K icking up a fuss about dust
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35C
azette
imes
VOL. 111
NO. 16
8 Pages Wednesday, April 29, 1992
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
Chuck Nelson farm recipient o f
1992 Conservation Farm o f year
Chuck Nelson was named farmer of the year.
Chuck Nelson Farms of Lex
ington is the winner of the 1992
Morrow County Wheat League
Conservation Farm of the Year.
Chuck farms 3,100 acres, most
of which is leased. The majority
of this farm is in a wheat/fallow
rotation with 90 percent in winter
wheat and 10 percent in winter
barley.
Chuck is the third generation
Nelson on this farm, which was
started by his grandfather in
1913. His grandfather orginially
came from Sweden in 1910 and
farmed with horses. Many of his
grass waterways are still in place
today. No moldboard plows have
been used on the farm since 1918.
In 1956, Chuck’s father Nor
man Nelson and Uncle Alfred
Nelson, Jr., were the Morrow
County Conservation Farm win
ners. They were cited for ex
cellent conservation practices for
trashy fallow and for the develop
ment of sod waterways and grass
rotations. Alfred Nelson J r.’s
son, Kenneth Nelson, received
the Conservation Farm award in
1985 on land he operates.
Chuck graduated from Oregon
State University in 1972 with a
degree in agronomical crop
science. In 1974 the Nelson place
was divided and Chuck started
farming with his dad at that time.
Both Chuck and his dad Norman
started developing terraces, sod
waterways and diversion dams
and today are in compliance with
the conservation program as re
quired by the 1985 Farm Bill.
Chuck has terraces on 10 miles
on the home place. 5.1 miles of
terraces on the Yamell parcel at
lone and 1.5 miles on the
McMillan unit and 1100 feet on
Rollo Crawford Ranch.
Although the majority of the
land on the home place is not
highly erodible Nelson establish
ed 10 miles of terraces on their
own. He has 180 acres of peren
nial grass cover that is not in the
CRF program.
Chuck, his wife Lisa, son
Justin, 10, and daughter Court
ney, six, make up the rest of the
family are active partners in the
farm operation. His mother,
Jean, still lives in the original
homestead house and retains an
interest in the farming operation.
Chuck is a member of the
Oregon Wheat League since 1975
and has served on the board of
directors for 14 years. He has
also been a member of the Mor
row County Wheat League for 14
years and a member of the Lex
ington Grange.
Chuck's philosophy on conser
vation farming is early seeding
and minimum tillage that is main
tained by chemical fallow, and
good conservation practices.
He has cooperated with many
Extension and OSU experiments
and commercial innovations since
1974. Chuck was one of the pilot
cooperators for the cheat stop
“ Inversion” system that was
developed by OSU. He has used
cheat-stop the past four seasons
with excellent results to control
cheatgrass.
Other innovations on Chuck
Nelson’s farm operation include
earth dams for draw bottoms and
maintenance of 1,000 lbs of stub
ble or straw cover for each winter
wheat crop.
He built his shop in 1985 to in
clude all the latest insulation
modes to save on energy. He in
stalled a forced air furnace for the
shop to bum the waste oil from
the farm operation.
Chuck’s farm operation is
designed for maximum efficien
cy and conservation. He starts out
with a stubble busting operation
(flailing) right after harvest to
leave a short stubble to hold
snow. In early spring he treats
volunteer cheatgrass and weeds
with eight ounces of RoundUp
RT. He then chisels once at eight
inches deep and then uses a culti-
weeder with a flex-hitch to go
over the terraces. His terraces are
100 feet to 110 wide on gradual
terrace slopes. He is able to do
two tillage operations instead of
the conventional four passes.
Nelson is also able to fertilize
with the culti-weeder and rod
weeder in one operation to seal
the soil. This must be right
because his 10-year field average
yield is 50 bushels an acre.
“ Chuck and Lisa are excellent
representatives of conservation in
Morrow County, and have earn
ed the right and deserve the honor
of Conservation Farm of the
Year,” said a spokesperson.
“ His conservation practices since
he began farming in 1974 proves
that he can make an eastern
Oregon wheat farm competitive
with other areas of the world,”
they added.
Sheila Torrence has blocked road by her house in effort to stop the dusting
Sheila Torrence has decided to
kick up a fuss about the dust that
is kicked up around her place.
She is fed up with dirt.
Torrence’s house is located
next to an alley which is used as
a turnaround and shortcut to
Beecher’s Cafe in lone. And
when the cars turn around they
generate dust-lots of it. The dust
is causing Torrence’s allergies to
act up~to the tune of around $120
a month in medication. A recent
blading job on the road only made
the situation worse.
So far Torrence has been
unable to get the railroad, the
owners of the property to do
anything about the problem. Tor
rence said she has been fighting
the dirt problem for 10 years, un
til she finally took the matter in-
H eppner R anger D istrict
to host open house
The Heppner Ranger District
of the Umatilla National Forest
will host an open house and
dedication of their new office
building, on Wednesday, May 6,
from noon to 8 p.m. Everyone is
invited to visit the new facility.
The district recently moved in
to new quarters on Main Street in
Heppner. The location is 117
South Main Street just across
from the Forest Service Com
pound. The new building marks
the 86th year of existence of the
Heppner Ranger District in the
community.
Dedication ceremonies will
begin at 12:30 p.m. in front of the
new building on main street. The
day’s activities will feature tours
of the new office and information
and displays on the following
areas; forest health, timber
harvest, travel and access
management, fire prevention,
firewood sales, recreational op
portunities, and range and
fisheries projects. Refreshments
will be available throughout the
day with Smokey the Bear on
hand to visit with children.
The district will also have a tree
give-away, in conjunction with
their open house. A variety of
tree seedlings such as, maple,
englemann spruce, mountain ash.
ponderosa pine, and white pine
will be offered. There will be a
limit of trees per household.
For more information, please
contact the Heppner Ranger
District at 676-9187.
Cutsforth Park trees damaged
People may have noticed that
there are fewer trees in Cutsforth
Park.
The trees are being removed
for several reasons, both natural
and man-made.
Several trees have been af
fected by the spruce budworm but
people are also destroying the
trees with vehicles, fires, axes,
hammers and nails and wire and
chains.
The Morrow County Public
Works Department asks park
users to refrain from further
damaging the trees.
“ Morrow County holds a
liabilty in protecting the health
and welfare of the users to their
parks. The tree removers used
considerable care so as not to
destroy or damage our parks
anymore than was necessary,
resulting in a commendable job
d o n e ,”
said
a
county
spokesperson.
“ We hope to have the park
cleaned and restored for all to use
or visit by our opening date of
May 16.”
Any questions or comments
should be directed to the Morrow
County Public Works Depart
ment, 676-9061, ext. 17.
to her own hands, putting up
rafters across the area. She also
put up a stop sign and a sign that
says, “ Closed. Lungs at work.”
A previous “ slow” sign that had
been erected, “ didn’t do any
good.”
Torrence contacted the city of
lone several days ago and of
ficials said they would put gravel
down. But so far she hasn’t seen
any results.
“ My home is bought and paid
for. Why should I have to put up
with this,” said Torrence. “ I
want to be able to live in peace
and quiet. I want that road clos
ed.”
Candidates
Forum
M ay 5
Heppner Chamber of Com
merce and members of the
Republican and Democratic cen
tral committees are sponsoring a
Candidates Forum to be held
Tuesday, May 5, 7:30 p.m. at
Heppner High School cafeteria.
Everyone is invited to come
meet the candidates. There will
be opportunity to visit one-on-one
and to ask each candidate ques
tions during the evening. Four
teen candidates had responded
positively at news deadline time,
while others expressed regret at
having a prior commitment to a
John Day Forum.
Mock disaster
planned
Local EmTs and hospital per
sonnel have planned a multi
casualty disaster drill Sunday,
May 3. Area coordinators stress
that this is just a drill and remind
local residents not to be alarmed.
The drill is part of a continu
ing education program for trauma
designation, as part of the Oregon
Trauma System.
Don’t become crime statistic
“ With milder weather comes a traveled shortcuts.
-Stay on the part of the
dramatic increase in outdoor ac
tivities,” Morrow County Sheriff sidewalk close to the street and
Roy Drago said. "A major por away from shrubbery, trees and
tion of this notable increase in doorways. Sometimes, it is even
outdoor activity is persons walk safer to walk in the street always
facing oncoming traffic, rather
ing and jogging.”
“ Exercising is certainly good than on the sidewalk.
-Always wear reflective
for your health, but it can also be
hazardous to your health if it clothing at night.
-It is advisable for women to
causes you to become a crime
carry whistles or other noise
victim,” he added.
Sheriff Drago offered some tips makers to sound loudly if
which can help you from becom accosted.
“ Lastly, we always advise
ing a walking crime statistic:
-Avoid walking or jogging anyone out walking, jogging, or
alone at night. The common sense bicycling to carry proper iden
adage that there is “ safety in tification with them,” Sheriff
numbers” applies even on the Drago added. “ This should in
streets of your own community at clude your current address, phone
number, and person to notify in
night.
-Avoid running or walking on . case of an emergency anytime
dimly lit streets and stay out of you are away from your home,”
alleys. Don’t use remote or little he concluded.
Not G-T calling
A company claiming to repre
sent the Gazette-Times has been
calling homes in the area, accor
ding to local residents.
The company does not repre
sent the Gazette and people
should not give their addresses or
credit card numbers.
All I want is your blood--S helly Huth (on table), 17.HHS
junior, prepares to donate blood at the Red Cross Blood drive held
Monday April 27 at the St. Pat’s Senior Center in Heppner.
Assisting her is Cindy Smidy, Yakima, WA medical assistant with
the American Red Cross Columbia River Region. By 4 p.m. 67 pints
of blood had been drawn surpassing their goal of 50. The Heppner
Ranger District sponsored the blood drive with Dan Michael coor
dinating the event.
NEW CAR LOANS
DAMKOP — —
M
48
months
9 . 5 %
O rooon *
Arlington • Heppner • lone
"Y o u r Indrprndnu Home Oumrd h m t "