16 Summer 2011 Applegater
Hiking the Applegate
By Janeen sathRe
This year has been a challenge for
me to do one of my favorite things here in
the Applegate: Hike. In the early spring,
when I like to shake out the kinks from
my winter nap, it was still cold and rainy.
Every time I thought about heading out
to some of the lower elevation trails, rain
clouds would settle in and, if that wasn’t
enough, many times it wasn’t rain, but
snow. Some people were happy about this
snow and I would have to say I was not
unhappy, but I did stick around the warm
fireplace much more than getting outside
and hiking.
When I finally did hit the trails,
I was pleasantly surprised to find them
better than ever. Thanks to the Bureau
of Land Management (BLM) and the
wonderful volunteers of SUTA (Siskiyou
Upland Trails Association) the Sterling
Mine Ditch is in fabulous shape for hiking
or horseback riding. There are five portals
for accessing this trail system. Three points
of entry are on Little Applegate Road after
the pavement ends—Bear Gulch, Tunnel
Ridge, and the Little Applegate Trailhead.
Off Sterling Creek Road, you can access
the BLM road, Armstrong Gulch, where
you will find two more trailheads—
Armstrong Gulch and Demming Gulch.
Maps are available at the BLM offices in
Medford.
This trail system provides some
sensational views of the Little Applegate
Valley with snowcapped mountains as
a backdrop. In the spring, the south-
facing hillsides are filled with all colors
of wildflowers, and in the shady draws,
there are some of the biggest trees I have
seen. The best part of this trail system is
you can do the parts that fit your physical
ability. Armstrong Gulch is easy, the ditch/
I
really enjoy doing the enchanted
Forest with a stop afterward at
one of the beautiful wineries where i
kick back and savor the taste of our
spectacular applegate valley.
trail crosses the road and the ditch has no
noticeable grade whether you go left or
right. The Bear Gulch or Tunnel Ridge
trails will give you a bit of a climb for about
half a mile and then you walk the flat ditch
line. Then, if you want something with a
little more of a workout, start at the Little
Applegate Trailhead.
The next surprise for me was
hiking the BLM roads and trails on the
headwalls of Forest Creek. In all my
years (not quite as old as the hills) here in
the Applegate, I never ventured into the
Forest Creek area—shame on me. There
are views up there of the Little Applegate
Valley to the Lower Applegate, down into
Humbug Creek and all the way to the top
of Thompson Creek. Grayback Mountain,
Preston Peak, the Red Buttes, Dutchman
Peak, Roxy Ann, Mount McLoughlin,
Crater Lake Rim, and Mount Isabelle. Yes,
I just did a 360-degree view standing in one
spot. We won’t even talk about flowers in
the spring; I gave up counting the varieties,
too much of an overload.
Thanks go to David Calahan and
the new ATA (Applegate Trails Association)
for giving me a tour and articulating the
wonderful vision of a trail system for
hikers and horseback riders from Forest
Creek to Grants Pass. Beginning with
a proposal for 5,800 acres to become
Wellington Wildlands and ridgeline trails
to run for many miles, they have their
work cut out for them. In the meantime,
the BLM road to Mount Isabelle will give
you opportunities to hike right here in the
middle of the Applegate Valley.
Someday, the trails systems I
have mentioned may tie into the BLM’s
Enchanted Forest and Felton Trails. This
trail system begins at the end of Slagle
Creek and is a great spring trail with giant
trillium flowers in the creek area and a great
autumn trail with the big leaf maples in all
their golden glory. I really enjoy hiking the
Enchanted Forest, with a stop afterward at
one of the beautiful wineries where I kick
back and savor the taste of our spectacular
Applegate Valley.
The beauty of these trails is
their easier access and more year-round
availability than the higher-elevation trails
of the Red Buttes or Dutchman Peak areas,
which even now, on the first of July, are
covered with snow. And no, Maggie, I am
not going to borrow your snowshoes.
Happy trails!
Janeen Sathre
541-899-1443
Growing agripreneurs:
A farmer incubator program and partnership
By meLissa mattheWson
The Southern Oregon Farmer
Incubator program is a collaborative of
organizations working to train new and
beginning farmers. The collaboration
between Thrive, Rogue Farm Corps,
Oregon State University Extension and
the Friends of Family Farmers has created
a three-year training program with various
components. One of these components is
a new project launched at the Southern
Oregon Research & Extension Center
(SOREC) this spring called Growing
Agripreneurs. This project is funded by
the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s
Specialty Crop Program and run by the
OSU Small Farms Program. In essence,
Growing Agripreneurs consists of a one-
acre teaching farm located at SOREC with
a cohort of nine beginning farmers who are
working and learning how to design and
manage a new farm business. The focus is
on the production of horticultural crops,
but other topics related to all agricultural
enterprises like record-keeping, crop
planning and organic certification have
also been included.
A part-time farm manager, Shaina
Bronstein (also owner of Walker Creek
Farm), manages the one-acre plot and has
split the one-acre into various quadrants
for demonstration, teaching and ease of them come from the Ashland and Medford
management. The plot has mostly been area. One participant currently grows
fallow for several years, so cover crops vegetables for a retreat center outside of
and grains have been planted to build soil Ashland and another has inherited land
fertility. Wheat and barley are growing on that he is interested in developing into a
a ¼ acre each and will be nearing harvest vegetable farm. One participant installs
by mid-summer. Two types of cover crops gardens for urban residents and another is
are growing as well—an oat and pea mix farming an urban plot in Medford. Another
and a straight clover mix. Perennials participant runs a successful creamery, but
that have been planted include hops, has acreage he is interested in developing
strawberries and raspberries and there are into a farm. All are mostly new to farming
plans to include herbs
within the last few
and other perennials.
years and have
t this time, the produce
Annual vegetables and
hopes of developing
generated from the one-acre
flowers are growing plot will be donated to local food
sustainable and
on two quadrants banks and pantries.
profitable farms.
and mostly consist
Shaina Bronstein
of summer crops like
s a y s , “ St u d e n t s
tomatoes, eggplants, melons and squash. At are observing the components that go
this time, the produce generated from the into building a small farming enterprise,
one-acre plot will be donated to local food from planning to implementation. They
banks and pantries. The plot is currently are getting hands on time working in the
being managed organically with the intent field and the small setting allows for in
of certifying the plot organic in the coming depth discussions about each participant’s
year. Because the plot is located on the farming goals. Participants can focus on
Southern Oregon Experiment Station, identifying and building those particular
the farm manager has access to equipment skills required for their individual
and other farming resources through the situations.”
research and extension branch. As this
The nine participants must
is the pilot year of the program, we are volunteer two hours a week on the teaching
learning what it takes to farm and work alongside the farm manager,
run a teaching farm. We which allows ample opportunity for
have identified a number questions and interaction. Volunteering on
of things to improve the farm allows participants to take pride
on next year, including in the work and the farm as well as learn
b u i l d i n g a p r o p e r how to grow on a scale that could lead to
greenhouse, securing a commercial enterprise. The participants
irrigation lines as well as also receive one-on-one attention from
timing irrigation.
Extension faculty and the farm manager.
The cohort is a In addition to the volunteer hours, there
diverse set of participants are monthly skill-building sessions that
ranging in age and focus in-depth on various topics including
experience and most of cultivation, irrigation, and greenhouse
A
seeding. Each participant is responsible
for keeping a notebook and making notes
and observations during farm walks.
There are also an additional five
classes throughout the growing season,
including the basics of horticulture,
irrigation, pest management, equipment
and soil fertility. For these classes, OSU
Extension faculty provides resources
and education as well as call on other
Extension and agricultural professionals
to provide education. Participants are also
able to attend farm tours and classes held
by Rogue Farm Corps in addition to the
educational offerings through OSU. Many
of them will have access to a produce
subsidy program and an online farmers’
market as outlets for their produce. Both
of those programs are administered by
THRIVE. These are the many ways that
we are working with other organizations to
build a comprehensive beginning farmer
program for southern Oregon.
We hope to continue expanding
the farm over time by taking on some
additional acreage and adding livestock in
the future. Currently, the project is limited
by having access to capital and grant funds
to run and expand the farm. We hope to
put up a greenhouse this winter and add
more classes during the 2012 growing
season. If you are interested in being a
part of the program or have questions,
please contact Maud Powell or Melissa
Matthewson at the Southern Oregon
Research and Extension Center.
Melissa Matthewson
Oregon State University Extension
Small Farms
Southern Oregon Research
and Extension Center
541-776-7371
