BESSIE WET2ELL
U OF ORE
NEWSPAPER LIB
EUGENE OR 97403
I iifppn.fr oh Thursday, Dec. H, 1976 14 Pages
VOL. 93, NO. 41 HhPPfrfcK. OK. i : 1
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ROUTH
Could mean economic
disaster in wheat fields
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County agenf Harold Kerr holds a couple young struggling wheat
sprouts In a handful of dry North Lex. soli.
By Wll C. Phinney
Editor, Gaxette-Times
Nobody it arguing the facts. There hat been dam little
moisture since August and that rain was lost in cultivation
and evaporation.
If hollering helped, the sklea would have opened up long
ago. You can bet there are more than one farmer in the area
who a hoping it'll rain before thU paper and this atory hit the
treeU on Thuraday.
If U doesn't rain soon, it could, seriously, mean economic
disaster in Morrow County. That's a heavy line, but it'a true.
Harold Kerr. Morrow County extension agent, calls the
"serious situation" a "drouth." He's plain talking about the
problem.
"If it turns off real cold with no moisture in the ground,
there's a good chance of killing off the wheat crop," Kerr said
emphatically. '
The soil is just dry." he said. A trip to the furrowed fields
will tell that. A blind mia can feel the dust running through
his fingers.
Kerr adda another chapter to the story. "We need rain
more than snow." he said. "If it snows and the ground
freeies, we're liable to get a snow run off when it thaws. The
surface will thaw before the ground."
That meana erosion.
Kerr said, however, that there's hardly enough moisture in
the ground to freeie. If bad can be good, that's the only way.
Kerr, forecasting the worst, aaid a farmer can rested with
spring wheat or aeed with winter wheat up till about
Feb.ttf Befor then." Kerr aaid.tnsmaoT Hy
know if he a lost his stand yet."
"If we get the right kind of winter, we can have the right
kind of crop." Kerr said.
What about the August rains? They set records them
selves. But that was in August. The rain is needed in November
and that ground Just hasn't been able to hold the moisture
that long.
"The August rain helped." Kerr said. "But the ground
didn't save much. It evaporated and cultivation drew it out."
That August moisture was the fast good drops of water this
county has seen, outside of a couple sprinkle.
The problem fa not scientific one to deal with.
"Every day it doesnt rata, it makea it worse." Kerr said.
"The aame amount of August rain would have done a lot
more good in October or November."
Farmers in the area echo Kerr's thoughts, but they add
their own. too.
"It's getting kind of rough." Roy Martin, the 171
Conservation Man of the Year in Morrow County said
Tuesday. "You have to go back to 1967 to get a comparison."
In that year. Martin said he raised wheat on 4-5 inches of rain
for the entire year.
In 1967. he said his North Lex. ranch took on three small
rains from May through the year. His records showed so-ioo
degree weather with northeast winds that dried the soil even
mere.
"You could smell the wheat cooking." Martin aaid. noting
that in 1967. there were II straight days without rain.
What about 1976? "It s a different kind of falL" Martin
(Continued on Page 6)
ByMPJLch15
Child center faced with move
Only months after finances
lowed a Nov. opening, the
Heppner Child Development
Center is strapped again. Thia
time It Isn't financial
problem.
The center la crying out for
help in finding another build
ing to house the children
presently taking advantage of
the city's child development
center.
The center has been occupy
ing the Seventh-Day Adve ntisl
Church gymnasium for two
and a half years.
But, due lo growth in the
church. It was decided this
week that the center should
find another building so the
church could utilize the gym
for programs and a possible
school.
Much credit roust be given
to the members of the SDA
church, who have unselfishly
J V.
provided the gym, church kit
chen, classroom and rest
rooms rent free to the center.
The church has grown from
three children two years ago
to 15 today. Pastor Lloyd
Perrin said a school may be
planned for the building and
that it would be utilized with
programs.
The church and center set
March 15 as the date of de
parture, but Perrin said it
could be extended to June 1 if
needed.
Perrin said the church
members were "really sen
sitive" because they know the
center is a "valuable asset to
the community." Perrin said
the church w as "interested in
the center" but decided on the
move "in terms of church
grolh."
Linda Johnson, spokesper
son Monday for a group of
center board members, said
the board was "totally grate
ful to the church" and that
there were no bad feelings.
The center is now in need of
a new building.
The building would have to
be pretty large, to house 22
children, including infants.
Monica Swanson, center
supervisor, said the building
would preferably have two
restrooms, an outside play
ground area, and a couple
Holly Hoyt
While the Heppner Child Development
Center toy with a major mo-e, It also will bt
feeling tha ncrgrtic grip of a new manager.
Holly llnyt, 13 year-old Troutdale woman,
has started at the center under Ihe super
vision of Monica Swanson. Ms. Swanson will
be In that supervisory position for the next six
month. ,
Ms. floyl has a bachelor of science degree
In child development from the University of
Washington,
She said she "really love It here" and lhat
she will find Ihe lak "challenging " Saying
, she' looking forwsrd to taking over. Ml
Hnyt aaid that the move won'i be
"tremendous deterrent lo any energy I was
planning to extend "
Li
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Climbing to the county court
house clock tower Is no easy
chore. See page for feature
story
different rooms would be
"more practical" but not
necessary.
The plea for help will be part
of a meeting of parents, the
board and staff on Thursday,
Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the
center. The persons interested
will discuss and explain the
move with ideas of a new
building.
The board will also be ex
panding. There are six board
members at present, includ
ing Anne Doherty, Linda
Johnson, Joyce Crasser, Carol
Goodyear. Ken Lemley, and
Nova Caylord. Two more
persons will be added to the
board.
The board also wished to
publicly thank again all the
donors that helped them
through a financial crisis In
October. Their doors are open
again, but they need new
doors, now.
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Bert Huff. First Na
tional Bank of Oregon
vice president, spoke
Friday at the Heppaer.
Morrow Ctualy Farm
City Banquet.
The banquet drew
more than V persons
in( the Elks' Lodge for
a dinner, served by Jim
Roger and honor pre
sentations. The Morrow County
livestock Association
meeting preceded the
Farm-City banquet.
Some of Huff's re
marks are on page
seven. Picture and
story about award win
ner appear pages
four and five.
Bert Huff& Larry Mills
(G-T Photo)
Tod Miller elected
OWGL President
E H. "Tad" Miller. Hep
pner, was elected president of
the Oregon Wheat Grower
League last week at Ihe
OWGL annual business meet
ing in Irtland. The Oregon
Wheat Grower League Is a
statewide organiiation com
posed of nearly 9.W0 Oregon
wheat farmers with office in
Pendleton.
Tad Miller follows in the
fontsirps of his father, E II.
"Miller, who was president of
the OWGL in ! Tad still
farms on the J600 acr ranch
located In the north Lexington
area between Lexington and
Heppner In Morrow County.
The Oregon Wheat Grower
League celebrated It 50th
anniversary in February of
this year. The OWGL has been
active In foreign market de
velopment for Oregon wheat
and established the first U S.
commodity office In Tokyo,
Japan. This led to the forma
tion of Western Wheal As
sociates and promotion of
other U.S. agricultural pro
ducts overseas.
Tad and hia wife. Melba,
have four children; Michelle
Burn (Mr. Don. Pendleton;
Mark, who recently graduated
from t University of Idaho
and who h.ts deckled to stay
home and help his dad farm;
Nancy. IJ and Steve, I
Tommy Martin wa recent
ly fleeted Morrow County
Wheat Grower Ugu preni
cVnl and Jim Snxwi. vice-president.
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F. M. 'Tod Miller
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