The Camerons: sixth generation farm

Grace Bland

For The Sentinel

Neither Goldendale nor Centerville would be here without the cultivation of the families that settled here hundreds of years ago, one such family being the Camerons. Dustin Cameron is a sixth-generation worker on his family’s land and has dedicated his life’s work to the good of agriculture.

Dustin’s family settled in Centerville around 100 years ago. Together the family farms around 3,000 acres of land, rotating between wheat and alfalfa every 10 years. Rotating the crop like this can help return nutrients to the soil without the need for synthetic input. It can also increase biodiversity and interrupt disease and pest cycles, making it a very important part of the farming process. The Cameron family has most certainly gained every knowledge there is to know about farming over the years, and that knowledge is passed down to each member as they grow. Aside from working crops, the Camerons also own a large head of cattle that graze some 30,000 acres throughout the state. Most of the land that the cows inhabit is leased or deeded.

The money made from their endeavors is far from equal to the work they put in, but the family operation is run on value rather than price. There are eight family members working fulltime on the farm, one being Dustin himself. There are others who also do a hefty load of work, but most of the fulltime job is done by the immediate family. The ways of the farm life are instilled young, and the family is tightly knit together. “Most of us have been here since we were old enough to walk,” Dustin says. Growing up in that atmosphere has prepared

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Continued the current working generations in the family with the skills and knowledge needed. Every day is a workday, and the hours can stretch from seven to 14 hours.

Even with such long days, there is the perk of not being on the clock, trading the typical nine to five schedules for whatever the worker sees fit.

The Cameron family lifestyle is a difficult one as is, but the economic struggles they are experiencing is even more of a burden. Their main source of money is one that often costs more than it pays, especially as inflation drives up the prices of farm equipment, gas, and more. Urban development has also been a worry over the years, and it’s a tough battle for those in the agricultural business. Although the Camerons’ way of life can be a struggle to stay afloat in today’s demanding society, they all have a common mission of keeping the land together and functioning as it has for generations. Dustin strongly believes in his family’s mission and states, “As long as I’m around, this place is going to stay in ag.” It is important to his family that their land remains untouched by developers, and none of them is willing to give up ownership. The family is admirable for their work, mission, and values. The Cameron family upholds a lifestyle that many are unwilling to take on today. “It is a great way of life,” Dustin comments. His grandfather taught him as he grew that the true value of their work wasn’t in dollar bills but instead in experiencing the satisfaction in watching a crop grow or healing a sick cow. The true earning the Cameron family receives is more precious than paper bills; they receive happiness from the work they do. It is a reward they must gain on their own, but they are more than content with the good their work does.

Seeing a family engrained with such standards is a rare sight, but Centerville is home to many such families that deserve a sincere thanks for the things they do.

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