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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 25, 2015)
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2015 WICK: themselves, but it was an absolute blast. We had to touch up a little bit here continued from page A6 and there after they were ¿UVWKDQG´VKHVDLG³,W¶VIXQ- GRQH EXW LW ZDV TXLWH DQ ny because, for most of them, experience for them to get it was culture shock. Some of to do that.” those kids had never been out Shari Wick said one of of the city or never been out the other highlights has been of their apartments or their KRVWLQJVWXGHQW¿HOGWULSV trailer parks or wherever they “I taught elementary for were from.” 20 years and brought the Wick said she remem- kids out here for maybe bers one boy was so ex- 12 to 15 of those years,” cited to put on some ir- she said. “The kids always rigation boots and tramp talk about that. You run WKURXJKWKH¿HOGVZLWKKHU into them now, and they husband as he changed are adults and they say, ‘I the sprinklers. Three other still remember going out siblings were all interest- to your farm, Mrs. Wick.’ ed in painting the barn, so From stepping in the pond, they did. to throwing rocks into the “It was a scene,” she pond, they are just things said with a laugh. “We that kids just don’t get to had paint everywhere, and do anymore.” they had paint all over 'XULQJWKRVH¿HOGWULSV SILVERDALE: HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A9 students changed out arti- ¿FLDOLUULJDWLRQSLSHVWRRN water samples and did a variety of other tasks that allowed them to experi- ence life on a farm. During that time, the Wick family also complet- ed the daily farm duties, which involved taking care of a variety of an- imals through the years and managing the irriga- tion of their farm. Shari Wick said they split some of the chores between each of their children, and the whole family worked together to get everything accomplished. “They always had something,” she said. “Whether it was dog and rabbits or goats and the horse, they always had something that needed do- ing. Both outside chores and inside chores, whether they were male or female, LWZDVHTXDOO\VKDUHG´ Shari Wick said the chil- dren also helped with the raking, mowing, pulling weeds and helping their dad string fencing for their wired fences. Their chil- dren learned how to drive a tractor at the age of 10 and could pack a bale of hay. LIFE AFTER CHILDREN ON THE FARM Now that their children are adults, all the farm chores have fallen back on Mike and Shari Wick, which at times, has been pretty challenging. “Mike usually gets up real early, usually to JHW WKH ¿UVW URXQG RI LUUL- gating and feeding done for any of the animals,” Shari Wick said. “Then we both work during the day. Sometimes, if there is something that needs to be done, he’ll take his lunch hour and drive home and take care of it, but usu- ally it is right when he gets home from work and changes into his farm gear and he’s out changing pipe again or moving fence or whatever he needs to do until he’s done. I get dinner on the table. Sometimes it both cattle and sheep, so it’s a big, big factor. ... There’s a lot of factors. Farming’s changed. A lot of the country that was grazed by sheep 50 years ago is now in irrigation, similar to what’s around here in Hermiston and the Colum- bia Basin, and all that ground was pastured at one time. You ¿QGVLPLODUVLWXDWLRQVLQRWK- er parts of the country. It’s a changing industry, like all in- dustries are. Change with the times.” so, if she just has one lamb, that lamb goes to market. If she singles twice, she’s go- continued from page A6 ing right along with the lamb United States is produced because it costs the same to overseas, in places such as feed a ewe that gives you one Australia and New Zealand, lamb versus one that gives where it is less expensive to you two, and they can easily produce the meat. raise two.” “Just between the dol- She said, while it is not lar exchange, they can get uncommon for a ewe to have their dressed product here at D VLQJOH ODPE LWV ¿UVW EUHHG- the same value as ours,” he ing year, if that continues, it said. “I think the Australian might be a genetic predispo- dollar is somewhere around sition, which could be passed 80 cents now, and the New onto the offspring. If a ewe Zealand dollar might be a triplets, she said she will SPECIALIZING WITH has little lower, and that’s a huge remove one of the lambs from SILVERDALE advantage for an exporter, not its mother and feed it with Karin Watson said the a bottle or try to pair it with so good for the folks where couple’s daughters were in- another suitable ewe because the product is going.” Despite the competition, volved with 4-H and FFA the ewes only have two teats. he said the sheep business and and showed sheep at the fair, The Watsons use a variety the market for lamb, especial- so they “had a few around all of criteria to select the best ly last year, has been “good.” WKHWLPH´7KHIDPLO\¶VÀRFN Silverdale rams from the off- He said the number of sheep of black-faced Suffolk sheep, spring to sell for breeding. in the country, however, has which are common at fairs, “We sell about 70 rams for declined sharply through the grew through the years, she breeding a year,” Karin Wat- said, but, about 20 years ago, son said. “That’s the top of years. “At the end of World War the Watsons started breeding the top. We grow them fast. II, there was 45 million sheep the Suffolks to white-faced By Sept. 1, they’ll weigh an in the United States, and now Texel sheep to create a cross- average of 180 pounds each. there’s about 4.5 million,” he breed they call Silverdale for They’re fast-growing, and said. “That’s what’s happened its speckled, silver face. they can be sold for breeding, “The Suffolk has been but before we allow them to to the industry. Most of it’s la- bor and availability of range developed into a pretty large be sold for breeding, we ul- to run them on.” sheep and pretty stream- trasound the rib-eye and see Karin Watson said it is dif- lined-looking for the show what size the lamb chop is, ¿FXOWWR¿QGTXDOLW\HPSOR\- ring,” she said. “The meat and they’re ranked. If they HHV WR WHQG WKH ÀRFN ZKLOH TXDOLWLHV ZH IHHO KDYH EHHQ GRQ¶W¿WRXUFULWHULDWKHUHWKH\ grazing. secondary, so we were look- go to market, and they’re not “It’s a 24/7 job,” she said. ing for more muscle, more for sale. We want to tell our “You can’t leave them. We meat, which, in the layman’s buyers what they’re buying used electric fence, which is term, creates more yield.” from us is something we’d a big help, so they don’t have Texels, she said, are keep ourselves for breeding.” to be totally herded, but you “shorter-statured, wider-bod- She said some of the best still have to have a human be- ied, bigger-muscled” sheep remaining lambs are kept for ing there to make sure they’re that originated in Holland future breeding at Silverdale going to be safe, so it’s a chal- and, when bred with Suffolks, Farms, but most are sent to lenge.” SURGXFHWKHGHVLUHGTXDOLWLHV the Superior Farms process- Sheep operations in the “You have one animal ing facility in California, usu- Midwest and eastern United that’s a slender-built animal DOO\E\WKH¿UVWRI6HSWHPEHU States often keep their ani- and one that’s real meaty,” The Watsons shear the mals inside of fenced proper- she said. “This is going to 6LOYHUGDOH )DUPV ÀRFN LQ ty, she said, but, on the west- give you more meat. It’s just September, Karin Watson ern side of the country, most natural.” VDLG DQG WKH ³¿YH PRQWKV operations rely on federal Karin Watson said Sil- PLQXV ¿YH GD\V´ JHVWDWLRQ land for grazing. verdale Farms’ primary op- period begins again with a “Sheep producers have eration is selling its best Sil- new round of breeding in been dependent on the (Bu- verdale rams to commercial October. reau of Land Management) ÀRFN RZQHUV IRU EUHHGLQJ and Forest Service for their She said the cross-bred Sil- summer grazing, and that’s verdale is also a stronger stud been severely restricted, and animal with “hybrid vigor.” it’s not getting better,” she “The Suffolks have been said. “There’s all sorts of con- bred over the years, and they ÀLFWVZLWKSUHGDWRUVDNDWKH aren’t noted for longevity,” wolf, and then we’ve got the she said. “Our goal is to raise cougar and all the other large a ram that can go out with a predators that are in the hills. FRPPHUFLDO ÀRFN RI HZHV ,W¶V MXVW PDGH LW GLI¿FXOW and go through breeding time You can’t afford to put them and then come home and rest LQ D FRQ¿QHG IHHGLQJ VLWXD- up and be ready to go next tion. It’s astronomical to keep year. Some Suffolks have a mother ewes. It’s like putting reputation of not being that cows in a feedlot to wait for successful. We were looking them to calve next year. It just for a cross-breed that would doesn’t work.” have the hybrid vigor and Karin Watson said she also create more meat in the knows people in the North- offspring. It’s what you call west who have been forced a terminal sire. All of our 25 words, 3 days, private party only to discontinue grazing their rams’ lambs in a commercial $20.00 East Oregonian & Hermiston Herald sheep on land their family has ÀRFNJRWRWKHPHDWPDUNHW used for generations because They’re not kept for breed- of new policies. ing.” “They’re running big Karin Watson said Silver- numbers, and where are they dale Farms maintains about going to take them?” she said. 150 ewes for annual breeding: “It’s a challenge.” about 30 pure-bred Suffolks Tom Watson said the most and a slightly larger group GLI¿FXOW FKDOOHQJH FXUUHQW of pure-bred Texels, but the sheep operations face is gov- majority are Silverdales. The ernment policy. goal is for each ewe to pro- “There’s issues of wolves,” duce two lambs each year, he said. “There’s issues of she said, but the 150 usually supporting the folks who produce between 225 and 250 work in the trapping side of each year around March. the U.S. government. There’s “We want twins,” she issues of the spotted owl. All said. “All of our females are of these issues have shrunk twins or triplets themselves. the availability of range for We don’t keep any singles, Place a Yard Sale Ad our Y d n i F f P o t s o ! G old Call Paula 541-278-2678 Yard Sale Kits - $5.00 Includes 2 signs & stakes, price stickers & coupons is late and sometimes, if there is a catastrophe, it’s really late.” Sometimes, Shari Wick said she feels over- whelmed by how busy they are, but just when they start to consider giving up farming for a simpler life, something reminds them just how blessed they are. “I don’t know how many times I’ve said to him, ‘Do we still want to keep all this and keep do- ing this?’ But then you sit out here on a spring night or in the summer and you just think, ‘gosh, we are so lucky,’ ” she said. “It is a lot of work, but it is so beautiful.”