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October 20, 2017 Corn maze covering college costs for seven Idaho siblings By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press BLACKFOOT, Idaho — Produce farmer Richard Johnson expects his family’s annual fall corn maze and associated ag- ricultural tour- ism activities to cover col- lege tuition for all seven of his children. Since start- ing his Wild Richard Adventure Johnson Corn Maze six years ago, Johnson estimates he’s aver- aged more than 13,000 vis- itors per season — ranging from peak years of about 20,000 customers to an un- profitable maze last fall, when 9 inches of rain fell in eight weeks. He and his family also op- erate Grove City Gardens, a large produce farm that also offers a CSA. This year’s maze, carved into a 12-acre corn field, en- compasses more than 6 miles of pathways, which form the images of a nurse, a fire- fighter and a police officer when viewed from the sky. Johnson explained the theme is “heroes.” Local emergen- cy responders and military members get reduced admis- sion daily, and got in for free during a special Sept. 30 trib- ute to hometown heroes. The maze will run every Monday through Saturday until Nov. 4. Johnson said his oldest son, Bryce, has already earned a business degree at Brigham Young University-Idaho, with his tuition covered by maze revenue. Now the maze is supporting Utah State Uni- versity tuition for his daugh- ter, Marissa, and son, Jeremy. Four younger children will follow suit. On weekends, Marissa and Jeremy head home from school in Logan, Utah, to lend their family a hand in running the operation, which includes the region’s largest pump- kin patch, four mini ziplines, farm-raised Mexican crazy corn and other concessions, a petting zoo, a Toddler Town with peddle carts and rocking horses, displays on how food is produced, ticket booths in retrofitted grain silos, a straw- bale maze and three different games to play in the corn maze. Marissa said working the maze has also padded her re- sume and provided fodder for discussions in her strategic sales class. “It’s a big weight lifted off my shoulders not having to worry about finances and having to pay for everything,” Marissa said. Those who enter the maze are tasked with collecting rubbings of animal tracks, solving the mystery of who kidnapped Farmer Joe or scoring the most points in a “treasure hunt.” For the brave of heart, Idaho State University’s Beta Alpha Psi chapter will host its Third Annual Zombie Fun Run in the maze at 6 p.m. Oct. 21, benefiting the fraternity and Junior Achievement. Sheldon Anderson, of Beta Alphi Psi, explained runners are given flags, which zom- bies attempt to steal, and are eligible for raffle prizes if they make it through with at least one flag remaining. Johnson hosted his family reunion in the maze before opening day and offers dis- counted rates for field trips. Past maze themes have in- cluded the Idaho Potato Com- mission’s 75th anniversary, Idaho wildlife, Duck Dynas- ty, Lewis and Clark and Race to the Moon. Johnson said he chose the hero theme to show the community’s appreciation for police and other emergen- cy responders. “You look at the discontent across the country and you see how some of these peo- ple aren’t really appreciated for all of the sacrifices they make,” Johnson said. CapitalPress.com Weather pushes wine grape harvest By DAN WHEAT Capital Press CHELAN, Wash. — Gaston Rocha worked swiftly, clipping Pinot noir grape clusters with his right hand and catching and dumping them into white, 5-gallon plastic buckets with his left. He seemed oblivious to the beauty of the setting — perfect vineyard rows drop- ping sharply downslope to a placid Lake Chelan. But time is of the essence while he’s working, not just because he’s paid by how much he picks, but because rain and cold may soon close the harvest window. While the last 10 percent of California’s wine grape harvest was hit by wildfires and Idaho counts a light har- vest from last winter’s frost damage, Washington’s crop appears to be near normal or slightly under last year’s record 270,000 tons. The August crop estimate was 260,000 tons. That’s updated post-crush in No- Dan Wheat/Capital Press vember. Epifanio Reyes dumps Pinot noir wine grapes into a bin on the tractor driven by Rafael Negrate in “It can be up or down. Clos CheValle Vineyard overlooking Lake Chelan, Wash., on Oct. 16. The state’s wine grape crop It’s gone both ways,” says may be down a little from last year’s record 270,000 tons. Vicky Scharlau, executive he said. to director of the Washington Gorge ington, just as Washington Freddy Arredondo, vint- is small compared to Cali- Winegrower Association in Lake Chelan. ner at Cave B Estate Winery fornia, Scharlau said. Wine “It’s a tim- Cashmere. near George, said his 100- grapes tend to stay specif- “We have some winter ing thing,” he acre crop is lighter than last ic to AVAs and there are damage in older vines, but said. “There’s year, possibly from more of so many factors in buying no drastic freeze damage,” a 14- to 17- a January freeze nip than he wine “that it’s hard to draw Scharlau said. “Our heat day window Shane originally thought. Mildew any kind of conclusions” ve- units at the end of August around Collins pressure was big from an about one area’s loss bene- were more like 2013, more raison (when overly wet spring, he said. fiting another, she said. grapes accu- normal.” Cluster weight is down mulate sugar rapidly) that’s Clusters are lighter, he said. Rocky Pond Winery Washington has more owns the 30-acre Clos Che- slightly, which will contrib- the critical time.” Despite wildfires up- than 53,000 acres of wine Valle Vineyard on the south ute to a bit lighter crop, she lake, Lake Chelan smoke grapes, more than 860 win- shore of Lake Chelan and said. Oregon had heavy smoke was nothing this year like it eries and is second to Cali- the 90-acre Double D Vine- fornia in production. during the last two weeks of was in 2015, he said. yard 20 miles southeast at Washington harvest Sun Cove on the Columbia Smoke taint gives wine ripening. The effects so far “an ashtray, gasoline taste,” normally begins in earnest River. are unknown. But Shane Collins, vint- he said. Nothing anyone right after Labor Day and Plans call for adding 30 ner of Rocky Pond Winery, wants but hard to detect be- ends in early November. It acres at Double D and devel- Chelan, which owns Clos cause it develops over time, was about 80 to 90 percent oping 50 acres of vineyard done as of Oct. 17, Scharlau farther south at Skeels Road, CheValle Vineyard where he said. In 2015, wineries said. Rocha works, said wine Collins said. Idaho is growing quickly grapes so far are testing dumped it or sold it early, Progress is being ham- negative for wildfire smoke he said. “Karma Vineyards and “stellar” in quality but pered by a lack of labor, he taint from the Columbia sold it as Bad Karma,” is small compared to Wash- said. Local Money Working For Local People GMO Answers A screen shot from the GMO Answers website. Contact a Loan Officer Today to Discuss Your Financing Needs! GMO Answers website attracts more than 2 million visits a year By SEAN ELLIS Capital Press A website created by major seed companies four years ago to provide consum- ers with accurate information about genetically modified crops is receiving more than 2 million visits a year. “We do feel like we are making a difference,” said Michael Stebbins, director of external engagement for GMO Answers. The website is funded by members of the Council for Biotechnology Information, which includes BASF, Bayer, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, Monsanto Co. and Syngenta. The online conversation about genetically engineered crops, commonly called GMOs, is not where CBI members want it to be yet, “but it’s certainly in a better place than it was a couple of years ago,” Stebbins said. “We do feel like we are mak- ing a difference and we’d like to move the needle a little bit every year.” The website invites peo- ple to ask tough questions about GMO crops and en- courages them to be skeptical but also open-minded. Ques- tions are referred to indepen- dent experts who are not paid by GMO Answers, Stebbins said. He said most of the ques- tions have to do with the safety of GMO crops, “even Adrian Harguess Joseph, OR Mollie Hulse La Grande, OR Cliff Schoeningh Baker City, OR 541-432-9050 541-963-3434 541-524-7667 Christina Smith Pendleton, OR John Ngo Hermiston, OR Todd Wood College Place, WA 541-278-9000 541-289-4480 509-525-9860 Sean Ellis/Capital Press File Recently harvested sugar beets, which are genetically engineered. The nation’s sugar beet industry and other farm-related business- es that benefit from genetically engineered crops are making a concerted effort to engage consumers online and change their understanding of GMO crops. though this issue has been ad- dressed again and again. Peo- ple still have their doubts.” Robert Wager, a molec- ular biologist at Vancouver Island University in Canada, is one of the experts who do- nate time to answer questions submitted to the website. “Very clearly, after 20 years of commercial genet- ically engineered crops and thousands of tests, there is no evidence that shows geneti- cally engineered crops repre- sent any unique risk beyond the normal uncertainties of plant breeding,” he told Cap- ital Press. Wager believes the con- versation in the U.S. about GMO crops is starting to turn in their favor, thanks in part to efforts of groups like GMO Answers and individu- al farmers who are “stepping 5 up and telling the public what they do, how they do it and why they do it.” “The public is getting a much more balanced view of this technology than they did five years ago,” he said. The nation’s sugar beet industry recently announced it will launch a $4 million online campaign this fall aimed at changing consum- ers’ minds about the safety and benefits of GMO crops. Idaho sugar beet farmer Duane Grant, who is helping lead that effort, said users of GMO crops made a conscious decision when the technolo- gy was introduced commer- cially in 1996 not to engage consumers about it, deferring communication about it to the federal agencies that regulate GMO crops and gave them a green light. 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