Farm & Ranch Fall 2016

farm & ranc h North Central Idaho

Producer Profile Clark Tacke

Equine Therapy with Jessi Guinn

Lindsay Creek Vineyards

Efficient Feeding Two key concepts to implement this winter

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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

farm & ranc h

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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North Central Idaho

Contents 4P 7R 12 G 14 L 18 C 20 E 24 T 28 E 33 R

RODUCER

PROFILE: CLARK TACKE

IDING HOME ON A

PRODUCERS:

RAIN

INDSAY

FARMS:

QUINE

THERAPY

EST YOUR

FFICIENT

We hope you find it informative, useful and entertaining.

FAR FROM GETTING RICH

CREEK VINEYARDS

AMAS

IVER

LOOSE REIN

North Central Idaho’s premier publication of Farm & Ranch is offered to the farming and ranching families of North Central Idaho.

CHILDHOOD NECESSITY TURNS TO BUSINESS WITH

JESSI JEANS

ANTIQUE SAVVY

WINTER FEEDING: TWO KEY FACTORS

SYSTEM REPAIRS: CLOUDED PACIFIC TRADE PROSPECTS

SARAH S. KLEMENT, PUBLISHER DAVID P. RAUZI, EDITOR

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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

Producer Profile

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

Clark

Tacke

By David Rauzi, Editor Idaho County Free Press

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Clark Tacke, 28, and his wife, Sara, live in Cottonwood.

Since 2012, he has owned and operated a farm between Greencreek and Grangeville with his dad, Cliff Tacke, where they raise wheat and barley, some canola, as well as grain hay.

As a representation of the next generation of producers, Clark talked about what got him into farming, what it’s like operating an operation with your dad, and his view on the industry and some of its issues.“After college, I went to work for a construction company for a short while. I didn’t care to be on the road a lot so I decided – this is kinda funny – to do a custom farm tour in Midwest. So, from April to Christmas 2009, I sat in a combine cab and harvested wheat and corn; nine months on the road sitting in a combine cab. It was fun but I probably won’t do it again. Though I did get to see a part of America I wouldn’t normally have gotten to see.”

So, what brought you back?

“Well, there’s no place like home, and I didn’t really want to live in the Midwest; it’s not as nice a place as here. It’s pretty hard to beat Idaho County as far as we have so much of everything here: You’ve got the farming lifestyle. If you’re the outdoorsy type, it’s a half-hour drive to the mountains or rivers, anywhere you want to go.

People are nicer than anywhere I’ve been in America. It’s hard to beat home.”

How was coming back?

“It was awesome. I didn’t come immediately back to farm. My dad told I needed to get five years of other experiences after college before coming back to the farm, to make sure farming is what I wanted to do, because Farming is a lifestyle, not a job. So, I worked construction as a mechanic, did the harvest thing, came back home to work for Primeland as their custom sprayer operator. I got to see a lot of country, see more farming styles and meet some great people/farmers. I got more experience and went to work for The McGregor Company for about a year, again working as a custom applicator. And I finally got my five years of other experiences out of college and came back and started farming with Dad.” Dad’s your boss: How’s that work out for you?

First of all, Dad is not my boss, he and I are business partners, He has his farm and I have my farm. With that being said, working for your dad is easier than working with your dad. Being a business owner with your dad takes a special relationship between father and son. It’s not seamless working with my father, but looking at other father-son businesses, I’d say ours is going to work out continued on page 11

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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Riding home on a loose rein

By Tim McNamee Here’s the scenario.

You’ve been out with your horse and you’re heading home. Your horse knows where you’re heading and he can’t wait to get there.

You must hold him back to keep him from grabbing another gear. As you do, he’s learning to push on the bit and drop his belly- the opposite posture you want to practice.

You start trying everything you can think of to disengage him. You make him stop, backup, circle him. You’ve gotten off and kicked him in the belly a couple of times, slapped his neck and told him to “stop it.”

You’ve even had a conversation regarding the ingredients of a can of dog food.

Yet, nothing works. As soon as he’s headed for home, he obsesses with the idea of getting there and can’t think of anything else. The more you try to work on him, the hotter and more miserable he gets, which makes home that much sweeter.

You’re loading a spring.

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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I’ve been in this situation on some pretty spoiled horses. There’s one procedure that seems to work well for me.

I’ll ride him a half mile or so from home.

I’ll then turn him around and head back home. When he starts to take over and get pushy, I’ll simply roll his hind quarters around and start backing toward home.

Take note of how he is backing. When you feel some improvement of any kind, maybe he backs more freely or improves his posture, and or attitude, release and allow him to stop and stand facing away from home, on a loose rein.

Recognize when he is not waiting for you and put him back to work until you feel improvement (backing a little freer or a little straighter, or just softening at the pole). The important thing is to acknowledge his efforts with a release and allow him to relax. It is equally important for the rider to relax as well.

You may find a few other things when repeating the process.

For instance, he may begin to back on his own. In this case, ask him to back some curves or drive him forward to a stop (make sure he does not start on his own). After a while, he will get to where he stands quiet when you allow him to stop. Let him rest, and ask him to back again. He will get to a point where he will back real nice each time from the start and he will wait on you to ask him to start backing home.

Typically, the horse will get impatient and frustrated the closer you get to home.

No matter what, simply stay the course. It often takes a good deal of patience, and some horses will go through a few storms.

But, the longer it takes, the more depth the results will have. Usually, with this session, I like to back them all the way home. When you get there, they should be listening good, and you can simply step off.

After a long session of this, whenever a horse gets anxious I just review the exercise with him. Generally, he’ll calm down and then I can implement a mixture of other options to get him listening and respectful.

This is just one procedure of many that I use, but it’s not the answer to all situations.

It is one, however, that I’ve had success with. Having a number of procedures and using them appropriately to fit the horse at that particular time will ultimately work best.

WHEN HE STARTS TO TAKE OVER AND GET PUSHY, I’LL SIMPLY ROLL HIS HIND QUARTERS AROUND AND START BACKING TOWARD HOME.

IF HE

BEGINS TO BACK ON HIS OWN, ASK HIM TO BACK SOME CURVES OR DRIVE HIM FORWARD TO A STOP (MAKE SURE HE DOES NOT START ON HIS OWN).

THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE HIS EFFORTS WITH A RELEASE AND ALLOW HIM TO RELAX.

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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Tim McNamee is the owner of McNamee Colt Company. Tim has seasonal clinics that focus on improving, teaching and nurturing good horsemanship.

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Top, right, Clark and Cliff Tacke in a barley field this spring; photos of kids helping, playing during farming operations, and a Tacke family shot from last fall.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS / SARA TACKE

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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016 continued from page 5

ok., When I was a little kid, I spent every spare moment I had with my dad, so it was easy for us to start working together.”

What differences do you find between you and your dad on farming?

“That’s an interesting thing. My dad and I aren’t a good example of generational difference. Other farmers that are my dad’s age are, for a lack of better words, stuck in their ways; they’ve been doing this for 50 years, ‘Why would we change?’ My dad and I aren’t that way. We’re always looking to do the same thing but better, and technology plays a big part in that. We’re always surrounded by technology and try to justify the latest and greatest in technology. For Example, we do a lot with variable rate application.”

He continued, “We realize some parts of the field aren’t going to produce crops like other parts of the field will so with variable rates we can put less money into those areas that aren’t going to return.

We wouldn’t be able to do that without modern technology. We’ve been messing around with different seed rates, and we do a lot of experimenting with that. We have a lot of resources to help us with these types of decisions. Wasting time and product can be expensive.

We’re trying to make the same amount of money and spend less at the start.”

“With Dad, I’d say we’re on the

same page. I’d say we both have ideas and we never do something unless both of us are on board. We don’t fight each other on who’s got the better idea. We work really well together on a daily basis. I can see that [the multigenerational challenge] would be a thing. I am sure we have neighbors that way” What’s your perspective on the industry today?

“There’s always going to be a need for agriculture; the world still needs to eat. As far as a career choice, I picked a pretty good one; there’s always going to be the need for a farmer. Now, farmers’ single biggest challenge is to convince the public we’re not trying to hurt them, Farmers are people to We have families that we want nothing less than the best for, we would not grow or do something on the farm that would be harmful to our own family.

On input prices: “We just have to figure out how to make it through.

It takes a lot of money to grow a crop and if you’re not selling it for a balanced amount, it’s going to be tough for a while. But I don’t think it’s going to last. I don’t think the price of wheat will stay down. I think input plus the price of crops will balance out over time. A few years ago, we were at the top of the bubble; it was as wide as it could be and I think the bubble has popped and. I think it will re-inflate itself over time.”

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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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Grain producers far from getting rich

By Laurie Chapman Idaho County Free Press

John F. Kennedy said “the farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways.”

In a bumper year where wheat producers are reporting great yields, one would expect Idaho farmers might meet or exceed their breakeven point. However, as prices fell below $5, discounts were added for low falling numbers and stocks exceeded demand, hope for even a small income dwindled.

Jonathan Rosenau, Idaho County director for Idaho Grain Producers Association (IGPA), said at 100 bushels per acre a grain producer would need $3.50 per acre in return to break even. With this year’s low falling number discounts, many producers in Idaho, Nez Perce and Lewis counties received as low as $2.70 per acre.

“Most farmers don’t want to get rich,” he said. “We want to feed our families and make a decent living.”

Rosenau figures with the cost of inflation on cost of inputs, market prices should be closer to $26 per bushel rather than the $4 per bushel the market offered this year.

In a report produced by the University of Idaho Extension Office in Moscow, the net farm income for 2016 was expected to fall for the second year in a row. It reported net income to be down 31 percent to $1.3 billion in 2015. Revenues were expected to decrease by 8 percent while expenses were only expected to decline by 2 percent.

The U of I report also notes Idaho agribusiness dollars create

$27 billion, or 21 percent of total economic output, in sales; almost 126,000 jobs, 14 percent of state employment; and more than $10 billion, or 16 percent, of state gross domestic product (GDP).

Agribusiness also is Idaho’s largest industry, ranked by base sales; third largest GDP; and fourth largest job base.

“I can’t imagine what our communities would look like if we lost half our farmers right now,” Rosenau said. “Our towns would be nothing.”

He makes the statement not to be boastful, but makes a more realistic statement about concerns many in the agriculture industry are raising. Young farmers, new to the industry, are being hit especially hard and weighing whether they will return next year.

Those new to agriculture who just purchased equipment, land purchases or rental agreements, as well crop insurance, fertilizer, fuel and seed are feeling the pinch.

In a release dated Aug. 4, the US Department of Agriculture-National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) stated “U.S. farmers spent $362.8 billion on agricultural production in 2015, down 8.8 percent from 2014, reversing a long-term trend of growing costs.”

Rosenau said costs of input have at least leveled off and some even dropped slightly. Costs for fuel and fertilizer, he said, both declined slightly. However, with the drop in market price coupled with the discounts, grain producers are pulling $2.25 to $3.35 per bushel lower than a year or two ago.

Bottom line is farmers are “taking it in the shorts,” as Rosenau put it.

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By Laurie Chapman Idaho County Free Press

LEWISTON – In 2007, Art and Doug McIntosh of Lewiston launched

an effort to add vintners to their resume. Theirs was already impressive, including fourth-generation grain farmers, work for the Associated Press as a photographer, and as jazz musicians who toured Europe.

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

And since American saxophonist Kenny G opened for the McIntosh brothers, rather than vice versa, it may be safe to say the McIntoshes are the rock stars of the Lewiston wine scene.

Art related how he finds it interesting when he shops now he will have community members stop him and ask if he runs the Lindsay Creek Winery, which the duo opened in September of 2014 with their wives, Michelle and Brenda.

He says he can’t remember when he was asked if he was a grain producer.

“When you tell people you’re a grain producer, ah well,” he said expressing boredom. “You tell them you are a wine producer and suddenly their eyes light up.”

The decision to diversify was two-fold. Art had already been making beer for several years and their experience in agriculture seemed a compatible combination.

The pair opted to enroll at Washington State University, Art studying enology – or wine making – and Doug studying viticulture – grape growing.

With so much focus in the industry for value-added production, it seemed a logical leap to expand into viticulture and enology. Value-added production is another term for diversification. The McIntoshes already owned land and had a wealth of experience in ag production.

The pair also had an impeccable comprehension of the soil in their region. They understood the sediment deposits from flooding ages ago had left a fertile soil offering the perfect composition and drainage grape vines require.

Everything began when Art and Doug planted the first crop of 150 sticks of mostly Bordeaux grapes.

This was followed by several varieties of the Rhone grape. Today, Doug maintains 11 acres of grapes for Art to crush at their facility.

Lindsay Creek Winery not only is the site of the growing and production of the wine, the brothers also offer space for events and a wine tasting room.

“We didn’t expect the events end to take off the way it did,” Art said.

Art and Doug also team up with merchants in downtown Lewiston during the monthly art walks. Doug will pour wine in one of the businesses during the event to market and promote the winery.

“We get more business from that,” he said.

The pair hasn’t completely left grain production either. They worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to obtain certification that they are organic and began milling their soft durum wheat.

Doug said the certified organic flour is sold at Blue Lantern in Lewiston, M&M Market in Moscow and the Primeland Stores.

The brothers also recently signed a non-exclusive pact with Porchlight Pizza in Pullman to have all its crusts made with the organic flour.

The pair said they couldn’t have accomplished so much without a strong work ethic. They both expressed the reality of long, hard days and increased physical labor.

But the effort has been duly noted. The McIntoshes were recently notified they were nominated to receive the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Marketing Innovation.

“We’re very flattered by the nomination,” Art said while sitting in the tasting room of the winery.

He had just completed a tour of the facility with Doug, and took a moment to speculate on the future.

There are dreams of expansion and widening the scope of events offered at the facility.

With the McIntosh brothers’ understanding of marketing and ag production, Lindsay Creek Winery seems destined for growth.

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ART MCINTOSH, LEFT, AND BROTHER DOUG OPENED LINDSAY CREEK WINERY IN SEPTEMBER 2014 ALONG WITH THEIR WIVES, MICHELLE AND BRENDA.

DOUG MCINTOSH MAINTAINS 11 ACRES OF MULTIPLE GRAPE VARIETIES FOR ART TO CRUSH IN THE PRODUCTION END OF THE PROCESS. PICTURED ABOVE ARE ROWS OF GRAPES ALONG THE SOUTH-FACING ENTRANCE TO LINDSAY CREEK WINERY, PICTURED BELOW. SHOWN IS ONE OF THE VINEYARDS OUTDOOR SITTING AREAS.

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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Family farmers support trade but not TPP

By Kent Wright President of the Northwest Farmers Union

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Not everyone in the agriculture community believes that the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) is a good deal for family farmers or America’s rural communities, but that doesn’t mean we don’t support trade. Instead, we recognize that market access does not equal market share, and we believe in being cautious about a trade agreement that comes with substantial drawbacks for American jobs and the economy.

Without a doubt, family farmers, ranchers and fishermen in the Pacific Northwest benefit from balanced trade. Washington is the third largest exporter of food and agriculture products in the United States. Yet, much of the economic viability of farming in our area is tied to local markets, especially in Thurston County with markets in the Olympia, Seattle-Tacoma and Portland metropolitan areas. Local communities are just as important to South Sound family agriculture.

Consumers rely on farmers and ranchers to eat as much as producers rely on the consumer public to make a living. We have to support each other or neither side wins in this scenario, which is why I believe we all stand to lose if Congress were to pass TPP in the lame duck session after the election.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture continues to market the contentious trade agreement by promoting the increased trade opportunities for agriculture. The U.S. al-

ready has existing free trade agreements with 20 countries, including three of the top seven purchasers of U.S. agriculture exports. Of the remaining four major markets that purchase U.S. agricultural goods, only one country is involved in TPP: Japan.

Sure, additional market access to Japan is a positive step for U.S. agricultural exporters, but trade agreements are give-and-take.

For beef producers, in particular, the U.S. already has a persistent beef trade deficit with the countries in the TPP agreement. While TPP will allow for an increase in beef trade to Japan, overall it will likely increase U.S. beef imports, which will put additional downward pressure on already declining cattle prices.

Our high-quality beef and other food products will be competing against cheaper options from TPP partner countries who have also been granted greater market access. According to the World Bank, access to the Japanese market is expected to add only 2.7 percent extra economic growth by 2030 for all U.S. sectors. When I look at TPP, I wonder what family farmers and ranchers really have to gain.

Maybe most concerning is the TPP, as written, fails to address the looming trade deficit threatening the U.S. economy. Our country has a $531-billion trade deficit that continues to grow annually. Studies

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show that our trade deficit has put a 3 percent lag on the economy and led to the loss of millions of U.S. jobs.

In the current downturned farm economy, many farm families rely on off-farm income to supplement the decline in farm earnings and ensure a decent living for their families. As jobs are lost to trade deals like the TPP, that off-farm income may be harder to come by.

All trade agreements, including the TPP, should have clear provisions for balancing trade. Since the TPP lacks enforceable provisions against currency manipulation, foreign countries would likely reduce the value of their currencies to encourage even more agricultural exports to the United States. By failing to address currency manipulation, TPP fails to address a substantial cause of the trade deficit.

We can support our state’s trade economy, our family farmers and ranchers and our communities without the TPP. I hope that Congressman Heck and his colleagues will do what’s best for us all and oppose this trade agreement.

Kent Wright is president of the Northwest Farmers Union and a sixth-generation cattle rancher from St. John, Wash.

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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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Camas Farms:

By Lorie Palmer Idaho County Free Press

Childhood necessity turns to business

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NEIL WASSMUTH

FENN-- Gardening is something Kelan Johnson has been involved in his entire life.

“Growing up in a family of 16 children, it was a necessity,” he said.

As an adult his job took him on the road for 30-plus years and it was his partner, Tonya Kaschmitter, who convinced him to settle on the Camas Prairie.

“It’s the first thing he wanted to do – plant a garden,” Tonya recalled. That was in 2012, and 18,000 square feet of garden later, the produce is prolific.

“Sometimes I do have to remind him that there are not 32 pairs of hands seeding and weeding,” she added jokingly.

Offering a healthy, naturally grown resource that benefits the local economy is the goal of Camas Farms. Team Kelan and Tonya own the farms, located one mile south of U.S. Highway 95 between Fenn and Cottonwood.

“We feel people need to know that it’s possible here and, yes, it takes a lot of time and dedication but to us it’s better than buying a can in the store,” the couple agreed. “We were told many times that we would never get tomatoes, cantaloupe or watermelon to grow here, and the ones we have grown are honestly some of the best we’ve ever tasted. We contribute it to the rich Camas Prairie soil.”

The couple works the farm on their own with some help from Tonya’s 16-year-old son, Ethan.

“He sometimes grumbles at the 5:30 or 6 a.m. wakeup call to pick on Saturday mornings for the market,” smiled Tonya, “but secretly, through word of mouth, I also hear that he promotes what we are doing with enthusiasm.”

The duo works full time “regular jobs,” so how do they keep up with a busy farm?

“Very little sleep; no kidding. We do work 45-50 hours a week at a full time job,” Tonya said. “Of course the garden starts slow with working the ground and starting seeds in our greenhouse, but then gains momentum as the seasons progress along with the daylight hours and transplanting and finally the

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016 direct seeding. Year after year we continually learn and develop ways of being more efficient.”

She added they have also been blessed with an “amazing helper as of this year, Ellissa Crowl, who shares our love of gardening and the nutritious goodness of what we grow and she believes in what we are doing,” stated Tonya.

Camas Farms offers several varieties of radishes, lettuce, cabbage, beans, carrots, chard, hot peppers, tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, squash, peas and herbs.

“At the end of the season our dehydrator goes into full use for the herbs, peppers, and other vegetables that work well to preserve in this manner,” the couple said.

In the future, they said they would like to include flowering baskets, “but the space in the greenhouse is valuable real estate so we are still researching this option,” Tonya said.

This year, Camas Farms were able to introduce their farm-fresh eggs to the public, not only through their farm site, but also through

Cash and Carry Marketplace in Grangeville.

What made this happen?

“Customer requests last summer and helpful coordination from Liz Clark at the store, and -- surprisingly -- I absolutely love our ‘happy ladies,’” Tonya said of her flock of layers.

The couple said they have been pleased with the support from Cash and Carry and at this point demand is greater than supply.

Camas Farms is considered farm-to-home but is not certified organic.

“We do our very best to grow as naturally as possible and search out ways to control pests without chemicals so in turn the produce is healthier,” Kelan said. “We like the farm-to-table idea and enjoy getting to know our customers. It’s fun to watch kids discover that vegetables aren’t ‘icky’ and share new recipes.”

Part of the way they have shared this is by helping provide items for the “Grub Club,” an arm of the Grangeville Farmers’ Market where

19

kids are given market tokens to purchase and taste fresh produce they may not otherwise be exposed to.

What else could possibly be brewing for the future of Camas Farms?

“I have been asked if there will

ever be a Camas Farms cookbook in the future and I’m thinking it may be a good winter project,” smiled Tonya.

Visit Camas Farms at 234 Camas Road, Grangeville; see their page on Facebook; call Kelan at 8182435 or Tonya at 446-6016.

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Equine Therapy life-changing for horses, owners

By Lorie Palmer Idaho County Free Press JULIAETTA - Jessi Jean Dammerman Guinn knows that horses, like people, are not always what they seem.

“Many times the problem is ‘unexplainable’ or considered a training issue like bucking, rearing, refusing leads, inability to bend, head-tossing, cinchy horses,” she said.

The Juliaetta woman runs the business Jessi Jeans Equine, and spends much of her time exploring what makes horses tick.

She has owned the business for the past four years.

“If only we, as horsemen, would stop and consider what is the horse trying to say? Horses express themselves with their bodies. This is how they communicate with us; it’s up to us to listen to what they are saying,” she explained. “If something hurts or feels uncomfortable how else are they to tell us?

Sometimes if a horse is ‘off’ for no apparent reason, he may have a short choppy stride, shoulder or hip lameness, or stiffness and resistance. Sometimes you may notice coordination difficulties or difficult bending.”

Guinn grew up in Deary, where she was involved in horses since she “was in diapers,” she smiled. She attended the "Equissage” Equine Sports Massage Therapy certification program in Valley Center, Calif. Her case studies were completed at REINS Therapeutic Riding Center.

While Guinn grew up riding, she said it wasn't until she worked at Washington State University in the Horse Disease Laboratory that she knew caring for horses would be her chosen career path.

Guinn is certified in Equine Sports Massage Therapy (ESMT) and distributes a full line of equine supplements as well as Aculife patches.

“I also offer one-on-one saddle fitting classes and offer hands-on stretching technique classes,” she said. “I work

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

on horses from all disciplines of riding -- barrel horses, rope horses, bulldogging horses, dressage, reiners and more.”

Guinn said a lot of first-time clients come to her because of an injury and are looking for a "fix."

“This is OK and I am glad they are seeking help, but I also want for them to realize that moving forward with massage therapy can play a huge role in preventative care for injuries,” she emphasized.

She said often the source of a problem is a bit of knotted muscle tissue causing an ache or pain, adding these aches and pains “can make it very difficult for a horse or any athlete to perform at his best.”

“The responsible knots or adhesions are easily worked through and eliminated using the trained hand of an equine sports massage therapist,” she said. “If the problem is muscle related -- and it often is - a sports massage will undoubtedly help.”

For Guinn, it’s not just a job – it’s

an experience she said she thoroughly enjoys.

“Knowing at the end of each day in the field that I have provided hands-on therapeutic therapy to the horses just makes me smile,” she said. “There are so many gimmicks out there – hand-held massage units, magnetic blankets and more -- but I truly believe that each body is uniquely different and requires special care.”

“Using my hands, I am able to become one with the horse and feel what they are feeling, therefore applying different amounts of pressure and using different techniques custom to that specific horse to reach our end result of satisfaction,” she said.

Guinn services the Lewis-Clark Valley and surrounding areas and travels to the Boise area twice a month. She can be reached by calling 208-301-0639 or e-mailing jjequinellc@gmail.com; www.jessijeansequine.com; on Facebook: Jessi Jeans Equine.

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Benefits of massage: • Improves circulation which promotes more rapid healing of injuries • Enhances muscle tone and increases range of motion • Boosts athletic performance and endurance • Eases muscle spasms • Reduces inflammation and swelling of joints • Increases production of synovial fluid in the joints • Relieves pain, tension and stress • Restores musculoskeletal balance • Stimulates circulation in the lymphatic system and hastens the elimination of waste products and toxins • Lengthens connective tissue and prevents the formation of adhesions • Generally improves disposition

-- From Jessi Jeans Equine Therapy

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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Crop insurance gives farmers more planting flexibility; insurance changes expand farm safety net for double cropping Acting Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Michael Scuse recently announced the federal crop insurance program will provide additional flexibility to farmers. The modifications center on the practice of growing two crops on the same field at different times of the year, which is known as double cropping.

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input from a number of stakeholders, we made these changes to the federal crop insurance program to provide greater flexibility and better reflect current agricultural practices."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) worked to provide additional flexibility requested by farmers. Double cropping requirements are revised to adequately recognize changes in growing farm operations or for added land. This change will address both land added to an operation, and account for multiple crop rotations. These

changes will be in effect for the 2017 crop year for most crops, starting with winter wheat.

Federal crop insurance programs have been enhanced to ensure America's farmers and ranchers have the strongest safety net possible that applies to the diverse types and sizes of farms in our country, and the wide variety of products they grow. USDA federal crop insurance programs provide producers with greater access to financial tools than ever before, at a time when prices are low, and access to credit can be difficult. Working with producers, RMA has devel-

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What is it?

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Test your antique savvy Photos by: David Rauzi It wasn’t too long ago that horsepower meant literal horses, and tilling cropland meant a long, hot dusty ride on an exposed tractor seat. The nature of agriculture and rural life may remain the same, but technology marches on, leaving behind artifacts that quickly lose their meaning as they gather dust in the garage or barn floor.

Think you’re pretty smart on old-time equipment? Well, here’s a challenge for old timers and youngsters alike to go through these photos and see if you can figure out what these are and their uses.

These artifacts are part of the collection of Don and Charlotte DeArmond of Grangeville, who have a private display of artifacts of farm and rural life dating back more than a century.

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1 4 5

6

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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8 7 9

10

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Solutions: 1 – WOOD SPLITTER: USES BLACK POWDER AND TIMER FUSE; THIS ONE WAS USED OFTEN TO SPLIT YELLOW PINE AND RED FIR LOGS. 2 – GOPHER SPRING TRAP: PRESSED INTO THE GROUND ABOVE A BURROW, THE TRAP WOULD BE ARMED AND SET OFF WHEN THE ANIMAL PRESSED THE STEEL PLATE, RESULTING IN BEING IMPALED BY THE SPIKES. 3– SAUSAGE STUFFER: GROUND MEAT WOULD BE PUT INSIDE THE CHAMBER, AND THE HAND-CRANKED MACHINE WOULD EXTRUDE THE MEAT FROM THE STUFFING TUBE AT THE BOTTOM. 4 – WAGON WHEEL BLACK TAR TREATER: TO PREVENT WOODEN WAGON WHEELS FROM SPLITTING OR SHRINKING, WHETHER DRYING OUT IN THE SUMMER OR BEING SATURATED BY WATER IN THE WINTER, THEY WOULD BE SET IN THIS TROUGH WHERE BLACK TAR WOULD BE USED TO SEAL AND PROTECT THEM. 5 – CORN SHELLER: EARS OF CORN WOULD BE FED INTO THIS MANUALLY POWERED DEVICE TO PEEL OFF ALL THE CORN. THE SHELLED CORN WOULD PRIMARILY BE USED FOR HOG AND CATTLE FEED, AND THE REMAINING COBS WOULD BE BURNED IN STOVES FOR HEAT. 6 – FROE (SHAKE AXE): USED TO SPLIT WOOD ALONG THE GRAIN FOR SHINGLES TO

TIMBERS; THICKNESS VARIED ON THE ANGLE USED DURING SPLITTING. 7 – WADE DRAG SAW: THIS WAS BOUGHT NEW BY DEARMOND’S DAD IN 1946; GASPOWERED SAW MANUALLY TRANSPORTED TO WORK SITE. FELL OUT OF USE WITH THE ADVENT OF SMALLER, HAND-HELD CHAIN SAWS. 8– COW POKE: PLACED ON THE NECKS OF “FENCE CRAWLERS” AND “BREECHY COWS” TO DISCOURAGE THEM FROM PUSHING AGAINST AND OVER FENCES; THE CONTRAPTION WOULD CLOSE ON PRESSURE AND POKE THE COW’S NECK. 9– CHARCOAL-HEATED FOOT WARMER: HACKS, BUGGIES AND WAGONS WOULD USE THESE ON THE FLOORBOARDS. A PIECE OF CHARCOAL IS INSERTED AND LIT, AND FEET WOULD REST ON THE SURFACE TO KEEP THEM WARM. 10– HAY KNIFE: IN THE DAYS BEFORE ROUND AND EVEN SQUARE BALES, THE HAY KNIFE WAS USED – MAINLY IN WINTER – TO SEPARATE STACKS THAT HAD FROZEN TOGETHER. 11 – HOG WIRE STRETCHER: USED IN BUILDING WIRE FENCE; WIRE WOULD BE ATTACHED TO THE INDIVIDUAL NUTS AND SECURED, AND A HORSE WOULD PULL THE STRETCHER BAR TO PUT TENSION ON THE WIRE FOR INSTALLATION TO POSTS.

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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

Falling number discounts continue to haunt farmers

By Laurie Chapman Idaho County Free Press In a year ripe with promise abundant yields, good-quality proteins and positive test weights – grain producers’ optimism quickly shifted to disappointment as low falling number discounts met with already low market prices.

Agriculture industry representatives tried to provide information regarding low falling numbers in an Aug. 16 meeting at Greencreek.

Wheat producers sought options to prevent further losses and protect next year’s crop. But with no clear answers, producers were left shaking their heads.

Alex McGregor, president of The McGregor Company, aptly described the current year’s dilemma as “a frustrating situation thrown on top of difficult times, made worse by gnawing uncertainty,” in a report dated Sept. 16. In the report, he noted several factors clouding the situation: • Inconsistent results and reports of wide variations in falling numbers from tests on crops adjacent to one another or from the same wheat from week to week.

• Some indications holding grain can improve results mixed

with cautions that results, in some circumstances, might actually get worse.

• Warnings about mixing grain to improve readings is a dangerous endeavor, fraught with risk.

• A time worn testing process where reading can vary from lab to lab, from technician to technician, and where elevation above sea level and other fudge factors hardly inspire confidence.

With all these variables, it’s understandably confusing and makes grain producers work more unpredictable. So how do farmers move forward after facing such uncertainty and loss?

In a Washington State University publication, Camille Steber, research molecular geneticist, wrote there are several options available to farmers to reduce economic losses caused by low falling numbers.

Among those are harvesting wheat quickly after maturity; planting wheat genetically resistant to sprouting and late-maturity alphaamylase; avoid mixing grains; and store mildly sprouted grain.

Most of those suggestions incorporate careful planning and having

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the weather cooperate doesn’t hurt either. But purchasing an appropriate plant takes some study. Steber said, “examples of cultivars with better sprouting tolerance include Cara, Coda, Mary, Masami, Puma, Skiles and Otto.”

Another unfortunate downside of the falling numbers scenario impacting grain producers in Idaho, Nez Perce and Lewis counties is the current regulations allowing discounts to negatively affect average yields. Current USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) policy requires crop insurers to reduce actual yield based on falling number discounts.

On Sept. 22, 36 Pacific Northwest grain agencies and businesses signed a letter asking RMA to waive the policy. Included among the signatures were eight Idaho organizations: CHS Primeland; Idaho Barley Commission; Idaho Farm Bureau Federation; Idaho Grain Producers Association (IGPA); Idaho Wheat Commission; Northwest Farm Credit Services; Pacific Northwest Farmers Cooperative; and The McGregor Company.

The letter states “with lower relative commodity prices than we have experienced since the Great Depression, additional and extreme discounts (up to 50 percent in many cases) pose the risk of many farmers going out of business… .”

Farmers could submit crop insurance claims; however, because of high yields this year many opted not to file. Even though they do not file, the policy allows crop insurance companies to reduce actual

production history (APH) yields based on falling number discounts.

The letter also states: “This impact will be felt for a period of at least 10 years… .”

In addition to the letter by ag industry representatives, 12 members of Congress penned a letter Sept. 26 to RMA asking for the same consideration. This letter was signed by Idaho Senators James E. Risch and Mike Crapo, and Idaho State Representatives Raul R. Labrador and Mike Simpson. On the same date, Celia R. Gould, director of the Idaho State Department of Agriculture also wrote RMA regarding support for a waiver.

Before the end of September, RMA responded to the request stating it would not make specific accommodations for grain producers.

With most of the winter wheat already in the ground, grain producers can’t expect a change in regulations in the coming year. However, in response to the denial, IGPA, Washington Association of Wheat Growers and Oregon Wheat Growers League released a statement.

In addition to the expected disappointment, the trio announced work will continue to support farmers who are at risk because of this issue. “Our organizations are committed to finding a better way to handle falling number discounts and will continue to work with RMA to develop a feasible solution for growers.”

To contact your state representative, contact Stacey Satterlee, IGPA, at 208-345-0706.

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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

Efficient Winter Feeding?

&

Group

Evaluate

J. Benton Glaze, Jr., Ph.D., is an Extension Beef Cattle Specialist within the Animal & Veterinary Science Department, University of Idaho.

Feed represents the largest portion of a beef cattle operation’s variable costs. Per a University of Idaho Extension Livestock CowCalf Budget, feed accounts for approximately 60 percent of those annual variable costs. The cost of feed to maintain the cow herd through the winter represents approximately 65 percent of the total annual feed costs. Considering the magnitude of winter feed costs, it is easy to see advantages exist for producers who develop and maintain plans that allow the cow herd to be fed during the winter in an efficient and effective manner.

To optimally meet the nutritional requirements of the cow herd and allow for maximum productivity, beef producers should sort their herd into groups that have similar nutrient and management requirements.

The winter feeding period for many beef operations includes the middle and last trimester of gesta-

tion and part of the first trimester of lactation. To gain some understanding of the nutritional requirements of various classes of cattle and begin thinking of how cattle should be grouped (sorted), consider the requirements of a first-calf heifer versus a mature cow. A 900pound, two-year-old heifer in the last trimester of pregnancy requires a feed that contains 59 percent TDN and 8.5 percent protein. A 1,300-pound, pregnant, mature cow in the last trimester of pregnancy requires a feed that is 52 percent TDN and 7.7 percent protein.

The same heifer in the first trimester of lactation requires a feed that is 63 percent TDN and 10 percent protein. The mature cow in the first trimester of lactation requires a feed that is 55 percent TDN and 9 percent protein. In general, these reported requirements show heifers need higher quality feeds.

Keeping in mind the differences

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

in nutrient requirements of various classes of cattle, and considering the number of females that fall into the various age groups, cows should be grouped in the following manner for optimal feeding: Group 1 – 2-year-old, first-calf heifers (17 percent of the herd). Young cows provide the greatest challenge when it comes to integrating them into the herd, providing them with

nutrients, getting them to calve, and rebreed. These young cows are required to continue their growth, provide fetal nutrients and maintain body condition. Group 1 has greater nutrient requirements than mature cows that are no longer growing. Generally, females in this group have not yet reached their mature size and may be smaller than other cows. These younger,

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smaller females are easily bullied and often lose the competition for feed and supplements. Group 2 – old, mature cows (10 years and older) and 3-year-old heifers (26 percent of the herd). Many of the older cows in this group are beginning to show some signs of mouth unsoundness and may have difficulty eating and maintaining their body condition and weight. These

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older, lighter cows have trouble fending for themselves when placed in a group with younger, mature cows (i.e. Group 3). The young cows in Group 2 have not yet reached their mature size and need additional nutrients to keep them on a plane to reach their full growth potential. These young cows also need adequate nutrients to continue adding condition so

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that they can rebreed and calve in a timely fashion. Group 2 also serves as a place to put Group 3 females that are unable to maintain condition. Group 3 – cows ranging from 4 to 9 years of age (57 percent of the herd).

Group 3 is represented by cows that are mature in size and in adequate condition. The nutritional requirements of the members of this group are very similar. If the breeding program has produced a herd of cows that is somewhat consistent in size, there should not be too many concerns of cows getting pushed away from the feed.

Body condition scores provide the information needed to monitor nutrition (pasture, drylot, etc.) programs. The amount of condition on a cow is a direct reflection of her nutritional status.

To ensure high levels of reproductive performance, numerous studies have shown that heifers and cows should be in good body condition at calving, weaning, and at the beginning of the breeding season. Now that weaning time has passed for most beef cattle herds, body condition should be evaluated before going into winter. This check allows beef producers to see how the females in the herd are bouncing back following weaning.

If some females are lagging behind in adding body fat reserves, they can be separated and provided some additional nutrition. Overall, the goal is to have mature cows in a body condition score of five (5) at calving and breeding and heifers in a body condition score of six (6) at calving and breeding to ensure acceptable reproductive performance.

Table 2 provides guidelines that can be used during body condition scoring.

A great deal of variation exists in the quantity and quality of nutrients required by various classes of beef cattle. Sorting beef cattle into proper winter feeding groups can prevent the over- and under-feeding of the animals and assure that adequate levels of nutrition are provided to all cows in the herd. Body condition of cows should be evaluated on a regular basis (weaning, 45 days post-weaning, 90 days pre-calving, calving, and breeding), and the scores should be used to make informed management (feeding, breeding, culling, etc.) decisions. Observing body condition at these strategic times allows producers to monitor the progress their cows are making toward achieving the target body condition (BCS 5 for cows and BCS 6 for heifers).

Description of Body Condition Scores (BCS) 1 Emaciated.

Bone structure of shoulder, ribs, back, hooks, and pins is sharp to the touch and easily visible. Little evidence of fat deposits or muscling.

2 Very Thin.

Little evidence of fat deposition but some muscling in the hindquarter. The spinous processes feel sharp to the touch and are easily seen with space between them.

3 Thin.

Beginning of fat cover over the loin, back, and foreribs. Backbone is still highly visible. Spinous processes can be identified individually by touch and may still be visible. Spaces between the processes are less pronounced.

4 Borderline.

Foreribs ore not noticeable but the 12th and 13th ribs are still visibly noticeable. Transverse spinous processes can be identified only by palpation (slight pressure) and feel rounded rather than sharp. Full but straight muscling in the hindquarters.

5 Moderate.

The 12th and 13th ribs are not visible unless the animal has been shrunk. Spinous processes can only be felt with firm pressure and feel rounded but are not visibly noticeable. Spaces between the processes are not visible and are only distinguishable with firm pressure. Areas on each side of the tail head are well-filled but not mounded.

6 Good.

Ribs are fully covered and not visibly noticeable. Hindquarters are plump and full. Noticeable sponginess over the foreribs and on each side of the tail head. Firm pressure is now required to feel the transverse processes.

7 Very Good.

Ends of spinous processes can only be felt with firm pressure. Spaces between the processes can barely be distinguished. There is abundant fat cover on either side of the tail head with evident patchiness.

8 Fat. Animal takes on smooth, blocky appearance. Bone structure disappears from sight. Fat cover is thick, spongy and patchiness is likely.

9 Extremely Fat. Bone structure is not seen or easily felt. The tail head is buried in fat. Animal’s mobility may actually be impaired by excessive fat.

Guidelines for Body Condition Scoring Trait Visible ribs all Visible spine Tail-head fat Muscle loss

1 all ++++ no +++

2 most +++ no ++

3 3-5 ++ no +

4 1-2 + no no

5 0 no no no

(Adapted from Momont and Pruitt, 2014.)

6 0 no no no

7 0 no + no

8 0 no ++ no

9 0 no +++ no

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

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River system to get repairs, but politics, activism and regulation cloud Pacific trade prospects

By Andrew Ottoson Idaho County Free Press.

LITTLE GOOSE LOCK AND DAM - The flow topped 125,000 cubic feet per second in on March 11, 2014, here, at the second of the Snake River dams grain barges encounter below Clarkston. Rain and thawing at lower elevations brought the water down uncommonly early that spring, but apart from its timing, the flow was nothing out of the ordinary. Little Goose and dams along the Columbia/Snake River System went about their routine maintenance.

That’s when engineers found a real problem at Little Goose. Cracks in a steel part involved in opening and closing the downstream gate required emergency repairs. For safety’s sake, the Army Corps of Engineers put the shipping season on hold. The emergency repairs were completed ahead of schedule and operations resumed that April 21; by the Corps’ estimate at the time, the quick fix made it possible for as much as 1.5 million tons of cargo to pass that dam during the five months that followed.

That was the third year of a record grain haul out of the Lewis-Clark Terminal, which was then averaging 22.5 million bushels annually, but a need for additional repair work has been looming over the region’s primary trade route ever since – not only at Little Goose, but at the Dalles, at Ice Harbor, and at Lower Monumental. In May 2015, the Corps announced a complete shutdown of the navigation system this winter, with the river system to be closed Dec. 12 through March 20, 2017.

The repair plan has drawn praise from the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association – a group of public ports, navigation, transportation, international trade, tourism, agriculture, forest products, energy and local government interests. That’s in part because the work won’t impede barges like the ones that carried 2 million bushels of wheat through Lower Granite Dam during the peak season last September.

“It brings more reliability and safety to the system,” PNWA executive director Kristin Meira said. “That’s something our two Corps districts out here really excel in. The Portland and Walla Walla districts share responsibility for our inland navigation system all the way to Lewiston and they are outstanding at anticipating which components need to be switched out and getting after it before they fail.”

While the port of Lewiston receives loads like Clearwater Paper’s new digester – a steel tower that will rise 200 feet into East Lewiston’s industrial skyline scheduled for completion in September 2017 – the downriver traffic connects 17,000 square miles of Palouse and Camas Prairie farmland to global markets by way of trucks from local elevators to Lewis-Clark Terminal’s 7.5 million bushel bins and then by a four-day riverboat trip to Portland.

“This is the top wheat export gateway in the United States and our inland barging system plays a key role in that,” Meira said, noting that rail transportation is also critical, as “just one mode could not handle the volume of cargo we have moving.”

The system as a whole – which spans the 468 river miles from Lewiston to the Pacific Ocean – annually handles nine million tons of cargo worth about $3 billion and about 40 percent of all American wheat.

While the digester didn’t have far to go from the dock to the assembly site, some of the highly specialized machinery that comes to Lewiston from across the Pacific Rim is transferred to trucks or rails for trips yet farther inland.

Some of the biggest freight has been energy industry equipment bound for Canada to produce marketable oil from vast tracts of bitumen. Activists have pledged to block some of those trucks – the so-called megaloads – from using U.S. Highway 12. Meanwhile, both presidential front-runners told voters they would oppose a gigantic trade deal now before Congress that would deepen commercial connections between a dozen Pacific Rim countries and consolidate 40 percent of Pacific trade under one set of rules.

While the anti-megaloads activists have been described as extremists for their attempts to legally and sometimes physically block the energy industry machinery, both

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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016

34

mainstream political parties nominated candidates who spoke sharply against deals that, like the Trans Pacific Partnership, would lower international trade barriers.

National trade proponents had been focused on objections coming from elsewhere in the world, as when, on March 10, 2014, the day before the flow at Little Goose tipped 125,000 cfs, National Foreign Trade Council then-president Bill Reinsch spoke to the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association about TPP. Reinsch said: “It is ironic that despite all the speeches about

Let

a 21st century agreement, new issues, etc., the big fights are over Australian sugar, New Zealand dairy products, Vietnamese apparel, and, increasingly, Japanese rice and other agricultural products – the same things we've been arguing about for 50 years.”

Thus, even as the Corps works this winter to refurbish the physical structures that speed Pacific trade in the American Northwest, the underlying legal edifices are showing cracks in public confidence that may require repair.

Nationally, the cracks may not

be as deep as electoral forces made them appear, as Reinsch pointed out to Fortune Magazine this October: “The antitrade folks are very loud, well organized, creative and persistent…but in big parts of the rest of the country, it doesn’t play.”

Fortune also cited the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, which found 65 percent of Americans say globalization, “especially the increasing connections of our economy with others around the world, is mostly good for the United States… with majorities across the political spectrum expressing a positive

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Value of Idaho’s 2015 ag production totals $7.77 billion; down from previous year The value of Idaho’s 2015 agricultural production was $7.77 billion, down 12 percent from the previous year’s revised value of $8.83 billion. The value of Idaho’s crop production in 2015 was $3.02 billion, down 8 percent from 2014.

The value of livestock production in 2015 totaled $4.75 billion, down 15 percent from the previous year.

Much of the decrease in the total value of production can be attributed to the 26 percent decrease in the value of milk production. Despite the decline, milk remains the leading agricultural commodity in the state with a 2015 value of $2.36 billion. This is the lowest value of milk production since 2010. Milk represented 30 percent of the 2015 total agricultural value compared with 36 percent in 2014.

Cattle and calves remained in the second position and had value of production totaling $1.69 billion dollars in 2015, down 1 percent from 2014.

Potatoes ranked third in 2015, moving up one position from the previous year. Potato value of production in 2015 was $913 million, down 5 percent from the previous year.

Hay value of production was $815 million, down 15 percent from 2014, dropping one spot to fourth in the state ranking.

Wheat rounded out the top five with a value of $449 million, down

23 percent from the previous year.

These five commodities had a combined value of $6.22 billion, or 80 percent of the 2015 value for all commodities (excluding government payments). The same five commodities in 2014 had a combined value of $7.41 billion, or 84 percent of the total value. All of the top five commodities declined in value from 2014. Onions moved into the top 10 in 2015, up from the eleventh rank in 2014. Trout, which held the tenth position in 2014, moved down one position in 2015.

There were commodities outside the top five that showed significant increases in value from the previous year.

Barley production, with a value of $330 million in 2015, increased 25 percent from the previous year.

Hop value, at $30.8 million, reached a record high in 2015. This was up 64 percent from the previous year.

The value of apples, at $15.0 million, increased 71 percent from the previous year.

Seven of the top 10 commodities declined in value from the previous year. Other notable commodities outside the top 10 that declined in value in 2015 were dry edible peas, down 18 percent to $9.38 million; peaches, down 25 percent to $6.25 million; and canola, down 38 percent to $6.05 million.

Why do we put so much effort into engineering the Can-Am® Defender? Why do we equip it with tough Rotax® engines featuring best-in-class torque? Why do we give it industryleading towing and hauling capabilities? And why do we make it clever with versatile cargo solutions and much more? Well, why do you put so much effort at everything you do? Because a job worth doing, is worth doing right.

106 Airport Rd Hwy 95 • 1 Mile South of Cottonwood

Cottonwood, ID • 962-3211 www.budspowersports.com

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NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO FARM & RANCH | FALL 2016