Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 20, 1980)
The Ih'ppiirr Gazette-Times. Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, March 20, lXO TIIKf'K Wife a working partner Engineer-turned-farmer heads Wheat League "It's a lot nicer to grow things for people (o eal thiin to build lunar oibilers or short range attack missiles." Thnt is the philosophy of an engineer turned farmer who heads up the activities of the Morrow County Wheat Grow ers league this year. The qiriet manner and easy ways of Rrok Tucker may deceive you, hut while you talk and he listens with a look of wonder, his mind is going miles a minute projecting ahead to things that concern and interest him. He's think ing of (his county's agricul ture, technology, pesticides, prices, new wheat varieties, alcohol production, energy, conserving the soils-the peo ple and the problems . of farming today, the many challenges faced by all who gain their living from the land. When he accepted the presi dency of the Morrow Wheal league, he took the responsi bility of the position seriously, and immediately launched programs to inform the public and the wives of wheal growers of the challenges for survival facing farmers He is dedicated to giving the time required to do the job. Working at his side is his wife. Janet, chairperson for the Morrow Whcalhearts. She took the Wheat hearts position reluctantly; now finds it interesting and is glad she accepted Her interests have been home and family, as well as creative projects she wishes she had more time to do. Wight now, the farm operation and wheat league are high on her priority list OHis interests are many but ie doesn't have time for all of them llighl now on the top of his list are alcohol production, chemical fallow, energy, pes ticides, conforming to the regulations in terms of con servation, and the price of iVheat. as well as spring farm work On his farm this year is a chemical summerfallow experimental plot, which he, and other farmers will watch with interest Way up there on the list is the need to make c ity people aware of the problem and understand that it has been used by farmers for years with no proven damage to their families J Jf 0 J . - If i!l I It i Iff II 111. m H M .Mil fV, ' ' iinrin n nnrriivir: U I'ULSUliy f Itrok Tucker, lefl. president Morrow Wheat Grower's League, shows a sample or alcohol produced on his farm in a kiiihII still which utilizes wheat. o Both Tuckers agree that omen on the farms need to tie knowledgeable of all things related to farming,, to take care of business when the husband is out in the fields and for public relations. Janet knows about their operation. She says she has been a secretary for Rrok ever since they were married, when he bought her an electric type writer The couple met in Seattle when Brok was employed as an engineer for Boeing work ing on projects such as lunar orbiters and short range attack missiles Janet was born at a relocation center in Utah for Japanese Americans during World War II. Their three children. Ke vin. Nina, and Bryce enjoy growing things, too. They have a garden near their home on the Wagnntrail Farm. KeYin. a second grader, and Nina, kindergarten age, at tend school in Heppner. Bryce. the youngest, tags at Janet's heels as she works in the farm office, a mobile home near their house. (lut in the shop is the small alcohol still where Brok is experimenting on the produc tion of alcohol from wheat. He ticlicvos in taking advantage of modern technology and is actively utilizing a computer service to tell him all kinds of things related to his farming operation. Born in Seattle. Brok Tucker spent the first six" years of his life on the Tucker Kcho Ranch on Butter Creek and then his teenage years in Millon-Kreewater where he attended school at Mac High. At Oregon Slate University he earned a degree in engineer ing and electronics. He brought his family to their Morrow County home in 1974, the Wagon Trail Farm near Butter Creek. He calls himself a dry land farmer with a little irrigation, although the spread includes 130 acres of intensive irriga tion. He calls himself a small farmer, although the farm encompasses 5.5io cultivated acres divided between crops and summerfallow. Wheat is his main crop but he was the only farmer in Morrow County growing Aus trian winter peas last year. "Dry land farming is more difficult than irrigated it takes a lot more experience for dry land. With irrigated crops you get a quicker feed hack, so you see your mis lakes quicker." Concerns extend beyond his own front, door. He is con cerned about the roads in the county and the expenses to farmers and other residents to maintain and repair vehicles Scholarship applications being taken The Morrow County F.duca lion Association will be taking applications from students and any former students from Morrow County Schools for the Morrow County Education Association Scholarship be ginning March 24. This scholarship is awarded annually to a student who is going into the ('ducat ion pro fession. The value of the scholarship is $500. Applications may he ob tained from any counselors office at any of the district high schools. It pays to bring this coupon to us, your local Behlen builder. r-- .... . ........... t MAN TO IMtlrn Mattufm f iintm f jrtiitaiiv H, Sf-g tV.rf 7 ! (',,, ,mh,.. NF MUll 1 ) Brhlrn builder avr mc a prue quote on a Behlen U rrnimrr LP buikling J I'yrvet huildittg U grain dryer U giain tank(t) Q ktraiti v(e. LJ irthrr: , ., .. , Pirate mail my check for $20 to: WtW . . ,..,. Adde , : Pliiinf( J . Cn'Titi : ,Sr .. m.. , . ,., .... Hi "We have $20 that says Behlen quality makes the difference between a 'bargain' grain tank and one that saves you money." We wouldn't ntuke that kind of an offer if wc weren't certain nlnuit the supt'iinrity of Brlilen uriim tiinks. Vt'e build I hem null! . . , Mmnn iiikI nlil . . . tor heller peiforiiuint e, longer life, and lilt le ni.imii'h.iiu e. Sto m tor (lie fails and a price quote. And hrm the eoupoii to us to siti. IVhlrn will mini a $20 i lei k to the first i0 fat ttiers we ive a quote to on any llelilen pri)duit(s) with a $10,000 or more list prue. I here's no obligation to hus' tioly to learn the diflerenie between a "hurnain" urain tank and one that saves you money. .JIA W'.- 1:8 Meiivy H"lJt' Mt-el, urwtlur riht tnnMt uition with Ih ki'J iuvc dt'Mgn; W holt, nvln wttfJicrpi. I Hint-nvul isluiH-d w Ik in Annle tnin base ring for heller heal. I xt Iumvt "watflc" panel. Quality auesNones, equipment. BcMcn buikkrs do it right? BI-COUNTY CHEMICAL CO. P.O. Box 87 lone, Ore. 97843 Phone: 422-7582 19 II mm iiii.inim, nmf !)mtm mimitmmv n i mm .1111.11111 -mmKtp$lmi 1 a w i-J Janet Tucker cuddles won Bryce. traveling over poor roads. Education is important to the Tuckers. Brok serves on the Heppner School Advisory Board. He is chairman of the Oregon Wheat Growers Wheat Use and Research Committee. Referring to that committee. E3 is lmpor- he feels it tanl to evaluate present and future wheat varieties in terms of alcohol yield per acre and nutritive value of distiller type grains. Again he reiter ates the need for the public to be informed that risks from 2.4 I) are not as great as they will be led to believe. Under the leadership of the Tuckers, the Morrow County Wheathearts have taken on a new image. Now the wives of wheat growers are en couraged to attend informa tive meetings with their hus bands, and to take an active part in the meetings. They are becoming informed and ready to answer the challenges of those who do not understand the economics or the personal side of the farmer's story. New committees are headed up by volunteers working to provide topics of interest and need. Already the education committee, chaired by Laura Broderick with assistance from Janet, has gone to the schools to tell and show the elementary grades about growing wheat. Timely topics are attracting larger than usual crowds to programs offered by the Wheat League. There's a new breath of life and activity in the wheat growing community of Morrow County. So, as you drive by the Wagon Trail Farm out near Butter Creek, look toward the Tucker home and feel good that there is a modern young wheat farmer and his family who are struggling to succeed and working toward a future on a productive farm. r" .'-wwn utmmii 91 mtmimmmmmmmmiuw ummmi ' fnm qmmmmmmmiitimmmm ti in ' X tmmJ Fred and Helen Nelson. Lexington, demonstrate grinding grains they grow on their farm. (See story on page 4.) Aglow unit sets meeting Several women interested in getting a local Aglow Chapter started in Heppner have planned a public meeting March 25 at 6:30 p.m. Dinner will be served for $2 a person. The meeting will be at the Episcopal Parish Hall and several of the area board from Aglow will conduct the meet ing. Aglow is an interdenomina tional women's fellowship. New York Special Saturdays 4.95 PIZZA MadeyJi West of Willow Large Combination lfi.75 Large Ham & Pineapple $6.25 l-arge Beef & Onion $6.23 Wednesday & Saturday Evenings Only Seafood Buffet Fridays. 6:00-8:30 4,95 m . ii II J,$m& Country Style rf aparenos 129 1 lb. it -i : 7d liiiHtiiiwuuMiiywHiHuimwwujf m mtmmm tmmmimttmitumimmaMtiuJ htm J fciiMwim'iiiw Family Pak Pork Chops U 39, Western Family Strawberry Preserves WM 18 oz. Western Family rvuY nuiVuS 49f , 'lb. r Western Family Bacon Western Family Whole Peeled Tomatoes 00 16 oz. 31 1 . Prices Effective 2 March 20-21-22 Paper SN MS Towels V1 if, UZ irvf Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinners . 31 00 7Va II S. No. 2 C sack L -rf" M lm - mm i - j ' Lettuce heads 1 CO Sunkist Oranges Grocery Dept. 676-9614 Meat Dept. 676-9221 WllltlHliaWHIWtHH(MIHIHMIHIIINtltltmUUIttUI MARKET 4.bsFor88c0 UmuSmWmfmmf Mttimm iiiHMMUMJUtMiMtkMMMhfliMW
