The INDEPENDENT, April 2, 2009 Page 13 Are you operating a 100-year old farm? Banks is again named Tree City Applications are now being accepted for the 2009 award year of the Century Farm & Ranch Program, a statewide recognition program honoring farmers and ranchers who have worked the same land for at least 100 years. The pro- gram, celebrating its 51st year, is administered through the Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation (OAEF) in Salem and is partially funded by the Oregon Farm Bureau, the Ore- gon Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office (Department of Parks & Recre- ation), the Oregon Department of Agriculture, various county farm bureaus, agriculture- based organizations, and indi- viduals. Family farmers and ranchers throughout Oregon are encour- aged to apply by the June 1, 2009 deadline. Successful ap- plicants receive a personalized certificate, with acknowledg- ment by the Governor and the Director of the Oregon Depart- ment of Agriculture. A durable metal road sign to identify the family’s farm or ranch as having historic Century status is also available. Each family will be honored during a special cere- mony and reception at the Ore- Banks has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation, to honor their commitment to community forestry. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service. This is the third year that Banks has met the four stan- dards required to be a Tree City USA community: Having a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a comprehen- sive community forestry pro- gram, and an Arbor Day obser- vance and proclamation. “A community, its elected of- gon State Fair in September. Since the start of the pro- gram in 1958, 1082 farms and ranches across the State have been registered. Oregon has one of the oldest agricultural heritage programs of this type in the entire nation. In 2008, the Program introduced a Sesqui- centennial Award, which was given to 14 families in its inau- gural year and to another 5 families in 2009. The 2009 Sesquicentennial Award cere- mony was held on February 14 at the State Capitol building as part of a day-long celebration of the state’s 150th birthday. A formal application process is required to be considered for the formal century status. To qualify as a Century Farm or Century Ranch, the family must meet a total of nine criteria, in- cluding the following: • The farm or ranch must have been operated continu- ously in the same family for 100 years or more. If the farm or ranch has ever been rented or leased, it may not qualify. Doc- umentation is required. • The farm or ranch must have a gross income from farming or ranching activities of not less than $1,000 per year for three out of five years im- Trimmers Starting at FS 45 TRIMMER Low cost, homeowner trimmer. Lightweight with dual line, TapAction™ AUTOCUT® cutting head and easy-to- service air filter. Primer bulb and starting throttle lock. $ mediately preceding applica- tion. • Family members must live on the property or actively man- age and direct the farming or ranching operations. Application materials are preserved in the manuscript collections of the Oregon His- torical Society library and pro- vide useful information for re- search on the history of agricul- ture and farm families in Ore- gon. To receive the application guidelines and the official form, contact Glenn Mason, Oregon Century Farm & Ranch Pro- gram Coordinator at 503- 297- 5892 or orcentury@juno.com or you may download the appli- cation guidelines from the De- partment of Agriculture website at: http://oregon.gov/ODA/cfr. shtml. ficials and its citizens that pro- vide needed care for its trees deserves recognition and thanks,” said John Rosenow, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. More information about Tree City USA can be found at www. arborday.org/TreeCityUSA. S TRASSEL ’ S A UTO R EPAIR & H YDRAULIC H OSES 2-4-6 S PIRAL W IRE S UCTION H OSES A DAPTORS - 3/16” TO 2” A MERICAN & M ETRIC F ITTINGS B ULK O IL P RODUCTS 4/15/09 276 S UNSET , B ANKS 503-324-9808 149 95 FS 55 Bike Handle Trimmer & FS 55 R Trimmer 4/15/09 Occasional User A primer bulb and starting throttle lock assure fast, reliable starts. STIHL PolyCut™ heads and metal grass blades. FS 90 Bike Handle Trimmer & FS 90 R Trimmer FS 110 Bike Handle Trimmer & FS 110 R Trimmer Professional User This professional trimmer features the low emissions 28.4 cc* engine. It has a solid driveshaft and offers the end user more flexibility with a choice of cutting attachments. Professional User Revolutionary new engine design is powerful, lightweight and fuel efficient. Professionals will appreciate the fast acceleration and cutting torque. The engine meets EPA emissions standards. PRECISION OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT Banks Hardware 503-324-5221 • 150 N. Main Street, Banks Mon - Fri 8am to 6pm Saturday 8am to 5pm Sunday 10am to 4pm Ye Olde Dingheiser Pub & Restaurant COCKTAILS BEER • WINE • FOOD KEGS & ICE TO GO Lunch & Dinner Served Daily 11:00 am – Closing Grand Opening Special B UY ONE MEAL 1/2 & 2 ND P RICE GET MEAL * *2nd meal of equal or lesser value. Expires June 30, 2009