THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 3
FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 2017
Business / Agriculture
Oxbow’s reopened inn in full swing
BY SUNNY WERNER
Sunny@TheBakerCountyPress.com
Amy Lord grew up on
Pine Creek in the 70s.
As those who have spent
their childhoods playing
around the rivers, creeks
and mountains tend to
find, those areas are sorely
missed when life and work
opportunities lead to lives
in other, more populous
areas.
Returning as often as
possible wasn’t enough
and, when the opportu-
nity to purchase the Hell’s
Canyon Inn in Oxbow
suddenly presented itself
in early 2016, Lord and
her husband Rick made
the life-changing decision
to buy.
The Inn had been
through many hands over
the years, but the lo-
cal people who eat there
regularly have remained
consistent. It was, in fact,
one of these local residents
whose words encouraged
the Lords to open the
restaurant earlier than they
had planned.
There was much to be
accomplished before re-
opening, and neither of the
pair had any prior restau-
rant experience.
From designing menus
to ordering the correct
amount of food, from hir-
ing staff to cooking and
serving, neither Rick’s
background as a hardwood
floor installer nor Amy’s as
a hospice worker had given
the pair any idea of how to
run a restaurant.
However, when an
elderly lady pulled up to
the front of the restaurant
in early May and, finding
Amy working outside,
asked her if the restaurant
would be open on Moth-
er’s Day because, “I have
eaten here for Mother’s
Day for 40 years, through
all the ups, downs, storms
and floods!”
Lord decided then and
there that they would open
in time for the big day.
Since Mother’s Day
2016, the restaurant has
been open as often as the
weather would allow.
During the winter of
16/17 the heavy snows pre-
vented opening at all for
several days, but otherwise
the doors have been open.
The daily hours are from
11 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed
Tuesdays, although Lord
plans for a seven-day-a-
week operation soon.
Keeping the doors open
has been made easier by
the fact that almost all the
staff lives in Oxbow.
Lord explains that the
friends and family who
work at the Inn are a close-
knit team, and regularly
step up to help each other
in all aspects of their work.
“We’ve already out-
grown this building,”
explained Winton. “I have
a tenth of the staff, I have
a tenth of the machines I
need to keep going forward
with what we need to do. I
need another five CNC ma-
chines and I have no place
Friday, March 17, 2017 — Eastern Oregon
Prices trended generally steady in a limited test
compared to week ago prices. Most demand lays
with the retail/stable hay. According to some pro-
ducers, horse owners prefer lower sugar, higher pro-
teinhay. Many producers are sold out for the year.
Tons Price Range Wtd Avg
No new sales confirmed. Last week:
Alfalfa — Large Square Good
30 130.00-130.00 130.00
Alfalfa / Orchard Mix — Small Square Premium
3 175.00-175.00 175.00
USDA Market News Service—AMS.USDA.gov
— Cattle Market Report —
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Vale, Oregon
Cattle sold through the auction: 1638
Sunny Werner / The Baker County Press
L-R: Chynna, Amy, Chase, Candace, Shannon, Rick, Brandy and Caleb.
“We are all here for each
other,” she says, “and
my goal is for each and
every one of us to learn
all aspects of running the
operation so we never have
a gap in coverage.”
Also included in the
daily work schedule for all
team members are taking-
care-of-Grandma duties,
and playing with the Hell’s
Canyon Inn’s youngest
and, arguably, most adored
member, two-year-old
Chase Lord, raised by Amy
and Rick since his birth.
“Grandma” is the grand-
mother of Amy Lord’s
best friend, another staff
member. Grandma has
cancer, and is surrounded
by loving family as she
closes out her days.
Little Chase spends most
of his time close to Grand-
ma, with one or other of
the team in attendance and
frequent breaks to come
supervise the activities at
the Inn.
“This whole adventure
is a family affair,” Lord
explained. “We have
extensive family in the
Tacoma area, and this
gives us the opportunity to
give the younger adults the
chance to get away from
the city, learn a new trade,
and work together as a big
team.”
What is evident upon
entering the Inn is the fact
that the staff is happy.
Their investment of their
time and efforts is clearly
rewarded by knowing that
they are a part of a joint
effort.
Their excitement is pal-
pable, and they are encour-
aged to extend themselves.
All of them discuss their
ideas with the Lords, and
are encouraged to try new
ways of doing their work.
The Lords plan to
continue expansion and
continue to provide jobs
and training to more of
their younger relatives as
well as helping out the
local community. Their in-
terest in providing support
and help to all with whom
they come in contact is
evidenced by Amy’s recent
assistance to 17 year-
old Karry Davis, about
whom this paper reported
recently. Karry worked at
the Inn last summer, and
is little Chase’s favorite
babysitter.
Karry had the opportuni-
ty to compete in Baltimore,
for The Voice, but the costs
were out of reach.
The Lords provided ad-
vertising, ran a fundraiser,
and eventually Amy flew
with Karry to Baltimore as
Karry’s mother was too ill
to accompany her.
That kindness is what
draws the family closer,
and is teaching the more
junior members how to be
part of a community.
The Lords have plans to
expand, and make the Inn
a real destination point.
Amy has rescued two
miniature donkeys and
has plans for other rescue
animals, and wants to
eventually open a B & B
and cabins nearby.
The rescue animals will
probably be part of the at-
traction, along with guided
horseback trail rides, book-
ing of river trips (which
can now be done while
visiting the Inn), and other
locally-sourced activities.
Lord became interested
in mini-donkeys when
she was driving a young
person to his family in
Louisiana last year. The
young man has autism and
was not able to fly alone,
so Lord volunteered to
drive. Lord took a young
cousin along for the trip,
and stopped with the two
teens in Utah for a break.
There was a petting zoo
with miniature donkeys,
and the youngsters were
enraptured for several
hours. Consequently, when
news came of a pair of
mini-donkeys who were in
need of rescuing, Lord de-
cided they needed to come
to Oxbow. Their care will
become part of the regular
team duties, and the young
women who work at the
Inn are excited about their
arrival.
The current main focus
for the family is raising
funds to fight a legal battle
to keep Chase safely in
the home he has always
known. The Lords are
gearing up to face several
thousands in legal fees,
and are running another
raffle in hopes of raising
enough to pay them. As
loyal 12th Men, the Lords
have season tickets to the
Seahawks.
For the grand prize for
this raffle they are offer-
ing their tickets to a home
game, plus a stay at a
nearby Seattle hotel and
meals, along with a river
rafting trip and other as-
sorted prizes.
Hell’s Canyon Inn also
has outdoor seating avail-
able during good weather,
a full bar, and a fairly wide
range of menu choices.
Their sauces are made
on site, and their food is
sourced locally.
They plan to include a
store selling locally made,
artisanal items in the near
future.
“We have had people
from all over the world
stop by here,” says Lord,
“And we have the oppor-
tunity to continue to build
this into a place people
can come visit and find out
about all the activities and
great spots in our beautiful
area.”
to put them.”
Winton explained that
the online retail never
stopped as they acquired
the building, but increased.
They have been in business
since they took possession
of the building.
Winton went to Baker
High School and explained
that he chose to operate in
Baker where he has family
in Keating and readily
available labor force.
He also chose the ware-
house for its location near
the freeway.
“I moved back here be-
cause with the online set, I
could live anywhere,” ex-
plained Winton. “And this
is a nice place to resettle
and start figuring out what
I want to do and things
progressed. I was looking
to do this and ended up
Subscribe today!
See page 9 for details.
Steer Calves
300-400# Bulk 136.00-159.00 Top 163.00
400-500# Bulk 148.00-176.00 Top 178.00
500-600# Bulk 141.00-165.00 Top 167.00
Heifer Calves
300-400# Bulk 139.00-165.00 Top 167.00
400-500# Bulk 129.00-159.00 Top 159.50
500-600# Bulk 123.00-142.00 Top 143.50
600-700#
700-800#
800-900#
900-1,000#
getting ahold of the owner
of this building and pick-
ing it up cheap and, yeah,
so here we are.”
Winton explained that he
employs fifteen people and
he needs to add 24 to meet
production goals.
To meet what he wants
to do next year, he will
need to hire a couple hun-
dred more.
Yearling Steers
Bulk 127.00-147.50 Top 148.00
Bulk 118.00-133.25 Top 134.50
Bulk 116.00-126.00 Top 126.80
Bulk 108.00-119.00 Top 119.75
Yearling Heifers
600-700# Bulk 116.00-128.50 Top 129.00
700-800# Bulk 111.00-121.00 Top 122.00
800-900# Bulk 105.00-117.00 Top 118.00
900-1,000# Bulk N/A Top N/A
Thin Shelly Cows 46.00-57.00
Butcher Cows 59.00-67.00
Butcher Bulls 55.00-72.00
Pairs Young 1350.00-1590.00
Hfretts 87.00-105.00
Stock Cows Young - 985.00-1300.00
ProducersLivestock.com
541-473-3136
— Log Price Report —
Prices are based on the majority of saw mills in
Northeastern Oregon and Central Idaho. The prices
listed below are a composite prices of various saw-
mills willing to visit with me about this topic.
Ponderosa Pine—small diameter class 8-11 inches
diameter class $250 per mbf. Only one sawmill was
willing to buy small diameter pine at this time.
Ponderosa Pine—medium diameter class 12-17
inches diameter class $300 to $350 per mbf
Ponderosa Pine-large diameter class 18 plus inches
diameter class $380 to $410 per mbf
The Pine prices are still approximately $40 per mbf
below average lumber/log market due to 2017 fire
salvage
Doug Fir & Western Larch—$380 to $420 per
mbf. Normal prices typically ranged between $425
to $475 per mbf.
White Fir-$300 per mbf. Normal prices typically
ranged between $340 to $360 per mbf.
Engelmann Spruce—$350 at one Idaho sawmill,
other sawmills including with White fir prices.
In general, the log prices still impacted from 2015
fire season and fire salvage that resulted. Sawmills
are starting to get log yard inventory in line with
sawmill production needs. With a new Administra-
tion as of 1/20/2017, a more normal economic envi-
ronment should result and hopefully a more healthy
housing situation will result in a better climate for
Northeast Oregon Sawmill and private forest land-
owners.
Firearms manufacturer
CONTINUED FROM
PAGE 1
— Weekly Hay Report —
Courtesy of Arvid Andersen,
Andersen Forestry Consulting
— Precious Metals Report —
Price per ounce, USD
Gold: $1,245.50
Silver: $17.54
Platinum: $970.00
Palladium: $784.83
Bloomberg.com
— Ag Commodities —
Corn: $361.25/bu/USD
Wheat: $425.00/bu/USD
Soybeans: $1001.00/bu/USD
Oats: $254.00 bu/USD
Rough Rice: $9.76/cwt/USD
Canola: $503.50 CAD/mwt
Live Cattle: $111.05//lb./USD
Feeder Cattle: $131.50/lb./USD
Lean Hogs: $76.33/lb./USD
Bloomberg.com