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About Applegater. (Jacksonville, OR) 2008-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2011)
Applegate Applegate Valley Valley Community Community Newspaper, Newspaper, Inc. Inc. 7386 7386 Highway Highway 238, 238, PMB PMB 308 308 7386 Highway 238, PMB 308 Jacksonville, Jacksonville, OR OR 97530 97530 Jacksonville, OR 97530 Applegater Winter 2011 1 Log on to our web site www.Applegater.org Photo by Barbara Holiday Applegate Valley Community Newspaper WINTER 2011 Volume 4, No. 1 Postal Patron Serving Jackson and Josephine Counties — Circulation: 9,000 Growing grains on small farms BY SHELLEY ELKOVICH Amber waves of grain are rippling across a handful of small farms in South- ern Oregon in what could be a resurgence in regional production. Last January, a group of bakers, brewers, chefs, millers and farmers met at OSU Extension in Central Point to collaborate on ways to meet con- sumer demand for locally-produced grain products. Eighty years ago, 41 varieties of wheat were grown on a million acres in Oregon. Small farms grew wheat. Today, there is much less wheat, and what is grown is mostly produced on the large commod- ity scale, such as the bigger farms in the Klamath basin. Wheat is still Oregon’s fi fth largest commodity crop, but 85% of it is exported, mostly to Pacifi c Rim countries. Since Southwestern Oregon no longer produces much locally consumed grain, almost a generation of knowledge and infrastructure has been lost. Most farms in the region are small holdings, and part of looking toward a future that includes grain in the local economy in- volves looking back at cultivation methods of the past, when equipment and practices were scaled for smaller farms. In order to teach producers about grains, Small Farms staff Maud Powell and Shelley Elkovich planned a series of seven classes entitled, “Growing Grains on a Small Farm.” Th e series, funded by a USDA Sustainable Ag- riculture Research and Education (SARE) grant, covers all aspects of grain production throughout the growing season. Each class See GRAINS, page 3 See GRAINS, page 3 Waldorf School forming in Williams Area BY SHAUNA KENEALEY Firefi ghters gain control of a house fi re near Williams in 2008. BY SANDY SHAFFER Have you ever called 9-1-1? No? Lucky you! Because, whether it’s a personal injury, kitchen fi re, heart attack, automobile accident, baby coming prematurely or a lightning strike out here in rural Oregon, calling 9-1-1 is how we get the quickest emergency help. You might be surprised at who shows up to respond to your emergen- cy situation and, where they respond from. Our Applegate Valley Rural Fire District (AVFD) covers most residents on the Jackson County side of our Applegate watershed and a bit of the Josephine County side, almost to Murphy. Located in Ruch, District Headquarters (or HQ) is where the staff and shift supervisors respond from (all paid employees); a team is on call 24-7. However, like most rural fi re districts, the majority of our District’s fi refi ghters are volunteers. So many times your fi refi ghter or EMT (emergency medical technician) will be a neighbor, friend or co-worker. Th e District has seven diff erent fi re stations spread across the 181 square miles of their jurisdiction (including HQ), and volunteer fi refi ghters are vital in responding to calls from each one of these stations. For most alarms the District sends a response from the HQ station and one or more outlying See CRITICAL, page 10 On a brisk fall morning, children rush into school enthusiastic to begin the day. At the door the teacher is there to welcome the children with a handshake and a smile. Th e smell of baking bread drifts from the Kindergarten as parents greet each other in the hall. Th is is the typical morning scene at a Waldorf- methods school. Waldorf education is the fastest growing independent educational move- ment in the world, with over a thousand schools worldwide and an increasing num- ber of charter schools in the United States. Right here in the Applegate Valley, com- munity members, parents and educators are working to develop a Waldorf-methods public charter school in the Th ree Riv- ers School District and plan to open the Woodland Charter School in September of 2011. What is Waldorf? Waldorf educa- tion is grounded in a deep understanding of child development and works to recog- nize and value each child as an individual with unique talents and needs. Social and emotional intelligence are developed along with a growing cognitive ability to best prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of life. Traditional academ- ics are infused with artistic and practical Cont ribut ion M a iling SN AFU We understand that the Post Offi ce may have returned your contribution envelope as undeliverable. If that is the case, please remail the contribution–the issue is resolved. Thank you, The Applegater activities. Foreign language, handwork, gardening, cooking, woodworking, music, games, and movement enrich the academic main lessons. The environment of a Waldorf- methods school is fi lled with elements that are both functional and beautiful, found in nature and created by human crafts- manship. Healthy senses are stimulated See SCHOOL, page 17 Photo by Teena Jo.—www.teenajo.com Com m unit y Fire Pla n U pdat e —see page 12 We got your goat !—see page 16 Apple gat e Da m H ydroe le c t ric Proje c t U pdat e — see page 20 Sisk iyou Cre st M onum e nt Opnions—see pages 16-17
