World War II, Smith uses a large mound of earth on his farm to re-enact the day American and allied troops invaded Ger- man-occupied France. The re-enactment involves hundreds of paint ball guns. Anyone 50 and over is a “German” and stationed at the top of the hill while any participant under 50 is an “Amer- ican” and has to try to take the hill. Turn to SMITH, Page 12 Area in detail 95 VALLEY ADAMS 55 Sean Ellis/Capital Press WASHINGTON 95 Eagle, Idaho 84 PAYETTE GEM Ontario BOISE 21 Ore. Idaho Boise Sn Nampa ke a ADA Riv 95 OWYHEE N er ABOVE: Farmer Jeff Smith stands on a large mound of earth that is used each June to re-enact the D-Day invasion of German-occupied France. He uses that event and others to get people on his 200-acre farm and teach them about agriculture. RIGHT: Competitors in the Tater Dash Mud Run at Twin Oaks Farms in Eagle, Idaho, dig into a world record serving of french fries in 2014. The record involved 1,003 pounds of french fries made from 1,256 pounds of raw potatoes cooked in 110 gallons of cooking oil. Submitted photo 78 Capital Press graphic Bills propose to dispel Oregon wetland uncertainties Lawmakers consider exemptions to state fill-removal laws By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press Jesse Bounds runs a straw-compressing facility in Junction City, Ore., that state regulators claim was rebuilt on a wetland after a fi re. SALEM — Oregon landowners don’t have a simple, reliable method to find out whether their property is considered a wet- land. That’s potentially a big problem if a structure is built on a parcel that state au- thorities later determine is a wetland, thus “We need to have something more than the State Wetland Inventory to consider.” Peggy Lynch, The League of Women Voters of Oregon natural resouces coordinator. making the landowner liable for costly mit- igation measures. Jesse Bounds, a hay exporter near Junc- tion City, Ore., learned that lesson the hard way. Upon trying to rebuild two barns that had burned down last summer, Bounds was told by Oregon’s Department of State Lands the construction was unlawful because he hadn’t obtained a fi ll-removal permit. The permit is required when disturbing wetlands. Bounds was shocked by the notifi cation, since his 12-acre parcel wasn’t identifi ed as a wetland under the State Wetland Inventory and he’d obtained all necessary building per- mits without a hitch. Oregon lawmakers are now contemplat- ing two bills that would resolve the problem. Turn to WETLAND, Page 12 ‘Drought to deluge’ weather pattern breaking By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press PORTLAND — The coming growing season is likely to be cooler than the past two years as the Pacifi c Northwest returns to something closer to normal after a “drought to deluge” ride that included much warmer than usual temperatures followed by an ex- This year is shaping up as cooler and a return to normal, but a revived El Nino pattern later in the year could lead to another warm winter. tended cold snap and pounding winter snow storms. Gregory Jones, a Southern Oregon University professor and research cli- matologist, delivered that assessment in a talk at the Oregon Wine Sympo- sium, the state’s annual gathering of wine grape growers, vintners and re- lated businesses. Jones specializes in viticulture climatology and is deeply respected within the industry. Tom Danowski, executive director of the Oregon Wine Board, introduced Jones by saying he’s “as close as we get in Oregon to a national treasure.” Jones said 2016 began with a mild winter, a dry and warm spring and Turn to WEATHER, Page 12 Our Rebin Program can turn your old trailer into a new trailer! We will remove all working mechanical parts, and replace the bin with a new Stainless Steel STC Bin on your existing running gear. All parts deemed reusable are reinstalled on the new bin. All of this at the fraction of the cost of a new trailer! WWW.STCTRAILERS.COM 494 W. Hwy 39 Blackfoot, ID 83321 208-785-1364 8-1/#16 EVER WONDERED WHAT TO DO WITH THAT OLD, WORN OUT COMMODITY TRAILER?
