Anthony Smith

Nov 15, 2024 | wheatlife.org | Jennifer Ferrero |Anthony Smith |Curtis Evanenko |Trista Crossley

Crop rotations date back thousands of years. Back then, farmers may not have understood the science behind rotating crops on the same land from season to season, but they used it in practice for crop production. Since then, science and experience have expanded our agricultural knowledge exponentially. Modern-day farms in Washington state still use crop rotations contingent on location, weather, weeds, disease, and water. Crop rotation has many objectives in mind.

Nov 15, 2024 | wheatlife.org | Trista Crossley |Anthony Smith |Curtis Evanenko

During winter, the fields may be sleeping under the snow, but that doesn’t mean farmers are. In shops across Eastern Washington, farm equipment is being cleaned and repaired, all in preparation for another year of hard work. Rob Wilkins, parts supervisor at Papé Machinery in Tekoa, Wash., believes the work being done right now — getting deep into the bowels of a machine — is even more important than harvest.

Nov 15, 2024 | wheatlife.org | Trista Crossley |Anthony Smith |Curtis Evanenko

After six years and 15 rounds of negotiation, the U.S. and Canada announced in July that they had reached an agreement in principle on modernizing the Columbia River Treaty. In August, the U.S. Department of State provided details on key elements of the modernized treaty during a public information session. According to Jennifer Savage, director of the U.S. State Department’s Office of Canadian Affairs, modernizing the treaty will:Provide preplanned flood risk management beyond Sept.

Nov 15, 2024 | wheatlife.org | Trista Crossley |Anthony Smith |Curtis Evanenko

Farming can be stressful at the best of times, so when Dale Childers, a semiretired, long-time Grant/Lincoln County farmer died in August, the local community sprang into action to help the family finish harvest. Ben McKay, a good friend of Dakota, Dale’s son, organized the harvest bee. At first, it was just Ben and a few friends, but as word spread through the community, more people started volunteering to help.

Nov 15, 2024 | wheatlife.org | Trista Crossley |Anthony Smith |Curtis Evanenko

As winter settles in, most farmers’ fields go quiet, but that doesn’t mean nothing is happening. In Eastern Washington’s Mediterranean climate, winter is when the region receives the majority of its precipitation, either as rain or, preferably, snow. Snow insulates crops from wind and excessively cold temperatures and allows soil microbes to stay active. Under the snow, winter wheat and other fall-planted crops are still alive.