THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2016
Business & Ag
Halfway: Bobcat attack
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
Courtney says she kept
their well-trained dog close
by her side, and the large
cat stood and walked back
to the broken window,
where it made its escape.
Further searching found
dead ducks and chickens,
both belonging to the
Holtons and to their neigh-
bor who was out of town
for a few days.
The Holtons nailed
boards across the broken
window in an attempt to
block further access by the
bobcat.
After daylight, further
searching found more dead
birds. One goat has yet
to be found, and is feared
killed.
As the big cat has found
a plentiful source of food,
the family is naturally
afraid he will return to con-
tinue his predations.
The town of Halfway
has been alerted to the dan-
ger but, as yet, the bobcat
had not been spotted since
Sunday night.
Bobcats are not consid-
ered a threat to humans
unless cornered.
However most families
in the area have pets, and
many have small flocks of
chickens and ducks.
The Holtons’ plan, how-
ever, will continue—and
they explained how the
idea for the goat farm came
to be.
Two of their three
children are on the autism
spectrum. As an involved
and educated mother,
Courtney had researched
recommendations about
lifestyle and environment
in her efforts to offer her
children the best opportu-
nities in which, typically,
people who are on the
spectrum tend to reach
their fullest potential.
Her findings showed that
small, rural communities
tended to be more open
and welcoming, giving
kids with autism more
opportunities for social
interaction and inclusion.
As most rural families
know from generational
experience, working with
livestock and having
outdoor chores educates
all children in the realities
of life, and these lessons
are even more necessary to
children who have special
needs.
Learning about cause
and effect, frequently a dif-
ficult concept for children
with challenges, is never
more clear and logical than
when helping their family
grow their own food and
raise their own stock.
The benefits offered to
those who live in metro-
politan areas include better
access to care but, as most
parents of children with
disabilities know, their day
to day experiences are fre-
quently less encouraging
of social growth and more
isolating.
Once their family made
the transition from their
lives in Temecula, Cali-
fornia, to the tiny town of
Halfway on the eastern
border of Oregon, the work
really began.
The goal became to de-
velop a plan to sustain the
family, give each family
member the opportunity
to be vitally involved in a
family project, and find
ways to “pay forward”
the kindnesses they had
experienced in their reloca-
tion and transition to rural
life. Dear to both Doug and
Courtney’s hearts are fami-
lies of children with kids
on the autism spectrum and
other special needs.
Because of the sensi-
tivities to chemicals that
their children, like many
others, experience, Court-
ney began raising milk
goats and making soap for
the family. Because they
researched the breeds prior
to their first purchase, they
are raising goats who pro-
vide high butterfat milk,
and plan to sell their milk
locally.
Additionally, the family
started building a flock of
the more exotic varieties of
chickens. They are build-
ing this into an online busi-
ness, as fertilized eggs of
the special breeds of chicks
can be sold at a profit.
The Holtons are in the
process of applying for
FSA loans to build their
small farm.
Their long-term goal
includes more than just
operating a smallholding,
however.
As Courtney says, “As a
parent of kids with special
needs, I want so much to
give other families the op-
portunity to take a break.
Life as a ‘Special Family’
can be exhausting, and
chances to just relax with
their kids in a place where
they are all accepted and
encouraged are so had to
find!”
The Special Kid Goat
Farm will allow special
needs families to come
and stay on site for a long
weekend, learn about
farm life, milk goats and
participate in making their
own goat milk soap, which
will be labeled with the
family’s name and be taken
home with them.
During their stay, she
hopes to have opportuni-
ties for relaxation for the
parents, while their chil-
dren are safely and happily
entertained.
Courtney plans to raise
funds and collect donations
to cover spa retreats, mas-
sages, and fishing trips for
these parents.
Meanwhile, neighbors
have spotted a smaller
bobcat, female, in the close
area, and another neigh-
bor’s puppy treed a very
young bobcat Tuesday, so
it’s looking as though there
might be an entire family
of bobcats living in close
to town.
Boock House added to this
year’s Historic Parlor Tours
BY SAMANTHA
O’CONNER
— Weekly Hay Report —
Friday, November 25, 2016 — Eastern Oregon
(No report this week due to holiday.) Last week:
Prices trended generally steady compared to week
ago prices. Most demand lays with the retail/stable
hay. According to some producers, horse owners
are starting to prefer lower sugar, higher protein
hay. Recent dry weather in areas throughout the
state has increased movement.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
Alfalfa — Large Square Fair/Good
60 105.00-105.00 105.00
Last Week
Alfalfa/Orchard Mix — Small Square Premium
10 185.00-185.00 185.00
Orchard Grass— Small Square Premium
20 165.00-165.00 165.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 359
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 151.00 - 178.00 Top 180.00
400-500# Bulk 131.00 - 149.00 Top 152.00
500-600# Bulk 109.00 - 136.00 Top 127.50
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 129.00 - 144.00 Top 148.00
400-500# Bulk 124.00 - 136.00 Top 139.50
500-600# Bulk 111.00 - 122.00 Top 123.00
Yearling Steers
600-700# Bulk 116.00 - 121.00 Top 122.00
700-800# Bulk N/A Top N/A
800-900# Bulk 114.00 - 122.00 Top 126.50
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk N/A Top N/A
700-800# Bulk N/A Top N/A
800-900# Bulk N/A Top N/A
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 38.00 - 49.00
Butcher Cows 49.00 - 59.00
Butcher Bulls 53.00 - 67.00
Pairs Young N/A
Hfretts. 59.00 - 87.00
Stock Cows Young - 985.00 - 1290.00
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
Samantha@TheBakerCountyPress.com
On Saturday, December
10, Historic Baker City
will hold the Historic
Parlor Tours from 12 p.m.
to 5 p.m.
This is the 31st year His-
toric Baker City has held
the event.
The event is open to the
public and begins at the
Baker Heritage Museum,
where people attending
will find brochures and
map.
Historic homes and
buildings such as the Leo
Adler House Museum and
the Orpheum Theater will
be on the tour.
According to Historic
Baker City Secretary Rose-
mary Abell, so far there
are two new houses on the
tour, including the Boock
House on 2644 Walnut
Street.
The Boock House was
just recently recognized by
the Historic Baker City on
August 1 as one of Historic
Baker City’s homes.
The Boock house was
built in 1898-1899 and
was formerly a cigar fac-
tory, built and operated by
Charles Boock.
The building had been
renovated and is now a
home.
“We looked through
everything, took a tour of
it, and decided we would
designate it as one of our
historic homes,” explained
Larry Abell, President of
Historic Baker City. “And
that’s why, this year, we’re
sort of celebrating that by
having it on the tour.”
— Log Price Report —
Price per 1,000 board feet: Northeast Oregon
Currently the local log market is flooded with
fire salvage logs. The log buyer for Malheur
Lumber Co. stated they have all the logs they
need under contract and are not accepting any
new purchases. BCC/LLC of La Grande has
receive so many burned fire salvage logs they
are no longer accepting logs at the La Grande
log yard. Any additional pine logs have to be
delivered to the Elgin Log yard cut in plywood
lengths and to a 8 inch top. For these pine
logs cut in plywood lengths, BCC is offering
$280.00/mbf. They are also paying $420.00/
mbf for Doug Fir & Western Larch. For White
Fir they are offing $325.00/mbf. At the Pilot
Rock Saw Mill BCC is offing $360.00/mbf for a
12 to 15 inch top, for 16 to 19 inch top $400.00/
mbf & offing $425.00/mbf for 20 inch plus top
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
Samantha O’Conner/ The Baker County Press
The Boock House is a new addition to this year’s self-guided tour.
Another addition is the
Palmer House.
The Crossroads Carnegie
Art Center received the
house from the will of the
previous owner as a dona-
tion.
The house was techni-
cally on last year’s Parlor
Tours but has since been
repaired and added to.
It was built in 1910 by a
Baker City Jeweler Walter
Palmer.
Tickets are available at
the Historic Baker City
office, Betty’s Books, the
Chamber of Commerce,
Crossroads, and Bella
Main Street Market.
Tickets cost $15 for
adults, $12 for seniors and
students, and for a group
of ten or more it is $10 a
piece.
The ticket also allows
people into the Leo Adler
House Museum and the
Heritage Museum at no
extra cost.
“It’s one way of working
with HBC to help make
our community available
to visitors, people who
come here,” explained
Larry Abell. “We’ve had
a number of calls about
this year and making sure
we are having the tour and
people that were here last
year bringing new people
because they were so
excited about it.
“That’s why it’s re-
ally fun to have some new
homes and new locations
and some of the familiar
ones.”
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— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,190.00
Silver: $16.68
Platinum: $919.80
Palladium: $764.05
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $352.00/bu/USD
Wheat: $411.25/bu/USD
Soybeans: $1044.00/bu/USD
Oats: $212.50 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $9.58/cwt/USD
Canola: $520.60 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $109.05/lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $125.88/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $55.33/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com