THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015
Business & Ag
Wisdom House opens its
doors on First Friday
BY SUNNY WERNER
Sunny@TheBakerCountyPress.com
After traveling to Eastern
Oregon via the Oregon
Trail, John Wisdom built
one of the first houses in
Baker—its special claim
to fame at the time was
that it was the first house
in Baker to have an indoor
toilet.
The Wisdom House, as
it is known, was built in
1878.
On Friday, October 2,
2015, Veronica Johnson
watched as her dreams
came true.
After six months of
working, planning,
renovating and dreaming,
Wisdom House was finally
being shown to the public.
Dozens of visitors
explored the home, com-
menting on the beauty of
the architecture, the decor,
and the history.
Upstairs are two beauti-
fully appointed bedrooms,
each of which has a door
leading out to the second
story wrap-around balcony.
There is also a cozy
sitting room, where guest
may watch TV or Netflix,
play movies, or just sit and
visit. The large upstairs
bathroom is charming,
with a lovely chandelier,
claw foot tub, and an
antique dresser repurposed
to hold a quaint bathroom
basin.
Downstairs is the
large living room, with
high ceilings and large
windows. The windows’
architrave, while not the
original pieces, were
specially made to duplicate
the original.
Hanging in pride of place
is the mirror John Wisdom
originally had hung in the
house, which Wisdom had
brought with him on his
journey along the Oregon
Trail.
Veronica had searched
for months, tracking its
assorted owners, before it
“From 1970 to 2005,
we quit focusing on the
show-ring but focused on
generating quality cattle
for serious cattlemen,” said
Duane. “We focused on ge-
netics and feed-efficiency.
Now that the industry has
a good idea of feed ef-
ficiency we are back in the
show-ring.”
Duane, his father George,
and brother-in-law Cliff
Hall, have produced one
of the most feed-efficient
breeds in the history of the
industry.
“Ultra-efficient,” in the
words of Duane.
The industry average in
terms of feed-efficiency as
measured by weight-gain
shows an intake of seven
to eight pounds of dry feed
per pound of weight gain
in cattle.
The Chandlers produce
cattle that far eclipse that
the industry average with
an average feed-efficiency
that sees a weight gain
of four pounds for every
(approximately) six pounds
of dry feed, according to
Duane.
Since entering back into
Friday, October 2, 2015 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady compared to week
ago prices. Export sales continue to be slow. Re-
tail/Stable demand for all types of hay from Crook,
Deschutes, Jefferson, Wasco counties continues to
be good. Many producers have decided to hold
on to their hay for now, in hopes for higher prices.
Some producers are having their water rights cut off
due to the drought.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa — Large Square, Good
200 250.00-250.00 250.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Small Square, Good
10 90.00-90.00 90.00
Meadow Grass — Small Square, Good
34 175.00-180.00 179.41
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 954
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 221.00 - 253.00 Top 259.00
400-500# Bulk 186.00 - 226.00 Top 227.50
500-600# Bulk 178.00 - 198.00 Top 201.00
Kailyn McQuisten / The Baker County Press
Wisdom House on the corner of Broadway and Second held an open house last
Friday in conjunction with First Friday.
was finally discovered in
Nevada City.
The sitting room leads
to another beautifully ap-
pointed room, the formal
dining room. From there is
the kitchen, which includes
a breakfast area.
Helping Johnson realize
her dreams were her fam-
ily and friends. Stephanie
Tweit, of I So Do Events,
provided tours of the
home, and M. Lynnie
Johnson, children’s author
and illustrator, and family
consultant, displayed her
artwork and books in the
dining room.
Patty Hartley (Ve-
ronica’s sister) and Susan
Strand were providing the
catering and serving for
the open house. Hartley
said they had enjoyed a
wonderful “sisters week-
end” at the house, prior to
the open house.
Veronica Johnson ex-
plained some of her plans
for the house and property.
“I want to have it used for
all kinds of events,” she
said. “Weddings in the
garden, once the landscap-
ing is complete, movie
nights where we can set up
a big screen and show old
movies, corporate events
and retreats, anniversary
celebrations, parties—all
with the help of Stephanie
(Tweit) who is a very ex-
perienced event planner.”
Johnson went on to say
that she was considering
hiring a local chef and sell-
ing tickets to occasional
elegant meals.
“When we first moved
here, we were disappointed
to find nobody dressed up
for special occasions, so
I’m thinking elegant din-
ners might give people the
chance to wear something
special that they don’t
often get to wear,” she
explained.
Although there are many
events that will be planned
for the house, it will also
be available as a rental for
individuals.
An opportunity for local
people to put guests up in
a stately old home rather
than overfill bedrooms, a
getaway for couples want-
ing a relaxing retreat while
they explore the surround-
ing areas, another option
for businesses who have
corporate guests.
The reopening of the
Wisdom House marks an-
other historic home that’s
been standing empty for
years, now brought back
into sound economic use.
Chandler Herefords inducted in
national Hereford Hall of Fame
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
— Weekly Hay Report —
the show-ring, the Chan-
dler Herefords has begun
to rack up more honors.
In 2015, Chandler Her-
efords were awarded Best
of Show at the California
and Washington state fairs,
and in 2014 earned several
division championships
along with the Western
Nationals at the Reno Nug-
get Show.
Chandler Herefords
remains on the cutting
edge of the cattle industry
by constantly evolving and
using modern technology
to continue to improve the
herd. While in college in
the 1990s, Duane devel-
oped a statistical program
they still use today. The
program, called Expected
Progeny Differences,
records traits of offspring
and suggests blending
traits to produce the high-
est quality, most consistent
herd.
Duane has also cre-
ated a strong presence for
Chandler Herefords on
the internet, posting more
than 70 videos boasting 5.5
million views on Youtube.
The Chandler Herefords
Youtube channel has more
than 1,200 subscribers, ac-
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 189.00 - 226.00 Top 229.00
400-500# Bulk 167.00 - 188.00 Top 195.00
500-600# Bulk 158.00 - 179.00 Top 183.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 162.00 - 185.00 Top 186.00
700-800# Bulk 146.00 - 169.00 Top 172.00
800-900# Bulk 139.00 - 158.00 Top 159.00
900-1,000# Bulk 141.00 - 154.00 Top 155.50
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
Yearling Heifers
Bulk 151.00 - 165.00 Top 168.50
Bulk 144.00 - 153.00 Top 156.00
Bulk 139.00 - 157.00 Top 159.00
Bulk 132.00 - 144.00 Top 151.00
Thin Shelly Cows 64.00 - 85.00
Butcher Cows 89.00 - 99.00
Butcher Bulls 84.00 - 104.00
Stock Cows Yng. N/A
Younger Hfrts. 106.00 - 126.00
Stock Cows - N/A
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Doug Fir is $415.00/mbf
White fir is $365.00/mbf
Ponderosa Pine is brought sold
on diameter splits
6 to 11 inch dib $300 to $310/MBF
12 to 17 inch dib $350 to $375/MBF
18 to 23 inch dib $400 to $430/MBF
24 inch plus dib $450 to $500/MBF
DIB is diameter inside bark at
small end of log.
MBF is thousand board feet lumber, net scale.
People interested in selling logs
should call and get specific
quotes from saw mills.
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Submitted Photo.
This prize-winning Hereford female is yet another
example of Chandler Herefords quality.
cording to Duane.
same sensibilities as his
“In 2007, there were
Grandfather Charles
some Oklahoma residents
Chandler II, who turned 96
interested in buying our
this year, when it comes
cows. From that we began
to producing high-quality
an internet Hereford sale.
and consistent Hereford
We became one of the
cattle herds but this sixth
first to have Herefords on
generation rancher has
internet sales. The idea was brought the 21st Century
to bring the ranch to the
into his family’s business.
people,” he said.
This ability to adapt and
“I feel blessed because of the constant grasp for
my ancestors. The family
improvement may be the
has always had the same
main reason behind the
eye for cattle and that has
success and longevity of,
created a uniform and con- Chandler Herefords, the
sistent cowherd,” Duane
oldest business in Baker
said.
County.
Duane may share the
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1146.80
Silver: $15.95
Platinum: $934.00
Palladium: $704.70
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $397.75/bu/USD
Wheat: $524.25/bu/USD
Soybeans: $889.25/bu/USD
Oats: $219.00 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $13.37/cwt/USD
Canola: $476.70 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $133.23/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $178.03/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $66.65//lb./USD
Bloomberg.com