EDITOR’S NOTE
In this edition of The Other Oregon, we have stories about people working to make great things in Oregon.
• In the last decade or so, a few Willamette Valley producers have caught the building wave of demand for sparkling wines and are providing Oregon-produced bubbly.
Oregon already is recognized for world class Pinot noir, but experts believe the Willamette Valley can become the new world equivalent of Champagne — the French region renowned for its sparkling wines.
“We’re not there yet, but we could be. They do have a 400-year head start on us,” quipped Andrew Davis, founder of Radiant Sparkling Wine Company.
Maybe not, but Kyle Odegard reports that Willamette Valley wineries are producing 150,000 cases of sparkling wines a year.
• Patrick Clarke is a devotee of Julia Child’s, a veteran Army cook, fine dining chef, and currently the culinary director at Siletz Valley Schools, a public charter school in Siletz, Ore.
Stymied by the rules of the National School Lunch Program, Clarke wondered why the school should adhere to a subpar program when it could be feeding students the fresh bounty available from the community.
So, with the backing of the superintendent, Clarke partnered with the tribe’s garden program to provide organic produce for the lunch program, facilitated field trips for students and their families to learn how to grow and cook fresh produce not available in local markets, and taught traditional ways of cooking salmon and elk.
And, that was just the beginning. Read Carolyn Campbell’s article to get the full story of Clarke’s impact on the school’s program.
• Making a living on a small acreage is always a tough proposition. Laura and Mike Ellis mange Mt. Hope Farms, a fifth-generation farm near Molalla.
The family had long made its living growing seed crops, largely on rented ground. But, changes in land ownership has made that more difficult. The couple is focusing on ways to make a smaller farm more efficient and profitable.
To that end, they produce their own line of fruit spreads that combine the produce grown at the farm with a variety of artisanal flavors that make them stand out in a crowded field.
A vertically integrated business that’s focused on growing and selling high-value crops can more effectively use a smaller number of acres.
“Moving forward, the value-added is going to be more of the mainstay of the farm,” Mike said.
Read Mateusz Perkowski’s piece for the more about this farm family. We are always looking for interesting stories to include in The Other Oregon. If you have a suggestion, please send me a note at joseph.beach@capitalpress.com.
SUMMER 2025
Editor/Publisher
Joe Beach
Contributors
Carolyn Campbell
Kyle Odegard
Michael Kohn
Berit Thorson
Mateusz Perkowski
Designer John D. Bruijn
CONTENTS
COVER STORY
Willamette Valley sparkling wine » 4
FEATURES
Providing healthier food for all students » 10
OSU’s Beaver Classic Creamery » 16
Warm Springs water system » 18
PNW hydrogen hub » 22
THE LAND
Oregon wolf population growing » 24
MAKING A LIVING
Fruit spread innovators » 26
Salt Creek Cider House » 28
Editor/ Publisher
Joe Beach, jbeach@eomediagroup.com
Published by The Other Oregon © 2025
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Other Oregon, P.O. Box 2048, Salem, OR 97308
On the cover: Andrew Davis, founder of Radiant Sparkling Wine Company, pauses for a photo by gyropalletes used to gently turn bottles, letting dead yeast settle in the neck. Davis believes the Willamette Valley can become the new world equivalent to Champagne, the French region renowned for its bubbly.
KYLE ODEGARD PHOTO
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Betting big on bubbly
Can Willamette Valley sparkling wine become Champagne’s rival?
STORY BY KYLE ODEGARD
Willamette Valley sparkling wine caught the perfect wave.
Just as bubbly experienced an upswell in demand, the region was ready with a surge in supply of traditional method sparkling wines.
That led to rave reviews and more momentum.
Oregon already is recognized for world class Pinot noir, but experts believe the Willamette Valley can become the new world equivalent of Champagne.
“We’re not there yet, but we could be. They do have a 400year head start on us,” quipped Andrew Davis, founder of Radiant Sparkling Wine Company.
Increased production
When Davis was the winemaker at Argyle Winery, peers asked him about helping them make traditional method sparkling wines, which are notoriously difficult and costly.
In 2013, Davis launched Radiant to ease those barriers to entry with the state’s first custom sparkling winemaking company. He hoped to get 10 clients and produce 5,000 cases to become profitable.
“We’re at 38 clients, about 38,000 cases of wine,” Davis said.
The Oregon Wine Board didn’t have traditional method sparkling wine data, but insiders estimated the state’s production was roughly 150,000 cases.
A dozen years ago, Oregon’s sparkling production was estimated at about 30,000 cases, almost all from Argyle.
Oregon then had just a handful of traditional sparkling producers but now there are more than 100, according to Vinovate Custom Wine Services, a custom crush facility.
The company announced April 30 it had acquired Radiant, which could expand production as it creates the state’s first full-spectrum sparkling service provider.
Vinovate can supply customers base wines for sparkling and the Radiant team will continue to bring tiny bubbles to life.
Argyle Winery’s production has grown tremendously in recent years. The business now bottles 120,000 cases annually, 40,000 to 50,000 of which are sparkling wine.
Traditional method
sparkling wine requires specialized knowledge and expensive riddling and disgorging machinery from Europe.
Contractors that had the expertise and equipment allowed wineries to dive into sparkling without heavy investment.
Contractors spur change
Jim Bernau, founder of Willamette Valley Vineyards, one of Oregon’s largest wineries, credited the state’s production increase to contractors such as Davis.
He became one of Radiant’s first clients and now produces 2,000 cases of sparkling for Domaine Willamette, a $20 million tasting room that opened in the Dundee Hills in 2022.
Traditional method sparkling wine requires specialized knowledge and expensive riddling and disgorging machinery from Europe.
Contractors that had the expertise and equipment allowed wineries to dive into sparkling without heavy investment.
“I joked with my wife, ‘We didn’t buy a house. We bought a bottling line,’” said Kenny McMahon.
In 2024, the couple started the Oregon Sparkling Wine Company in Amity, Ore. He and Allison McMahon help clients produce 9,000 cases of bubby.
They also founded Arabilis Wines, and 90% of production, or about 1,500 cases a year, is sparkling.
McMahon said as wineries release more traditional method, various styles will surface. “You’ll see a lot of different tiers in terms of price point and quality,” he said.
Argyle and Oregon’s sparkling ‘godfather’ »
PHOTO COURTESY ANDREA JOHNSON
Jim Bernau, founder of Willamette Valley Vineyards, created Domaine Willamette, a $20 million showcase for sparkling wine. “In time, people — wine and culinary enthusiasts — will fly from all over the world to drive out into wine country to visit these facilities. They will become one of Oregon’s crown jewels,” Bernau said.
PHOTO COURTESY ROCO WINERY
Rave reviews for Oregon sparkling Soles moved on to other ventures long ago, founding ROCO Winery with his wife Corby Stonebraker-Soles in 2003 and helping Davis start Radiant.
ROCO’s 2013 RMS Brut Delayed Disgorgement 10-year Sparkling topped Wine Enthusiast’s 100 Best Wines of 2024.
It was the first Oregon wine to achieve the No. 1 spot on the list, beating out 23,000 bottles from around the world.
“It boosts sales, for sure,” said Soles, who has had 14 wines crack Wine Enthusiast’s top 100 over the years, including still Pinot noir and Chardonnay.
Also on the list were Willamette Valley sparkling offerings from CHO Wines (No. 32), Corollary Wines (No. 36) and Domaine Serene (No. 40), and sparkling from Irvine & Roberts Vineyards in Southern Oregon (No. 71).
All Oregon wines in the ranking were sparkling.
Great climate for grapes
Pinot noir and Chardonnay form the foundation of traditional sparkling, along with lesser known Pinot meunier.
Wine is seen as an expression of place and experts think Willamette Valley growing conditions, including climate and soil, are amongst the best in the world for those grapes.
The relatively high latitude and cool temperatures allow grapes to retain intense fruit character with lower sugar, so the taste is elegant rather than powerful.
The grapes, which are picked early, also don’t lose the high mineral acidity that makes the best sparkling wines, insiders said.
North facing slopes that are higher elevation and cooler work better for sparkling, opening up acreage considered poor for still wines. Once fallow land now could have considerable value.
Increased demand
The Willamette Valley has produced outstanding bubbly for decades, but as an outlier.
Experts described Rollin Soles as the “godfather” of the segment. He created Argyle Winery in 1987 in Dundee, Ore., aiming to make high quality sparkling wine.
“We always felt like one hand clapping in the woods because nobody else was showing up to make sparkling wines,” Soles said.
Argyle also makes still Chardonnay and Pinot noir, but never lost its emphasis on sparkling, becoming the standard in Pacific Northwest grocery stores and the fridges of savvy residents.
Argyle has grown in recent years, and now produces 120,000 cases annually, 40,000 to 50,000 of which are sparkling wine.
Payne Brown and Erica Miller, Argyle’s vineyard manager, don’t see new sparkling makers as competitors, but rather as participants in a movement that will boost the industry.
Miller said there’s plenty of market space for new sparkling producers.
For generations, great moments have been celebrated with a glass of Champagne.
Experts said less expensive sparkling and sweet fizzy wines boomed in popularity in the early 2000s, serving as a gateway to Champagne as enthusiasts grew more affluent and discerning.
Sparkling sales also skyrocketed during the pandemic as people stuck at home tried to lighten their lives.
That built appreciation of sparkling as a complex and nuanced accompaniment to meals.
Bernau said carbonation in bubbly lifts aromas up into the nose and helps flavors dance on the tongue.
“It’s a supercharged wine,” he added.
Rollin Soles created Argyle Winery in 1987 and later founded ROCO Winery with his wife. “We always felt like one hand clapping in the woods because nobody else was showing up to make sparkling wines,” Soles said. — COURTESY PHOTO
Focused solely on sparkling
Experts said Oregon will see new businesses solely focused on sparkling rather than adding bubbly as a side gig.
That’s already happening to an extent.
En Tirage, a bar dedicated to traditional method sparkling wine, opened in 2024 in Dundee, Ore.
Sparkling aficionados Jeanne Feldkamp and her husband Dan Diephouse ditched tech industry jobs to start Corollary Wines in 2017.
“We were like, ‘Why isn’t there more sparkling here?’” she recalled.
The couple, who are Radiant clients, only make sparkling, producing 2,000 cases annually.
In 2022, they purchased a former timber property 800 feet above sea level near Amity, Ore. They planted a vineyard, which will boost production, and built a tasting room designed from the ground up for sparkling.
“There’s really not another winery like it,” Diephouse said.
Method Oregon Grand Tasting
Winemakers said the Willamette Valley’s sparkling segment must capitalize on its momentum.
“Early Pinot noir producers got together and did a good job branding together as an entire region,” Feldkamp said. The same collaboration can create the reputation of Oregon as a world class region for sparkling wine.
The inaugural Method Oregon Grand Tasting, scheduled for July 26 at Domaine Willamette, is seen as a first step toward building a proper scene.
More than 50 traditional method wines from 22 wineries will be featured at the event.
Bernau created Domaine Willamette as a sparkling showcase and said more venues will emerge.
“In time, people — wine and culinary enthusiasts — will fly from all over the world to drive out into wine country to visit these facilities. They will become one of Oregon’s crown jewels,” Bernau said.
Kyle Odegard is a reporter for the Capital Press.
Making traditional method sparkling wine
Here’s a guide on making traditional method sparkling wine, with glossary terms in bold.
Of course, the process is far more complicated than this primer, which comes courtesy of Radiant Sparkling Wine Services and Wine Folly.
Younger grapes are picked and fermented into a base wine, or cuvee.
During tirage, yeast and a measured amount of sugar is added to the cuvee, which is bottled and crown capped. Many producers use yeast fed from the base wine.
The yeast consumes the sugar that’s added, releasing carbonation and then starving itself during the second fermentation.
Bottles are aged on their lees — the yeast sediment remaining inside — for at least 15 months. Experts believe longer aging, perhaps even a decade in the case of ROCO Winery’s award winning wine, leads to better quality.
During riddling, bottles are set upside down so dead yeast settles in the neck. During the process, bottles are gently rotated. Years ago, they were placed in A-frame riddling boards and turned by hand. Today, many producers use automated gyropalletes — cages that hold hundreds of bottles — which greatly speeds up the process.
During disgorgement, the necks of upside down bottles are frozen to capture the dead yeast so it doesn’t fall back in the liquid. The bottle cap is removed and an ice plug pops out due to the pressure.
A mixture of sugar and dry white wine called a dosage is added to balance flavor. Some wineries skip dosage with offerings.
Bottles are then corked and prepared for distribution.
A bottle is checked for clarity and fill as it makes its way to be corked and prepared for distribution at Radiant Sparkling Wine Company.
KYLE ODEGARD PHOTO
When Eastern Oregon University student Addison Bonzani stepped into the fast-paced heart of downtown Portland for the first time, it wasn’t just a class trip—it was a turning point. As a Pendleton native, Addison had never experienced city life up close. Now, thanks to EOU’s Urban-Rural Ambassador Program, she helps bridge the divide between Oregon’s communities —one conversation at a time.
The Urban-Rural Ambassador Program, a unique partnership between Eastern Oregon University and Portland State University, brings together students from across the state for hands-on immersive experiences and direct engagement with policymakers, nonprofits, and community leaders. From infrastructure and housing to food systems and environmental sustainability, students explore how public issues connect communities—no matter their zip code.
FROM AMBASSADOR TO LEADER: EOU’S MPA PROGRAM
Students inspired by the Urban-Rural Ambassador Program experience often continue their journey through EOU’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) program. Designed for working professionals, the MPA offers a rural-informed, globally relevant curriculum, emphasizing strategic leadership, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving.
EOU PREPARES THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHANGEMAKERS
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SCAN
High School Culinary Director opts out of the National School Lunch Program to provide healthier food for all students.
STORY BY CAROLYN CAMPBELL
S Transforming scarcity into abundance
tanding just over 5’5” sporting mutton chop sideburns, tattoos winding up his muscled arms, Patrick Clarke is a devotee of Julia Child’s, a veteran Army cook, fine dining chef, and currently the culinary director at Siletz Valley Schools, a public charter school in Siletz, Ore.
Leaning over a stainless-steel cooking table, Clarke displays a large, freshly gathered oyster from the morning’s field trip to an oyster farm along Yaquina Bay.
“We chose these oysters because the large size makes them perfect to barbeque. We’ll cook some here. The extra bags will go home with students.”
This spring, Oregon Small Schools Association (OSSA) awarded Clarke Educator of the Year for the impact his culinary program has had on the Siletz community, a town with a population of less than twelve hundred. Though he had decades of restaurant
industry experience, Clarke began teaching two years ago after a colleague (veteran service officer) suggested he might apply for the position of culinary director in Siletz.
“I barely made it through high school,” Clarke said, expressing his surprise about the award. “When I toured the school, walking through the hallways talking to students, the kids sucked me in. The community has been so supportive. I’m stunned by how far we’ve come.”
Superintendent Ginger Redlinger applauds OSSA’s recognition of Clarke’s work.
“Our Siletz community is vibrant and diverse. Like so many rural communities, though, we struggle with food insecurity. Newport is seventeen miles away, but for many in Siletz, getting there can be a challenge. To inspire students, Patrick built a culinary program that reduces food insecurity and introduces students to opportunities within and outside Siletz.”
Siletz Valley Schools Bountiful Oregon Culinary Students Jayden Metcalf and Nick Dickson catering event for Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (CTSI) .
“To inspire students, Patrick built a culinary program that reduces food insecurity and introduces students to opportunities within and outside Siletz.”
— Oregon Small Schools
Association
Superintendent Ginger Redlinger
From his first day as the school’s first culinary director in March of 2023, Clark was determined to help both students and families eat more locally grown, healthy food while also teaching skills to expand their post-graduate opportunities.
Just months into his position, Clarke sat at his office preparing to purchase ingredients for beef stroganoff, a recipe he’d kept from his Army cooking days. Thumbing through the National School Lunch Program’s (NSLP) 6-inch ‘introduction book’ binder, he discovered the dish was a non-refundable recipe — not approved by the USDA. To get it approved could take months, if ever.
Having toured the Garden Program owned by the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians and visiting the forests and waterways near the school, Clarke realized that the region had some of the freshest, most highly prized wild foods anywhere in the nation. “Why,” he wondered, “Would we settle for a subpar program when we can feed our community fresh, healthy food?”
Meeting with Superintendent Redlinger, Clarke requested Siletz Valley School replace the National School Lunch Program with a community-centered, foodpartnership approach, guaranteeing he could feed more for less, stating, “The National School Lunch Program is hurting our community. They restrict how we can resource healthy, fresh food. If a student wants a second slice of pizza, we must charge them. The charge exceeds the cost of making the pizza. When you have a hungry child, you feed them, period.”
Having watched Clarke garner respect throughout the Siletz community, Redlinger and the board immediately agreed to fund the school lunch program through the charter school’s budget.
Unburdened by restrictive regulations and mountainous paperwork, Clarke partnered with the tribe’s garden program to provide organic produce for the lunch program, facilitated field trips for students and their families to learn how to grow and cook fresh produce not available in local markets, and taught traditional ways of cooking salmon and elk.
With this community-centered school lunch program in place, Clarke launched an immersive culinary curriculum grounded in his expertise and passion for Julia Child’s cooking. »
PHOTO COURTESY PATRICK CLARKE
Patrick Clark with Student Chefs Jaiden Knapp (left) Zoey Koehler (right)
PHOTO COURTESY SILETZ VALLEY SCHOOLS
While middle school students learn the basics of baking and cooking simple dishes, advanced high school classes in the Bountiful Oregon Culinary Program develop highly prized seafood industry knowledge. Partnering with regional experts, Clarke’s field trips include deep sea fishing, clamming, crabbing and oyster seeding. They compete in national food competitions. They learn to filet fish and butcher elk. They work side-by-side with renowned chefs.
Jack Strong, co-author of The New Native American Cuisine and the internationally acclaimed executive chef of Allison Restaurant in Newberg, praises Clarke’s efforts. A Siletz tribal member, Strong reflected back on his youth.
“Like many families in the region, I grew up on USDA commodity food like commodity cheese, cans that just say ‘beef’ and ‘vegetables’ on them. My grandmother taught me how to make homemade noodles, something never taught in school. Spending time in her kitchen inspired me to be a chef.”
Strong added that (commodity) food boxes are still a large part of Siletz life.
“Not everyone has a grandmother like mine. Patrick’s culinary program helps youth learn to cook from scratch. Giving students exposure to a larger world at an age when they don’t typically get that in a small little town of a thousand people can change their life.”
In 2023, with funding from Oregon Department of Education’s charter equity grant along with contributions from The Confederated
Tribes of Siletz Indians, Clarke incorporated a custom-built food trailer into the culinary curriculum.
Together with Oregon Design Co, Clarke and his students crafted a vinyl-wrap design with lush coastal imagery and the name YA-TR’EE-YAN (Feast) to reflect the wide-ranging diversity of the Siletz community. Explaining that YA-TR’EE-YAN translates into A Gathering of People around food, Clark added, “Isn’t that what a feast should be?”
Food, through Clarke’s lens, offers a place of healing, of connection, and overcoming barriers.
To emphasize his passion for cooking , Clarke stated, “My deployments with the 506th – 101st Airborne Division provided the greatest education I’ve ever had. On my second deployment I was stationed in a remote village 9,000 feet up at a forward operating base (FOB) frequently targeted by rocket attacks. We didn’t have running water. We barely had a kitchen. Many of the villagers knew me because I’d built relationships with them trading various items for fresh foods not supplied in ration boxes. When officers met with the tribal leaders, including the Taliban, I made food. Nothing fancy — maybe chicken wings along with vegetables and ranch dressing. Sitting across from each other sharing food they talked and even laughed.” After a pause, Clarke added, “I often share that experience with my students. It’s a reminder of the power of food to bring people together. It can break barriers in a way nothing else can.
Presenter Ray Degele of Depot Bakery talks to students about running a bakery.
CAROLYN CAMPBELL PHOTO
Since August 2023, the YA-TR’EE-YAN (Feast) food trailer and the Siletz Culinary team have traveled from Siletz to Portland, catering public events for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians powwows, the Blue Foods Forum, and most recently the Oregon Governor’s Conference on Tourism.
Struck by the speed of the program’s growth, Redlinger commented, “It’s exciting to see our students so fully engaged. Before the program and food truck arrived, some of our students felt like second class citizens, with no reason to work hard at school, or plan for their future. Traveling around the state, sharing the food they’ve made, our advanced culinary students have gained a well-earned sense of purpose and accomplishment. Regardless of their future choice, culinary business or some other enterprise, our students are learning leadership and communication skills that will serve them in whatever they choose. And … the food they make is delicious!”
When asked about his ultimate goal for students, Clarke responded, “I want my students to see the wealth of the world around them. I want them to feel pride in whatever they create, regardless of whether it’s food or something else. I want them to know there is a world of opportunity that awaits them. Whether I’m working with sixth graders just learning to cook, foraging with my high school students to learn how to harvest fiddlehead ferns, or bringing our FEAST food truck to community events, my only real job is to teach students to learn how to eat healthy, and that offering food as a gift can change lives. If I can do that, I will have accomplished what I set out to do.”
Carolyn Campbell is a freelance writer.
YA-TR’EE-YAN (Feast) Truck at Blue Forum event in Portland.
Zoey Koehlelr displays her catch during a deep sea fishing field trip. PHOTO COURTESY PATRICK CLARKE
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Agriculture innovation a la mode
$73M renovation spotlights OSU’s experiential learning
A$73 million renovation of Withycombe Hall at Oregon State University aims to energize and expand hands-on learning with new labs for dairy and wine, as well as other upgrades.
The project also revives the facility’s creamery, which closed 55 years ago to make room for a theater.
The Beaver Classic Creamery storefront will sell student-made ice cream, cheese and honey, and the university plans to offer meat products and produce.
“This is in many ways a rebirth of the building,” said Staci Simonich, dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences.
The 1950 structure had never undergone a major renovation.
The grand opening celebration for the Beaver Classic Creamery in April featured Benny Beaver and the OSU Marching Band. The first 1,000 patrons received free ice cream.
Beaver Classic
With the Beaver Classic program, students get practical experience with food production and safety — or perhaps business and marketing — that can jumpstart their careers, said Lisbeth Goddik, department head for food science and technology.
Ingredients such as milk and honey are sourced from campus and other OSU sites.
Dhaval Bhakta, the ag college’s business and student development manager, said the program has between 100 and 150 paid student workers.
The Beaver Classic brand was launched in 2012, introducing OSU’s student-made cheeses, and expanded to include other ag college products in 2021.
STORY & PHOTOS BY KYLE ODEGARD
The Beaver Classic Creamery storefront will sell student-made ice cream, cheese and honey, and the university plans to offer meat products and produce.
Dairy lab
The Tillamook Dairy Innovators Lab, the Erath Family Foundation Winery Laboratory and other improvements were made possible by numerous industry donors.
The dairy industry raised close to 5% of the overall renovation budget, which was matched by the Oregon Legislature, while the wine industry contributed about 2%, Goddik said, in an email.
Brandon Riesgaard, dairy pilot plant manager, said upgrades will increase production volume and options at the new 7,000-square-foot dairy lab.
Riesgaard said producing ice cream and cheese requires students to apply what they learn in chemistry and other science courses.
“We’re not afraid to make mistakes. We learn from our mistakes,” he added.
Wine lab
Goddik said that the Withycombe renovations will elevate OSU’s wine program and Oregon’s industry.
The wine lab expanded from 900 square feet to 2,500 square feet and has quadrupled the number of vats used to ferment grapes from OSU’s vineyard and other locations.
OSU’s production could more than double, said Atzin Gonzalez, research winery manager.
“Maybe in the next few years we can have a commercial brand. … That’s the long term goal,” Gonzalez said.
Student experience
Sindhura Karuturi, a senior from Rajahmundry, India, worked in the Beaver Classic program for four years.
After graduation, she’ll head to France for a dairy job with Lactalis, but her career should take her to California in two years as an assistant plant manager.
Karuturi helped develop two Asian-inspired ice creams that are part of the creamery’s launch.
A chai ice cream honors OSU President Jayathi Murthy and a Thai tea flavor was created for Simonich, the college of ag dean.
Karuturi came to OSU fascinated by manufacturing facilities but didn’t know much about dairy.
“Seeing people react to the products I made gave me a complete sense of satisfaction,” she said.
David Ryusaki, Beaver Classic retail manager, serves a scoop of ice cream during a tour of Withycombe Hall renovations. The $73 million project revived Oregon State University’s ice cream counter in the building.
Beaver Classic Creamery student-made honey, cheese and ice cream.
Warm Springs water system stabilizes
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lifts an emergency order that had been in effect since 2019
STORY BY MICHAEL KOHN
For much of this decade water delivery systems on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation suffered from repeated failures that forced residents to boil water, or go without water at all for weeks on end.
Now Warm Springs says cooperation with state officials have paid off — the last boil water notice occurred over a year ago and the system has stabilized.
The forward progress has been enough for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to lift an emergency order that had been in effect since 2019, according to a statement released by Warm Springs earlier this spring.
“It took six or seven years to get to where we are today,” said Chico Holiday, general manager of the public utilities for the Confederated Tribes of Warm Warm Springs. “Some of that was (repairing) the distribution system, the pressurereducing valves and some of it was in repairing pipework.”
The tribal water system is now in compliance with the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to set national health-based standards for drinking water to protect against both naturallyoccurring and man-made contaminants that may be found in drinking water.
The tribal water system is now in compliance with the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to set national health-based standards for drinking water.
System upgrades
Reservation officials credit state funding it received to make critical upgrades to the system. The assistance package from the Oregon Legislature amounted to $7.8 million.
Repairs included reconstruction work on 27 pressure-reducing valves. Upgrades and modernization of antiquated equipment and controls were also made at the Dry Creek Water Treatment Plant on the reservation.
Holiday said officials are working on installing a telemetry system that will allow workers at the water treatment plant to remotely monitor reservoir levels, which frees up workers’ time to conduct more routine maintenance projects.
Some water mains were also upgraded, including the one that crosses Shitike Creek, the location of repeated water main breaks that shut down water supplies for extended periods in 2019 and 2020.
During the shutdowns and boil water notices, supplies of bottled water were available for tribal members to pick up at a central location on the reservation. A portable shower truck was also available for bathing.
Water treatment plant funding
Federal funding of around $23 million has been put towards the design work for a new water treatment plant. Total costs to build the plant could top $125 million, the tribes said in a statement. If the funding comes together, the facility could be completed in seven to 10 years.
But Holiday says funding for general repairs remains a challenge. That is due to diminishing revenues on the reservation. In the past, funding for repairs came from the Warm Springs Forest Products mill, which is now shuttered.
Operating budgets at other entities on the reservation, such as KahNee-Ta Hot Springs Resort, are also tight, said Holiday.
“My budget is entirely based on whatever revenues come in, so that fluctuates year-by-year,” said Holiday. “With the new administration that is in now, that jeopardizes a lot of federal funds, which is scary.”
More repair work needed
Holiday says if emergency funds are needed to replace a failing pump or other critical infrastructure, applications for aid can still be sent to state agencies. Given that a lot of the underground pipes are 65 to 70 years old, failures and leaks are still a concern, he said.
“We have asbestos pipes in the ground for our water mains. We still have terracotta pipe for our sewer systems. We have river-rock manholes,” he said.
Holiday says besides the construction costs for the new water treatment plant, getting things up to speed on the other parts of the reservation could cost upwards of $50 million.
“That would start phase one, two three and so and so forth,” said Holiday.
“I would get that infrastructure replaced. We know where those bad spots are. We are continuing to maintain them but as funds become available or if they collapse or deteriorate bad enough, we have to go in there and make those corrections.”
Michael Kohn is a public lands and environment reporter for The Bulletin in Bend.
Chico Holliday, left, Warm Springs water and wastewater supervisor, and Ron Palmer, plant engineer and operator, examine the aging filtration system in the Warm Springs Water Treatment Plant. — BULLETIN FILE PHOTO
In this for the long run.
Since 2012, Coordinated Care Organizations have improved health outcomes for Oregonians while saving taxpayer dollars.
This is because CCOs are making community based investments in preventative care, maternal health, early childhood services, and other social determinants of health that create a healthier future for Oregon.
Leading the Charge for Sustainability in the
Mid-Columbia Region
Hydrogen Hub plans move forward across Pacific Northwest
Morrow County’s location still in first phase, jobs will pick up in phase three
STORY BY BERIT THORSON
Clean energy projects across the Pacific Northwest are moving forward despite a tepid — or worse — attitude toward the idea from the federal government.
In Morrow County, one such project is the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub, which was one of seven billion-dollar projects funded nationally by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021 during former President Joe Biden’s administration. The hub will establish multiple nodes, including one in Boardman, to help produce hydrogen to use for energy storage as well as fuel.
The Boardman node will use a process called electrolysis, which uses electricity to isolate hydrogen molecules for energy production and storage uses. If the input of electricity uses energy from renewable sources, such as wind or solar power, the output is called “green hydrogen,” as it uses no carbon to produce the hydrogen.
Producing green hydrogen
According to Janine Benner, director of the Oregon Department of Energy and board chair of PNWH2 — the organization overseeing the hub’s development — hydrogen is a “ key greenhouse gas reduction decarbonization strategy” for the state. Historically, she said, it’s been produced using fossil fuels, but with electrolysis, the process can use clean energy instead.
“You get the electricity when renewable energy is plentiful, so when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing right, and then you use that electricity to create the hydrogen,” she said, “which you can then store and use to generate electricity when renewables are not available.”
The hydrogen is stable enough to store energy long term, as compared to other storage options. Green hydrogen storage can thus be useful in regions, including Eastern Oregon, where there may be surges of electricity needs.
“The Northwest is anticipating skyrocketing electricity demand,” said Benner. “With the data centers that are coming and increased electrification, we know we’re going to need a lot more electricity generation and we’re going to need it to be there at all times.”
However, producing hydrogen through electrolysis does take a lot of energy. The Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association said using renewable energy as the input for electrolysis makes the up-front energy requirements less taxing, as the region’s renewable energy capacity is expanding.
“We expect that the growth in hydrogen production and use will be accompanied by growth in new renewable capacity and transmission systems across the region,” the association said. “Our projects are working closely with renewable electricity project developers to ensure a stable, growing supply of clean energy is available to meet hydrogen production needs.”
Economic impact
For the project, the first phase of four is still underway, with about $27.5 million given to the hub to start developing a plan. Benner said the board recently applied to move on to phase two, which would consist of community outreach and design finalization.
The U.S. Department of Energy continues to work with the hub, but it’s possible due to changes in priority at the federal level, the project will stall.
“I’m pretty optimistic that the new administration is gonna find a lot to like about the hydrogen hubs program and the Pacific Northwest Hub, specifically,” said Benner, “because we approach it in Oregon as a decarbonization strategy, but there’s so many
The Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub will have six nodes across the region focused on hydrogen production, storage and transportation. The hub is currently in its first phase of development. — PNWH2/CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC
other great things that hydrogen can do that I think may be more appealing to the current administration.”
Benner said hydrogen production helps with energy security, resilience and independence at the same time as bringing foreign investment money into the United States. Because of the bipartisan support for the seven hubs, which are located in both Democraticand Republican-leaning states, Benner said she is hopeful that the administration will support the project. The Pacific Northwest hub expects to create 10,000 jobs over the course of the regional project.
In Boardman, specifically, the project is expected to create more than 18 months of construction work, including a variety of trades, general construction, project management and support roles, according to the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association. Ongoing operations would include plant management and maintenance jobs.
Benner said “if and when” phase two begins, the hydrogen association will be engaging with the community to discuss “community benefits” and specific jobs that will be available. The association also plans to work with colleges and universities to develop apprenticeships and other programs that would prepare people for employment at one of the hub locations.
Jobs building the hub in Boardman will really pick up in about two to four years, during phase three, said Benner.
“The project is particularly exciting from an energy perspective,” she said. “We’ve identified the need to be filling some of the future electricity needs with low carbon fuels, which hydrogen is.”
Berit Thorson is a reporter for the East Oregonian.
wolves in oregon
State report shows predators’ population growing, expanding
STORY BY KYLE ODEGARD
Oregon’s wolf population continues to grow and expand into western Oregon, but poaching of the predators remains concerning to authorities.
The minimum number of Oregon wolves at the end of 2024 was 204, up 15% over the previous year.
Oregon had 25 packs, up from 22 in 2023, and those included 17 breeding pairs, an increase from 15.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife released its annual wolf report April 11.
Minimum count
Oregon’s minimum wolf count is based on evidence such as visual observations, tracks and remote camera photographs.
“There are way more wolves than that,” said John Williams,
the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association wolf committee co-chairman.
“We’ve got more wolves impacting more ranchers all across the state,” said Williams, who urged for more aggressive and proactive management.
In 2023, Oregon’s minimum wolf count was unchanged at 178, though that didn’t include 10 wolves shipped to Colorado for reintroduction efforts.
Wolves were eradicated from Oregon in the early 1900s, but were reintroduced to Idaho in the mid 1990s and began recolonizing northeast Oregon in 2008.
Depredations, compensation
Oregon had 69 confirmed livestock depredations from wolves in 2024, a slight drop from 73 the previous year.
Wolves were eradicated from Oregon in the early 1900s, but were reintroduced to Idaho in the mid 1990s and began recolonizing northeast Oregon in 2008.
Actual livestock deaths increased in 2024 and included five cows, 24 calves and 62 sheep. Six cows, 16 calves, two sheep and three working dogs were confirmed as injured.
Wolf-related sheep deaths were more than double the highest mark recorded since wolves’ return to Oregon, but cattle deaths were at their lowest since 2020.
Williams said figures don’t include missing carcasses, as well as livestock production losses such as lower weights and conception rates.
Cattle attacks also are underreported because of paperwork and the state’s emphasis on expensive nonlethal deterrents, Williams said.
He added an updated wolf compensation package being considered by state legislators could encourage ranchers to ask for investigations.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture’s compensation program awarded $790,000 to 13 counties in 2024, up from $478,000 in 2023.
Grants were mostly used for non-lethal measures but all requests for payments regarding confirmed and probable depredations were fully honored.
“Proactively managing wolf-livestock conflict to reduce impacts to livestock continues to be a high priority for ODFW,” a report summary stated.
Wolf deaths
Authorities killed 11 Oregon wolves because of livestock depredations and another three were killed by ranchers when caught in the act of chasing or attacking livestock.
The 14 authorized wolf killings were down slightly from 2023, when 16 were killed over agricultural conflicts.
Overall, Oregon saw 26 wolves die, down from 36 in 2023. Of those, 22 were human-caused.
One wolf was killed in an Interstate 84 motor vehicle crash and the cause of four deaths was natural or unknown.
Seven wolf deaths are under investigation by law enforcement, down from 12 poachings in 2023.
One wolf was killed in the federally protected portion of Oregon.
Western pairs
Wolves west of highways 395, 78 and 95 remain listed as federally endangered and federal regulations, not state rules, are in effect. East of the highways, wolves are delisted.
Western Oregon had seven breeding pairs, up from three, and if that holds, the area may jump from Phase 1 of the state’s wolf plan to Phase 3 in 2027.
The switch would offer more flexibility to producers responding to livestock depredations once wolves are federally delisted.
Environmentalist response
Wildlife groups expressed relief to see a noteworthy increase in the state’s wolf population.
“As wolves face serious threats at the national level and Washington state’s population declined for the first time, it’s heartening to have positive news in Oregon,” said Bethany Cotton, conservation director for Cascadia Wildlands, in a news release.
Amaroq Weiss, senior wolf advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement that while the state is concerned about wolf poaching, they continue to authorize high levels of legal wolf killing over livestock conflicts.
Oregon’s minimum number of wolves was 204 in 2024, the first time that figure has climbed above 200 since the predators returned to the state.
MAKING A LIVING FRUIT SPREAD INNOVATORS
Product line maximizes family’s farm acreage
STORY
& PHOTO BY
MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
In blending various flavors to make fruit spreads, Mt. Hope Farms knows there’s a fine line between a recipe for success and a recipe for disaster.
For example, the company treads carefully in mixing lavender with berries and species for several of its products.
“The lavender is tough, because if you use too much, it tastes like soap, but if you don’t use enough, you can’t taste it,” said Laura Ellis, who started the value-added operation with her husband, Mike, at the family’s fifth-generation farm near Molalla.
Taking a risk on such combinations is worthwhile, however, as it helps the small fruit processor stand out in a crowded field — while also introducing customers to ingredients with which they might be unfamiliar, such as aronia berry.
Mike and Laura Ellis
Occupation: Farmers and fruit processors
Age: 41
Education: Both graduated from Eastern Oregon University in 2007; Mike with a bachelor’s degree in range ecology and crop and animal science, and Laura with a bachelor’s degree in history.
Company: Mt. Hope Farms
Founded: 2012
Family: Two sons, Samuel and Mason
Hometown: Molalla, Ore.
Mike and Laura Ellis, founders of the Mt. Hope Farms fruit spread company, stand among haskap berry bushes planted on their family’s property near Molalla.
The company specializes in “fruit spreads,” which contain less sugar than jams and jellies per federal regulations, and are more “fruit forward,” or “not hiding behind a bunch of sugar. ”
Though aronia berries are chock-full of healthful antioxidants, their taste can be perceived as too astringent, which is why Mt. Hope Farms mixes them with blackberries.
“If we can’t get people to eat it, we’re not going to be able to sell it,” Laura Ellis said.
The company specializes in “fruit spreads,” which contain less sugar than jams and jellies per federal regulations, and are more “fruit forward,” or “not hiding behind a bunch of sugar,” said Mike Ellis.
The couple started Mt. Hope Farms in 2012 upon returning to work on Mike’s family’s grass seed, radish seed and red clover operation, with the idea of marketing products directly to consumers.
“We thought the best way to try to test the market was to go out to the public and try selling stuff,” Laura Ellis said.
The goal was to earn more revenue on land owned by the family, since the large acreage involved in producing seed crops often necessitates renting ground, which isn’t as dependable in the long-term, Mike Ellis said.
When landlords change due to family succession or property transactions, parcels that had taken a long time to perfect can suddenly become unavailable, he said.
Meanwhile, a vertically integrated business that’s focused on growing and selling high-value crops can more effectively use a smaller number of acres.
“Moving forward, the value-added is going to be more of the mainstay of the farm,” Mike said.
At first, the couple experimented with the “community supported agriculture” model, under which customers buy shares of a farm’s seasonal production.
However, they found the market for vegetable CSAs was quite saturated and raising livestock and selling meat through such channels was too labor intensive for a family with two young sons.
Manufacturing and marketing fruit spreads, on the other hand, proved to be more manageable, Laura said. “We really worked to develop recipes while the children were sleeping or napping.”
Initially, Mt. Hope Farms primarily did business at farmers markets, where the couple could test out the popularity of new concoctions, but that became too burdensome during Laura’s difficult second pregnancy.
Fortunately, a representative of a specialty grocery chain discovered the company’s products and asked to stock its fruit spreads, which led the couple to develop additional wholesale accounts. Today, fruit spreads from Mt. Hope Farms are featured at about 150 specialty stores.
“That’s the direction we’ve been going ever since,” Laura said.
Selling through such retail outlets involves a steep learning curve, both in terms of following labeling regulations as well as finding the right fit for the products, she said.
Mt. Hope Farms works with higher-end retailers and often positions its products next to the cheese aisle, which tends to attract a sophisticated clientele.
“It’s OK to charge the price you have to charge, it’s just a matter of placing it and marketing it,” Laura said.
Many of the same grocery stores that buy Mt. Hope Farms fruit spreads also purchase fresh-market grapes from the couple, Mike said. “One can often open the door to the other.”
Grapes, aronia, haskap and other fruits used in the company’s products are grown on the family farm, while others are produced by neighboring growers.
Distributing fresh-market grapes to grocery stores adds another time-consuming task to the couple’s already packed schedule, but Mike said it’s a critical way to solicit feedback about quality and sales — and ensures the fruit is stored and displayed properly.
“Since I’m doing deliveries, I’m checking every produce department. That’s invaluable,” he said. “If there’s an issue, I want to know about it.”
Looking to the future, the couple intends to keep expanding Mt. Hope Farms, but remains mindful of overreaching.
“We’re very cautious people. We don’t like to go into anything with a lot of debt,” Laura said.
Though Mike remains involved in his family’s seed-growing operations, the fruit processing venture was established as a separate company to shield the overall enterprise from potential liability.
“We didn’t want to risk wiping out what my dad had built, what my grandpa had built,” he said.
The farm may eventually grow more of the fruit that’s currently supplied by neighboring growers, but only once it’s clear that Mt. Hope Farms has the demand to support additional planting, Mike said.
Within the next few years, the company also plans to build a commercial kitchen on-site, so the couple does not have to continue relying on its current facility in Portland.
Not lugging crops and products back and forth will save time and allow the couple to potentially experiment with new products, such as vinegar, Mike said.
“That’s going to be a real linchpin for us,” he said. “We won’t have to pay rent while we work through what we have to work through.”
Mateusz Perkowski is a reporter for the Capital Press.
Our magazine reaches key decision-makers across the state, giving a voice to issues uniquely important to rural Oregon. Check us out online at TheOtherOregon.com
MAKING A LIVING
Cider maker looks to the bright side
STORY & PHOTO BY MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
The history of the Salt Creek Cider House could read as a hard luck tale, but that’s not how founder Carter Rickert chooses to see it.
Shortly after the business opened to the public in late 2019, restrictions associated with the COVID outbreak shook the global economy.
Rickert also ran up against a steep learning curve as a beginning orchardist, losing nearly a third of the apple trees he planted on the property.
And last year, his family and company sustained the toughest blow of all, with the death of his wife, Lindy, after a battle with cancer.
Despite these hardships, Rickert is thankful that his cidery survived the pandemic and that Northwest farmers have helped shore up his fruit supply.
And rather than consider it a painful reminder of his loss, Rickert says the Salt Creek Cider House provides a sense of solace and connection to his spouse.
“She’s still present everywhere here, even though she’s not physically present,” he said. “I’m grateful we built this business together. It’s her legacy, as well as her children.”
Rickert and his wife built the facility on his family’s farm near Dallas, Ore., which the couple bought from his parents after moving back to Oregon from Tennessee.
After learning to fly helicopters in the Army, Rickert worked for a news station in Tennessee and an air ambulance in Oregon, but decided to start a company that would allow for more time with his wife and two kids.
With only a limited amount of small-scale fermentation experience, Rickert taught himself to produce commercial volumes of cider with books and videos.
“I had to get real serious about learning how to do it,” he said. “I think I saw the entire YouTube library on cider making.”
For the most part, though, Rickert said he prefers not to overcomplicate things and let the fruit speak for itself.
“The yeast and the juice, they know what to do,” he said.
Cider
apples are commonly known as “spitters,” since the tannins in their skin render the fruit bitter when bitten into — but contribute to a more balanced, nuanced flavor in the finished drink.
“You don’t have to interfere too much. It’s a process that’s been going on for millennia.”
The company produces 14 cider varieties, selling about 60% of its output on-site and the rest through about 100 restaurants, taverns and grocery stores. The label names are inspired by concepts from the American revolution and the early history of the United States, when Johnny Appleseed was planting cider cultivars across the young nation’s countryside.
For example, its “Legacy” label is made exclusively from apples grown on the 20-acre property, while “Folklore” only relies on apples from the Willamette Valley.
“As Americans we have a long connection with cider. It literally helped found the country,” Rickert said.
Cider apples are commonly known as “spitters,” since the tannins in their skin render the fruit bitter when bitten into — but contribute to a more balanced, nuanced flavor in the finished drink, he said.
Salt Creek Cider House uses blends of cider and dessert apples for some of its labels, and also combines them with other fruit, such as blackberries and cherries.
Some manufacturers add pasteurized fruit juice to cider, which increases the sugar content, but Rickert doesn’t have the equipment for pasteurization and so “co-ferments” everything together at once. The technique has proven to distinguish his company from some of its competitors, he said.
“It’s one of the reasons ours are drier,” Rickert said. “From a business standpoint, it gives us a little niche. The bigger guys tend to focus on the sweeter ciders.”
The company has generally experienced healthy annual sales growth since its inception but has seen revenues flatten in the past year, likely due to inflation inhibiting consumer spending and his wife’s illness hindering her involvement, he said.
Rickert said he believes cider has more “staying power” than some other adult beverages but recognizes that modern alcohol consumers are notoriously fickle.
“I’ve heard of Northwest drinkers described as promiscuous before. We have a lot of craft options and people like to try a lot of different things,” he said.
Over time, he wants to expand the cidery’s distribution by three- or four-fold but has been reluctant to sign on with a wholesaler due to “horror stories” he’s heard about how small producers are treated.
For example, some distributors have been known to contractually restrict the direct marketing efforts of small alcohol manufacturers, Rickert said. On the other hand, he realizes that hiring his own sales team wouldn’t be cheap while handling distribution entirely himself may constrain the company’s growth.
“They have the logistical ability that me and my one car do not,” Rickert said of wholesalers. “I can’t totally rule it out but I don’t love the idea.”
At this point, Rickert’s company is functioning as a two-person operation, with cider house manager Grace Beatty assisting with marketing, production, events and anything else that must get done.
“I do a little bit of everything,” Beatty said. “I love the variety of things I get to do.”
Rickert said he was initially resistant to add her to the payroll five years ago, due to the expense involved, but his wife insisted and he now considers that a blessing.
“Grace has been a major asset,” he said. “She’s part of the family now.”
Apart from expanding the company’s wholesale reach, Rickert hopes to drive more people to the cidery, which often features live music and food trucks on the weekends and is typically busiest in the spring and summer.
“It’s family friendly, so kids can be farm kids for a day,” Beatty said.
The cider house is also easy to find, situated along a rural stretch of Oregon Route 22 between Salem, Ore. and the Pacific coast.
“You get off the highway going 65 miles per hour and get to slow down for a while,” Rickert said.
Carter Rickert, owner of the Salt Creek Cider House near Dallas, Ore., and the facility’s manager, Grace Beatty, run the business as a two-person operation.
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