8
march16
in other words
2017
Diggin’ in the Dirt: Columbia County 100 Years Ago
Take excess produce to the food bank,
senior centers, or community meals
programs. Cash donations to buy food
are also greatly appreciated.
The Extension Service offers its pro-
grams and materials equally to all
people.
Free newsletter
The Oregon State University
Extension offi ce in Columbia County
publishes a monthly newsletter on gar-
dening and farming topics (called Coun-
try Living) written/edited by yours truly.
All you need to do is ask for it and it will
be mailed to you. Call (503) 397-3462 to
be put on the list. Alternatively, you can
sign up for email notifi cation of when
to fi nd the latest edition on the web at
http://extension.oregonstate.edu/colum-
bia/.
Contact information for the Extension
offi ce
Oregon State University Extension Ser-
vice – Columbia County
505 N. Columbia River Highway (across
from the Legacy clinic)
St. Helens, OR 97051
(503) 397-3462
Email: chip.bubl@oregonstate.edu
Vernonia
Dental
D
Vernonia’s Voice is published twice each
month on the 1st and 3rd Thursday.
Look for our next issue out April 6.
squirrels).
Diking projects along the Co-
lumbia River were the highest priority.
The Deer Island District was the furthest
along in organization and had a detailed
plan developed by the Department of
Drainage and Irrigation at OAC that
would have cost owners within the Dis-
trict $40/acre to dike and drain the land.
But a month after Howard was
hired, the United States entered World
War I. All federal help (money, equip-
ment, planning, etc.) evaporated along
with the labor force to do the work,
which went into the army or into defense
related industries. All drainage projects
were put on hold except for drawing
up detailed plans for when the war was
over.
High feed costs and high meat
prices led to the slaughter of low per-
forming cattle and the improvement of
herds with better genetics. County Agent
Howard assisted in the selection of 12
dairy sires, 32 registered dairy cows, and
35 registered hogs. Seed orders were
pooled through the Extension offi ce sav-
ing farmers $1,100. He communicated
through farm visits, offi ce calls, meet-
ings, newspaper articles and 1,200 let-
ters. D.C. Howard resigned in October,
1919 to manage Ed Cary’s Jersey dairy.
He was succeeded by Thomas Flippin Jr.
in December, 1919.
DM
Open
A farmer in his alfalfa fi eld near St. Helens
Why lady beetles fl y away
Lady beetles spend the winter
in rock cavities in the mountains. They
are collected when they emerge in the
spring. The lady beetles are then cooled
and sent to garden centers.
However, in nature, when the
lady beetle emerges, it has a certain
amount of fat. Its instinct is to fl y until
the fat is largely used up.
Then it looks for some
aphids to eat. So when you
open up the package, they
are still fat and they will
still fl y away. In addition,
there is some concern that
collecting for sale may be
affecting the native lady
beetle population. Buying
ladybeetles really doesn’t
make much sense. Best ad-
vice is to avoid the wide-
spread use of insecticides
and to plant a diverse bo-
tanical landscape. The lady
beetles will show up.
an
Vernonia
Veterinary Clinic
• Land drainage by diking along the Co-
lumbia and tile draining on other pieces
of low ground
• Livestock improvement through milk
cow testing clubs and bringing in pure-
bred dairy sires and cows
• Silo construction and management
• Rodent control (moles, despite the
fact that they aren’t rodents, and ground
e rm
(OAC, now OSU) and started work on
March 3, 1917. The logging boom was
on (virgin timber stands went from
350,000 acres in 1895 to 50,000 by 1935)
Scappoose Bay Watershed Council’s and salmon were an abundant resource
Native Plant Sale Saturday, April 15
to be caught and processed. Most people
Join the Scappoose Bay Water- made their living directly or indirectly
shed Council (SBWC) at their Spring from one of those two industries.
Native Plant Sale Saturday, April 15,
Farming at that time was most-
from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. This is their ly subsistence with dairy
semi-annual event to get you ready for and beef cattle providing
spring and summer planting. They have signifi cant cash income.
lots of new plants at great prices - all There were lush grasslands
native to our area. Staff and volunteers along the river that were
are available to help chose plants, sug- grazed after winter and
gest gardening ideas, and provide infor- spring fl oods receded and
mation on establishing and maintaining some less profi table graz-
native vegetation. For more information ing on the stump lands in
see http://www.scappoosebay-wc.org/ the hills and coast range
native-plant-nursery/.
valleys. A number of small
The Plant Sale is from 9:00 am dairy processors produced
to 3:00 pm at the SBWC nursery, lo- milk products for local
cated behind Scappoose High School. consumption and for Port-
Look for signs – go east on SE High land.
School Way and turn into the parking lot
Grain, fruit, and
between the high school and the school vegetable crops were
ball fi eld areas.
grown on the non-fl ooding upland
“benches” along the Columbia. You
Extension in Columbia County began can see where those were by where the
100 years ago
railroad is. Everything from Scappoose
Mr. D.C. Howard was appointed to Clatskanie on the up-side of the river
as fi rst Columbia County Extension didn’t normally fl ood.
Agent by Oregon Agricultural College
D.C. Howard (he always signed
his reports with his initials so I don’t
know his fi rst or middle name) be-
gan organizing meetings in the 22 (!)
separate communities he identifi ed.
He found that there were about 1,000
farms. More than half were subsis-
Small and Large Animals
tence at best with the owners making
money in timber and/or fi shing. Of the
remaining 500, about 20% farmed less
than 10 acres of tillable land, another
20% had less than 20 acres of land, and
the remaining 60% had 20-160 acres.
Howard and his farm commit-
tees came up with the following sets
of projects for advancing agriculture in
Columbia County:
Mon, Wed & Saturday
• Land clearing demonstrations
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
• Demonstration of the value of lime
and various fertilizers on crops in the
Call for Appointments
different areas
(503) 429-1612
• Cooperative buying of feed and seed
Or 24 hr. Emergency Number (503) 397-6470
• Organize potato growers for market-
700 Weed Ave. Vernonia, OR
ing
By Chip Bubl
Oregon State University
Extension Service - Columbia County
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622 Bridge Street Vernonia, OR 97064
phone (503) 429-0880 -- fax (503) 429-0881
