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CapitalPress.com
Friday, August 20, 2021
People & Places
Dry-farmed tomatoes a specialty
By JULIA HOLLISTER
For the Capital Press
WATSONVILLE, Calif.
— When Joe Schirmer took
over ownership of 3-acre
Dirty Girl Produce near Wat-
sonville 22 years ago, stew-
ardship was his mission.
“Joe Schirmer farms with
the sustainability and care
of water, land and work-
ers in mind,” Brie Mazurek,
communications director of
CUESA, said.
His mission has met with
success.
“I began extending the
traditional market garden
organic crops and today we
farm four sites and 40 acres,”
he said.
Dirty Girl Produce is well
loved among San Francisco
Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
shoppers and chefs for their
diversity of produce, such
as chicories, alliums, heir-
loom beans, strawberries,
and of course, their famous
dry-farmed Early Girl toma-
toes, all grown with a prior-
ity for peak flavor and organic
practices.
With dry farming, the
plants are not irrigated. They
get only the water that is avail-
able in the soil. The Early Girl
variety does especially well
with dry farming. The result-
ing tomatoes are dense with
flavor.
The only down side is
sometimes yields can drop to
about one-third a normal crop.
Established 1928
Capital Press Managers
Joe Beach ..................... Editor & Publisher
Anne Long ................. Advertising Director
Western
Innovator
Carl Sampson .................. Managing Editor
Samantha McLaren ....Circulation Manager
Entire contents copyright © 2021
JOE SCHIRMER
EO Media Group
Age: 49
dba Capital Press
Residence: Watsonville,
Calif.
Education: University of
California-Santa Cruz.
Occupation: Owner
and farmer, Dirty Girl
Produce.
Family: Wife and three
children.
CUESA
Joe Schirmer operates Dirty Girl Produce in Watsonville, Calif. He started with 3 acres
and now farms 40 acres.
Other crops at Dirty Girl
run the gamut from beans —
green, shelling and dried —
and broccoli to four varieties
of onions. Five types of let-
tuce are planted year-round.
The farm uses overhead
and drip irrigation on those
other crops and rotates crops
because of the tight water
supply.
Dirty Girl sells its pro-
duce to customers and restau-
rants at 10 farmers markets in
Santa Cruz, Berkeley and San
Francisco.
As to passing along the
mantle of organic farming to
his children, Schirmer says
his children — ages 12, 10,
and 7 — probably don’t want
to go into farming.
“It’s too early to tell, but
they already know too much!”
their dad said.
A “No Pests Allowed” sign
stands out front at the farm.
Schirmer explains the reason.
Treating the soil as though
it is an organism with an
immune system makes it
healthy. As a result, pest prob-
lems are few, and they are
controlled primarily by cov-
ering vulnerable plant starts
with Reemay cloth and rotat-
ing crops.
Farming is a vulnera-
ble industry not free of chal-
lenges. Small farmers, who
operate on slim margins, are
affected by the state-mandated
minimum wage increase, and
most counties are in a water
crisis, he said.
“I have learned a lot since
I began farming Dirty Girl,”
Schirmer said, “but the most
important is ‘Do the right
thing because it’s the right
thing to do, and don’t expect
Quote: “The more rigid
you are, the more break-
able you are. You must be
ready to adapt.”
An independent newspaper
published every Friday.
Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is
published weekly by EO Media Group,
2870 Broadway NE, Salem OR 97303.
Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR,
and at additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: send address changes to
Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR
97308-2048.
anything in return.’”
Mazurek, of CUESA,
points out the importance
of farms such as Dirty Girl
Produce.
“With drought now the
new normal in California and
beyond, it is even more criti-
cal to support small organic
farms like Dirty Girl, which
are farming to protect our pre-
cious resources and adapt for
a water-resilient future,” she
said.
To Reach Us
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Email ........... Circulation@capitalpress.com
Main line .............................503-364-4431
News Staff
Idaho
Carol Ryan Dumas ..............208-860-3898
Boise
Brad Carlson .......................208-914-8264
Western Washington
Don Jenkins .........................360-722-6975
Eastern Washington
Century farms, ranches to be honored at state fair
Matthew Weaver ................509-688-9923
ously farmed portions of their orig-
inal family acreage for 150 years or
more.
George Plaven ....................406-560-1655
2020 Sesquicentennial Family
Designer
• Cooper Family Orchards:
Founded in Wasco County in 1870
by Robert and Mary Cooper. Appli-
cant: David Cooper.
The narratives of the 2020 and
2021 families can be found at www.
centuryfarm.oregonfb.org.
The Oregon Century Farm &
Ranch Program began in 1958 to
honor farm and ranch families with
century-long connections to the
land. To qualify for a century or ses-
quicentennial award, families must
follow a formal application process.
Members of the Application
Review Committee review each
application. Qualifications include
continuous family operation of the
farm or ranch; a gross income from
farm use of not less than $1,000 per
year for at least three years out of
five prior to application; and fam-
ily members must live on or actively
manage the farm or ranch.
Application
documentation
includes photos, original deeds,
personal stories or other historic
records. These records help support
Oregon’s agricultural history by pro-
viding information about settlement
patterns or statistics on livestock and
crop cycles. Documents are archived
for public access.
Award recipients receive a cer-
tificate signed by the governor and
director of the Oregon Department
of Agriculture. Historic roadside
signs are imprinted with the found-
er’s name and the year the ranch or
farm was established.
The application deadline for 2022
is May 1.
The program is administered
by the Oregon Agricultural Educa-
tion Foundation. It is supported by
a partnership with the Oregon Farm
Bureau, the State Historic Pres-
ervation Office, OSU University
Archives, and by generous dona-
tions from Oregonians.
For more information, contact
Kuenzi, program coordinator, at
503-400-7884, cfr@oregonfb.org.
Randy Wrighthouse .............800-882-6789
Twelve farms and ranches from
six counties will be honored this
year as official Oregon Century
Farms or Ranches, bringing the total
number of Oregon Century Farms
and Ranches to 1,247.
One Sesquicentennial Century
Farm recipient from 2020 — a fam-
ily that has reached the 150-year
mark — brings the total of Sesqui-
centennial honorees to 47.
The 2020 families will be hon-
ored with the 2021 families at this
year’s awards ceremony at the Ore-
gon State fair on Saturday, Aug. 28.
“Every Oregon farm and ranch
has a unique history and special
family story. The Oregon Century
Farm & Ranch program encourages
agriculture families to share, with
a broader audience, these stories,”
said Program Coordinator Andrea
Kuenzi in an Oregon Farm Bureau
press release. “By promoting fam-
ily stories, our rich cultural heritage
is passed down to future generations
while educating Oregonians about
the social and economic impact of
Oregon agriculture.”
The Century Farm and Ranch
families being honored are:
2021 Century Farm & Ranch
Families
• Alderson Farms: Founded in
Polk County in 1921 by Richard
Alderson. Applicant: Dennis & Ron
Alderson.
• Barnett Farm: Founded in Polk
County in 1921 by Martin and
Tressa Conger. Applicant: Linda M.
Barnett.
• Cruickshank Brothers Farms:
Founded in Polk County in 1920
by David and Annie Cruickshank.
Applicant: John W. Cruickshank.
• Norman Farm: Founded in
Clackamas County in 1921 by John
and Anna Norman. Applicant: Shir-
ley Norman.
• Ogle Ranch: Founded in Lake
County in 1919 by Clarence Wil-
son (C.W.) “Jim” Ogle. Applicant:
James W. Ogle.
• R.T Gilliland Farm: Founded in
Umatilla County in 1914 by Robert
T. and Willie Gilliland. Applicant:
Donald H. Bensel.
• Rueck’s Grandview Farm:
Founded in Washington County in
1921 by George Sr. and Anna Marie
Rueck. Applicant: Marvin C. Rueck.
• SC Ranch LLC: Founded in
Lake County in 1918 by S.B. (Sol)
Chandler. Applicant: Lytle and
Tamara Ann Simms.
• Timber Hill Farm: Founded in
Polk County in 1920 by David and
Annie Cruickshank. Applicant: Ken-
neth David Cruickshank.
• Welter Family Farm LLC:
Founded in Marion County in 1919
by Albert F. and Mary B. Welter.
Applicant: Welter Family Farm LLC
(Tom Welter).
• Tucker Ranch: Founded in
Umatilla County in 1916 by Eugene
“Eaph” Tucker. Applicant: Samuel
E. Tucker.
• Von Derahe Orchards: Founded
in Umatilla County in 1914 by A.A.
& Lois E. Bixby. Applicant: Von
Derahe Orchards LLC (Mike and
Chuck Von Derahe).
2020 Century Farm & Ranch
Families
• Blackman Ranch: Founded in
Klamath County in 1919 by Thomas
Walter Blackman. Applicant: Rod-
ney and Virginia Blackman.
• Marx Farm: Founded in Polk
County in 1920 by Julius and Luise
Marx. Applicant: Merle Marx.
• Paysinger Family Farm:
Founded in Yamhill County in
1920 by George and Lizzie Shel-
burne. Applicant: David and The-
resa Paysinger.
• Starvation Farms: Founded in
Morrow County in 1918 by Chris
Moehnke. Applicant: Chris and
Kathy Rauch.
• Roy Family Farm: Founded in
Yamhill County in 1920 by Alfred
Luke Roy. Applicant: Carol A. Roy.
• Ward Ranches: Founded in
Baker County in 1919 by Levi
“Clyde” Ward. Applicants: Craig,
Mark, Kathy, and Ralph Ward.
• JW Ranch: Founded in Marion
County in 1920 by John Calahan.
Applicant: John W. Wells.
• Fir Villa Farm: Founded in Polk
County in 1911 by Solomon S. and
Susan Ediger. Applicants: Melvin &
Esther Ediger.
The Sesquicentennial Award pro-
gram began in 2008 in honor of Ore-
gon’s 150th birthday celebration.
Sesquicentennial awards recognize
Oregon families who have continu-
Oregon
Mateusz Perkowski .............800-882-6789
Sierra Dawn McClain ..........503-506-8011
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CALENDAR
Submit upcoming ag-related
events on www.capitalpress.com
or by email to newsroom@capital-
press.com.
THROUGH SUNDAY
AUG. 19-22
Wasco County Fair & Rodeo:
Noon-11 p.m. Wasco County Fair-
grounds, 81849 Fairgrounds Road,
Tygh Valley, Ore. Website: https://bit.
ly/3ipAmnM
AUG. 20-29
Western Idaho Fair: Expo Idaho,
5610 Glenwood St., Boise. Website:
www.idahofair.com
MONDAY AUG. 23
Intro to HACCP and Food Safety
(live online): 9 a.m. The Hazard Analy-
sis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
system is a logical, scientific approach
to controlling hazards in food produc-
tion and is a preventive system assur-
ing the safe production of food prod-
ucts. The principle of HACCP can be
applied to production, meat slaughter
and processing, shipping and distri-
bution, food service and home prepa-
ration. Successful completion of this
course will result in an Introduction to
HACCP Certificate with the Interna-
tional HACCP Alliance seal of approval.
Website: https://bit.ly/3AAmSfY
AUG. 27-SEPT. 6
Oregon State Fair: Oregon State
Fair & Exposition Center, 2330 17th St.
NE, Salem, Ore. We’re looking forward
to welcoming you back to the fair.
Website: https://oregonstatefair.org/
SEPT. 3-11
Eastern Idaho State Fair: Eastern
Idaho Fairgrounds, 97 Park St., Black-
foot, Idaho. The daily schedule and
entertainment line-up will be pub-
lished in June. Website: https://funat-
thefair.com/
SEPT. 3-26
Washington State Fair: Wash-
ington State Fair Events Center, 110
9th Ave. SW, Puyallup, Wash. Open
Labor Day weekend. Closed Tuesdays
and Sept. 8. Website: https://www.
thefair.com/
TUESDAY SEPT. 7
NRCS Idaho State Technical
Advisory Committee Meeting
(virtual): 9 a.m.-noon. Group
meets three times per year to
youtube.com/CapitalPressvideo
advise NRCS and other USDA
agencies on carrying out Farm
Bill conservation provisions.
Includes representatives of var-
ious natural resource and agri-
cultural interests such as agen-
cies, ag producers and tribes.
Website: https://bit.ly/3fUNorS
Contact: mindi.rambo@usda.
gov
WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY
SEPT. 8-10
Public Lands Council 53rd
Annual Meeting (live and
online): Best Western Ocean View
Resort, 414 N Prom, Seaside, Ore.
The meeting provides a forum for
producers to discuss current and
emerging issues with federal agen-
cies, industry partners and law-
makers. Website: www.publicland-
scouncil.org
WEDNESDAY
SEPT. 15
OSU Extension’s Seed and
Cereal Crop Production meeting
(online): 8:30 a.m. Agenda: agro-
nomic updates for grass seed from
OSU south valley field crops Exten-
sion agent Christy Tanner; updates
on slug control strategies from
OSU Extension slug expert Rory
McDonnell; and new technologies
for weed control in grass seed from
OSU assistant professor Caio Brun-
haro. One Oregon Department of
Agriculture credit offered for each
session. The session is free but you
must register to get the credit. Reg-
ister: https://beav.es/39d
Index
Markets .................................................10
Opinion ...................................................6
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staff and to our readers.
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