agriculture 2015

By Dee CampThe Chronicle

OKANOGAN — Growers canlearn about pests, apple breedingand the tree fruit industry’s futureduring the 80th Okanogan CountyHorticulture Association annualmeeting.

The meetingis set for 9 a.m. to3 p.m. Feb. 4 inthe OkanoganCountyFairgroundsAgriplex, 175Rodeo TrailRoad.

A registrationfee will becharged; threepesticide education certificationcredits will be given to those whoattend pesticide-related talksduring the meeting.

Retired Washington StateUniversity Extension researcherTim Smith will kick off the event at9 a.m. with a talk about modernfire blight control materials,

product choices and timing.Smith received the Washington See Meeting 3

— Agriculture 2015, The Chronicle, Omak, Wash.

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Agriculture© 2015 The Omak-Okanogan County ChronicleOwned and operated by Eagle Newspapers Inc.

Roger Harnack, publisher • Dee Camp, section editorTeresa Meyers, advertising manager

P.O. Box 553, Omak, WA 98841 • 509-826-1110• 800-572-3446

509-826-5819 fax • www.omakchronicle.com

Meeting at a glanceOkanogan County Horticulture Association

80th annual meeting

9 a.m. Modern fire blight control materials, product choices

and timing

9:40 a.m. WSU Endowment Advisory Committee update

10 a.m. 2014 Little Cherry Disease, mealybug and spotted wing

drosophila

11 a.m. Are you in the know? Resources you could/should be utilizing

11:20 a.m. Apple varieties of the future from the WSU apple

breeding program

11:45 a.m. Elections and nominations – choosing your representatives

Okanogan County Horticulture Association business meeting

Noon Lunch and trade show

1 p.m. Using the WSU-DAS version of the WSU spray guide

1:30 p.m. Improving association services to the industry

2 p.m. Plotting the future

2:30 p.m. Modern materials and methods for enhanced weed control

3 pesticide education certification credits awarded for attending

presentations related to pesticides

Dee Camp/The Chronicle

Apple trees south of Tonasket bloom under a cloud-speckled, blue spring sky.

Growers hear about pests,apple breeding and moreHorticulture group’s

80th annual meeting

planned for Feb. 4

Smith

Agriculture 2015, The Chronicle, Omak, Wash. —

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State Tree Fruit Association’sDistinguished Service Award inDecember 2014.

At 9:40 a.m., a presentation onthe WSU Endowment AdvisoryCommittee is planned.

Committee Chairman SamGodwin and WSU Tree FruitResearch and Extension Centerresearcher Des Layne will give theupdate.

Apple and pear growersthroughout the state are providing

$27 million overan eight-yearperiod to supporttree fruitresearch andextension atWSU.

Endowmentsestablished withthe funds areexpandingresearch and

outreach at WSU centers in Prosserand Wenatchee.

See Horticulture 4


Pears and apples, in the background, share orchard space near Omak.

Meeting from 2

Nearly 30,000 acres are in orchardsOKANOGAN — Okanogan

County has 29,804 acres inorchard, according to the 2012

Census of Agriculture, which wasreleased by the U.S. Department ofAgriculture last spring.

The county had 396 farms.Ferry County had 167 acres in

orchard and 10 farms.

Layne

At 10 a.m., Andrea Bixby-Brosiof the tree fruit center will talkabout Little Cherry Disease,mealybug and spotted wingdrosophila.

Trees with the viral diseaseproduce cherries of small size andpoor flavor, making the fruitunmarketable.

The disease has been present atlow levels in the state since the

1940s, but became increasinglyevident in 2011-13, resulting inunpicked limbs and trees, treeremoval and some orchardremoval, WSU Extension said.

It has been verified incommercial sweet cherry orchardsin Okanogan, Douglas, Grant andChelan counties.

Mealybugs infest trees, feed onsap and leave trees vulnerable toother diseases.

Spotted wing drosophila is aninsect pest that affects small fruit

and tree fruit crops.At 11 a.m., Layne will talk about

resources growers could or shouldbe using.

Apple varieties of the futurefrom the WSU apple breedingprogram will be discussed at 11:20a.m. Kate Evans, Quincy-based

researcher withthe WSU treefruit program,will speak.

Associationelections areplanned at 11:45a.m. Nomineesinclude currentVice PresidentTracy Zahn forpresident, RobWilson for vice

president, and Dan McCarthy foranother term as secretary.

Roland Smith is the outgoingpresident.

A lunch break is planned fromnoon to 1 p.m., with a soup-and-sandwich lunch available on site asa fundraiser for the Tonasket FFAAlumni group.

Using the WSU Decision AidSystem spray guide is the first

afternoon session, with UteChambers speaking. Chambers iswith the research and extensioncenter.

McCarthy said the onlinesystem is going to a pay-per-viewformat from the previous freeaccess.

Jon DeVaney, president of theWashington State Tree FruitAssociation, will speak at 1:30 p.m.about improving associationservices to the industry.

The association was formed lastSeptember by merging theWashington State Horticultural

Association, Yakima ValleyGrower-Shippers Association,Wenatchee Valley TrafficAssociation and WashingtonGrowers Clearing HouseAssociation.

“Plotting the Future” will followat 2 p.m. The speaker is Tom Auvilof the Washington Tree FruitResearch Commission.

Wrapping up the meeting is atalk by Smith about modernmaterials and methods forenhanced weed control.

A trade show will be ongoingthroughout the day.


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Apple blossoms glow in the spring sunshine.

Horticulture from 3

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Visitors learn about new apple varieties during the 2013 Okanogan County Horticulture Association tradeshow.

Trade show offersinformation andorchard products

The Chronicle

OKANOGAN — Growers canlearn about orchard chemicals,shop for farm equipment and order

trees during the Okanogan CountyHorticulture Association tradeshow, which runs in conjunctionwith the Feb. 4 annual meeting.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3p.m. in the Okanogan CountyFairgrounds Agriplex, 175 RodeoTrail Road.

As of late January, vendors

See Trade 6

Event runs in

conjuction with

annual hort meeting

scheduled to be at the tradeshow included:

• Antles Pollen Supply,Wenatchee.

• Bayer Cropscience, Chelan.• Burrows Tractor, Wenatchee.• C&O Nursery, Wenatchee.• Cameron Nursery, Eltopia.• Cascade Wind Machine,

Yakima.• Columbia Homes, Yakima.• Crowder Horticultural

Services, Manson.• CSI Chemical, Naches.• DJ Repair, Manson.• Dow AgroScience, Wenatchee.• JP’s Ladder Repair, Wenatchee.• Miller Chemical and Fertilizer,

Yakima.

• Northwest Farm Credit,Prosser.

• Nulton Irrigation, Oroville.• O’Connell Drilling and Supply,

Brewster.• Okanogan Conservation

District, Okanogan.• Okanogan County Noxious

Weed Control Board, Okanogan.• Pacific Biocontrol, Vancouver.• SHUR Farms, Colton, Calif.• Sunrise Chevrolet, Omak.• Suterra, Bend, Ore.• Tree Connection, Dundee, Ore.• Tree Top, Cashmere.• Valley Tractor, East Wenatchee.• Van Well Nursery, Wenatchee.• Washington Tractor, Okanogan.• Willow Drive Nursery, Ephrata.• Wilson Orchard Supply,

Wenatchee.

• WorkSource OkanoganCounty, Omak.


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Trade from 5


Blush on apples shows rosy pink in late afternoon light in an orchard east of Loomis.

Value of ag products risesOKANOGAN — The market

value of agriculture products soldby Okanogan County farms in 2012averaged $198,150 per farm.

The 2012 Census of Agriculture,released last spring by the U.S.Department of Agriculture, alsoshowed an average value of$58,481 per farm for Ferry County

ag products.In 2007, during the previous

census, Okanogan county farmsaveraged $125,606 worth ofagriculture products sold.

Ferry County farms sold anaverage of $55,007 worth ofproducts in 2007, the agriculturecensus shows.

By Al CampThe Chronicle

WENATCHEE — A huge, recordcrop of apples continues to head tomarkets worldwide, but abottleneck on the West Coastthreatens to hold up produce

heading to Asian markets.“The 2014 apple crop is

projected to be 150 million boxes,which is above the record of 128million set in 2012,” said JonDeVaney, president of theWashington State Tree FruitAssociation.

“Demand has been strong, withseveral weeks exceeding 3 millionboxes shipped,” said DeVaney, whowas on the East Coast recently.“These shipments could be evenhigher if the industry’s access tokey export customers were notconstrained by the ongoing

slowdowns at West Coast ports.”Cargo at 28 West Coast ports

from Canada to Mexico has beenmoving at half-speed while officialsof the International Longshore andWarehouse Union negotiate a newmaster contract with the PacificMaritime Association, whichrepresents ports and shippingcompanies.

Marc Spears, export manager atChelan Fresh Marketing,

representing 400 apple growers inthe Chelan area, said the co-opnormally ships 120 container loadsa week to overseas customersduring November and December.

The number of shipmentsdwindled to 60 containers weekly,Spears said.

Spears said the inability to shiphas been a huge disappointment togrowers who this year saw abumper crop and hoped for big

sales overseas in advance of theChinese New Year on Feb. 19.

Instead, they face additionalstorage costs and depressed priceson the U.S. market. He calculatedlosses for his growers alone at $1.2million a week, and a total $14.4million so far.

“It was the biggest crop in statehistory,” Spears said. “Everyone

See Apples 8


Record apple crop faces shipping bottleneck


Apples ripen in an Okanogan-area orchard.

Demand is strong,

but West Coast

shipping slowdown

hurts Asian exports

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was counting on those sales.”“While there have been some

additional acres planted, the cropthis year was large because ofhigher-density plantings and otherimprovements in efficiency,combined with good growingconditions,” said StephanieChance, communications managerfor the Washington State Tree FruitAssociation. “Agriculture is like anyother business, always working tobe more efficient and productive inorder to keep pace with thecompetition.”

Prices as of last week were good,Chance said, although shipping

slowdowns could prove to be aproblem to important markets.

“Each year about a third of ourapple crop is exported, with Mexicoand Canada being our Top 2,”Chance said.

“In addition to the portslowdown this year, we are dealingwith European fruit diverted fromits usual customers in Russia as aresult of events in Ukraine, makingcompetition for Asian marketseven more competitive,” Chancesaid.

“Asian and Latin Americanmarkets are also of vital andgrowing importance, which is whythe ongoing slowdown in

See Crop 9


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For season through Jan. 18 *Variety 2014-15 2013-14Red Delicious $16.35 $17.57Golden Del. $17.46 $20.83Granny Smith $19.78 $23.46Fuji $20.14 $24.36Gala $19.80 $23.28Braeburn $19.37 $21.13Jonagold $18.10 $20.35Cameo $20.36 $21.09Cripps Pink $31.16 $30.72Ambrosia $40.43 $44.36Honeycrisp $46.29 $53.37Pinova $37.99 --Rome $17.01 $19.21Pacific Rose $42.21 $40.97Aurora $30.41 $30.81Sonya $35.91 $40.87Pinata $47.27 $35.42Jazz $39.23 $39.61Swiss Gourmet $29.17 $33.76Mixed apple $30.21 $28.11Mixed apple/ $36.38 $37.42 pearBartlett $23.64 $21.48Red Bartlett $24.94 $24.10d’Anjou $23.04 $21.19Red d’Anjou $26.24 $25.88Bosc $24.55 $22.34Asian pear $32.59 $35.52Comice $31.24 $30.95Concorde $25.18 $23.88Forelles $52.76 $55.61Hosui $47.91 $46.79Red Sensation $20.64 $22.01Seckel $37.95 $38.11Taylor Gold $40.67 $36.72Other apple $50.49 $50.77Autumn Glory $54.19 $57.23Mixed pear $19.08 $21.99

* Based on 40-pound box forapples, 44-pound box for pears

Apples from 7


A cluster of blossoms shows varying shades of pink during springbloom near Okanogan. Bees stayed busy as they gathered nectar —and pollinated the buds.

By Al CampThe Chronicle

OLYMPIA – A dispute overwages between longshoremen andwarehouse workers is creating abottleneck on docks from Canadato Mexico, and costing Washingtonfirms million in lost business.

The problem led to a joint worksession Jan. 14 in the Legislature,with the Senate Commerce andLabor and Trade and EconomicDevelopment committees, tradegroups and shippers trying to solvea half-speed slowdown that beganin October at 28 West Coast ports.

Federal mediation, sought byboth sides, was requested the firstfull week of January involvingunresolved negotiations betweenInternational Longshore andWarehouse Union working for anew master contract with thePacific Maritime Association,

which represents ports andshipping companies.

The union’s previous contractexpired June 30.

“If these problems continue,they will have a devastating impacton our economy,” said Sen.Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane,chairman of the Senate Commerceand Labor Committee. “This is notthe kind of headache we need rightnow.”

The joint work session Jan. 14

See Dispute 10

operations at West Coast ports is aserious concern for the industry,”Chance said.

“We have also seen an uptick indomestic apple consumption,which is great news, particularlygiven the growing number of freshproduce choices available toconsumers. It reflects the highquality and expanded choices beingoffered to U.S. consumers byWashington apple growers.”

Consumption of applescontinues to grow abroad, Chancesaid, as countries become moreprosperous.

“There is no reason to think thatwe cannot successfully marketcrops larger than 150 million boxesin the future,” she said. “The key isgoing to be having consistentmarket access.”

Red Delicious continues to bethe No. 1 variety grown in the state.

“But at 31 percent of the totalcrop, it is a much smaller sharethan in years past,” Chance said.“Varieties like Gala and Fuji havetaken a much larger share of themarket, and a number of popularnewer varieties like Honeycrispcontinue to gain favor with growersand consumers.”

As for the record crop, which is17 percent bigger than the previous

record, Chance said, “Almost all ofthe increase has been driven bygreater productivity throughtechnological innovations.”

That includes higher-densityplantings and other orchardmanagement practices that resultin more of the fruit produced goingto the fresh market, Chance said.


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Crop from 8 “There is no

reason to think

that we cannot

successfully

market crops

larger than 150

million boxes in

the future.Stephanie Chance

”

Ongoing wage dispute slowstrade at West Coast docksLegislators study

slowdown, but say

dispute is private

“If these problems continue, they will

have a devastating impact on

our economy.Sen. Michael Baumgartner

”

PULLMAN — Scientists atWashington State University haveconcluded that non-digestiblecompounds in apples —specifically,Granny Smithapples — mayhelp preventdisordersassociated withobesity.

The study,which is thoughtto be the first ofits kind to assessthe compoundsin apple cultivarsgrown in the Pacific Northwest,appeared last fall in the journalFood Chemistry.

“We know that, in general,apples are a good source of thesenon-digestible compounds butthere are differences in varieties,”

food scientist and lead researcherGiuliana Noratto said. “Resultsfrom this study will helpconsumers to discriminatebetween apple varieties that canaid in the fight against obesity.”

Tart, green Granny Smithapples benefit the growth offriendly bacteria in the colonbecause of their high content ofnon-digestible compounds,including dietary fiber andpolyphenols, and the low content ofavailable carbohydrates.

Despite being subjected tochewing, stomach acid anddigestive enzymes, the compoundsremain intact when they reach thecolon. Once there, they arefermented by bacteria, whichbenefits the growth of friendlybacteria in the gut.

The study showed that GrannySmith apples surpass Braeburn,

Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious,McIntosh and Red Delicious in theamount of non-digestiblecompounds they contain.

“The non-digestible compoundsin the Granny Smith applesactually changed the proportions offecal bacteria from obese mice to besimilar to that of lean mice,”Noratto said.

The discovery could helpprevent some of the disordersassociated with obesity such aslow-grade, chronic inflammation,which can lead to diabetes.

The balance of bacterialcommunities in the colons of obesepeople is disturbed. That results inmicrobial byproducts that lead toinflammation and influencemetabolic disorders associatedwith obesity, Noratto said.

Re-establishing a healthybalance of bacteria in the colon

stabilizes metabolic processes thatinfluence inflammation and thesensation of feeling satisfied, or

satiety, Noratto said.—Washington State University

Department of Food Sciences

by the Senate Trade and EconomicDevelopment and Commerce andLabor committees took a detailedlook at the reduction of tradevolume at the ports said to becrippling Washington’sagricultural community and othertrade-dependent businesses.

“Washington ports have beenlosing market share, and it iscritical that we as lawmakers take acomprehensive look at the reasonsfor this slowdown and what we cando reverse that trend,” said stateSen. Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick,chairwoman of the Trade andEconomic DevelopmentCommittee. “Fewer ships movingthrough Washington ports meanshigher cost for Washingtonbusinesses and farmers who needto ship their goods to internationalmarkets.”

Legislative rules preventedlawmakers Jan. 14 from examiningthe causes of the cargo backup,because contract negotiations areconsidered a private matterbetween employers and laborunions.

“We recognize that the unionand the ports have to settle thisbetween themselves,”Baumgartner said. “What we’reconcerned about are the peoplewho have been caught in themiddle – the shippers who rely onour ports in order to get their goodsoverseas. We’re losing millions ofdollars in trade every day in thisstate, and that is a matter of keenpublic concern.

“We often hear that 40 percentof Washington jobs are dependentto some degree on internationaltrade,” Baumgartner said. “That’s a

huge percentage. And whenshipping moves at half-speed, alarge part of our economy is placedin jeopardy. With the kind of losseswe heard about today, it is only amatter of time before this isreflected in our state tax-revenueforecasts.”

At the work session,representatives of tradeorganizations said the long-termimpact of the cargo tie-up is mostdisquieting. The longer itcontinues, the bigger thedisadvantage for Washington firmsas they compete internationally formulti-year contracts.

“We are seeing hundreds ofmillions of dollars of lost economicactivity for our state,” said EricSchinfeld, president of theWashington Council onInternational Trade. “And that is ingoods that are not able to get tomarket, those are contracts that arebeing canceled, and frankly thoseare international customers thatare saying if you are not going tosell your goods to us fromWashington state, we are going tofind people from other countriesaround the world to give us thesegoods instead.”

Darigold Farms, the 350-farmco-op that has become anaggressive Washington-basedexporter of dairy products,estimates lost sales so far at $30million, not counting additionalstorage and transportation costs.

“Darigold has scratched andclawed, pushed and pulled to get apiece of the international dairymarket,” said Darigoldrepresentative Dan Coyne. “Weface strong competition fromothers in the world, primarily NewZealand.”

Washington dairy farmers “are

put at increasing risk” the longerthat the port slowdown continues,he said.

Baumgartner said Washingtonports already face numerous othercompetitive pressures.

“We can only hope the federalmediators will be able to sortthings out,” he said. “This cargocrunch is beginning to hurt.”


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Research: Granny a day helps with obesity

Noratto

By Lena HoweSpecial to The Chronicle

PATEROS — Efforts by the stateto feed deer in the Carlton Complexfire area to keep them out oforchards and haystacks aredrawing praise from local farmersand fruit growers.

Winter has been fairly mild so

far, but the state Department ofFish and Wildlife has set up afeeding station just outside town.

“The long-range forecast forthis winter bodes well for thesedeer – above-normal temperaturesand below-normal precipitation,”district Wildlife Biologist ScottFitkin said. “We are prepared toprovide supplemental feeding, onan emergency basis, if extremeweather conditions develop.”

“Deer often concentrate duringthe winter near Pateros’ fruit treeorchards – independent of theeffects of the fire – and cause

damage,” Regional Director JimBrown said. “Until more deer fenceis repaired, we are using feed todraw deer away from theorchards.”

The Okanogan ConservationDistrict said it’s received reports of23.5 miles of deer fence burned inthe 256,108-acre blaze that charredthe landscape from Winthrop toPateros and from Loup Loup Pass

to the Malott-Chiliwist area.But not all losses have been

reported to that agency.The loss of all that fencing is a

challenge to growers, OkanoganCounty Pest Control BoardManager Dan McCarthy said.

The conservation district saiddeer fencing costs nearly $48,000per mile to replace.

Fish and Wildlife “is doing what

they can, but they have a reservedbudget,” Okanogan county FarmBureau President Jon Wyss said.“There is a sheer number of deerand it is difficult to keep them all atbay.”

Even though the fire scorchedtens of thousands of acres ofwildlife habitat, including some

See Deer 12


State prepares to feed displaced deer

Lena Howe/Special to The Chronicle

A deer hangs out in a Pateros-area orchard.

Feeding station is

ready in case winter

takes a colder turn

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traditional mule deer winter range,a mild, rainy fall produced some ofthe best forage for deer in recentyears, both inside and outside ofthe burn area, Brown said.

The feeding effort is designed tolimit orchard damage withoutdisrupting the animals’ normal dietand potentially causing healthproblems. The department is usinga specially formulated feed.

The goal is to draw deer awayfrom orchards.

Farm Bureau members havebeen notified on how to help keepdeer out of orchards.

“It is achallenge, butevery little bithelps,” Wyss said.

He saidmembers arepleased with Fishand Wildlife’sresponse andhave had goodcommunicationwith Brown, whoworks out of theEphrata officebut lives nearOkanogan.

Wyss said hisgroup wantslegislators toknow that brushshould bereplanted so thatsource of food canbe built back fromthe fire.

Some residents say deer aren’tas prevalent in town this year, andthe mayor questions the feedingprogram.

“I have deer in my yard everyyear except this year. I miss myfamily of deer, and I haven’t seenany deer, period,” residentChristine Perry said.

Mayor George Brady said he’snot sure the feeding effort isbenefiting the area.

“The deer are not grazers, theyare browsers ” he said.

The department encourages

residents not to feed the deer on theirown, since somefoods can causediseases instead ofnourishment.

“They hope toavoid feedingdeer if at allpossible,” saidJay Kehne, stateFish and WildlifeCommissionmember fromOmak.

Instead the department ismanaging feeding them, drawingthem away from orchards whilesatisfying their nutritional needs.

Deer need to feed on manydifferent kinds of plants tomaintain a nutritionally balanceddiet, department veterinarianKristin Mansfield said, noting thatsome well-intentioned people havebeen feeding deer fruits and grains.

“Fruits and grains are not anormal part of a deer’s diet at thistime of year and can be extremelydifficult for deer to digest,” she said,adding that a steady diet of suchhigh-carbohydrate fare can elevatethe animals’ stomach acid levels andcause serious illness or death.

She said she appreciates peoplewanting to help animals, “but mostfeeding just makes us feel good andcan end up being bad for theanimals,” she said. “Fruit is toohigh in carbohydrates and lacks thenutrients deer need to stay healthy.It’s a bit like letting your kids eat

nothing but candy bars.”Supplemental feeding also

disrupts the natural foragingpatterns of deer and concentratesthe animals into one location,Fitkin said. Concentrating deer inone area makes them vulnerable todisease, predation, poaching andmotor vehicle collisions if they’refed near to roads.

And, he said, trying to maintainthe deer population out ofproportion to its available habitatcan be counterproductive to theanimals’ long-term health.

“All those deer will mow downany shrubs trying to re-sprout,setting back both the quantity andquality of healthy winter range foryears to come,” he said.

The Mule Deer Foundation’sMethow Valley chapter raisednearly $10,000 this fall for rangerestoration such as shrub plantingsand reseeding the burned area.

Brown also has worked withcattle owners to open up someemergency grazing areas.

In late December, Twisp-arearancher Vic Stokes said deer lookedhealthy, but were nibbling on hishaystacks a little more than usual.He lost cattle, buildings and hay tothe fire.

He’s said he’s been in touchwith Fish and Wildlife about howto help the deer.

“We will help out (wildlife) inany way we can, he said.

—Chronicle reporter Dee Campcontributed to this story

Deer from 11

Lena Howe/Special to The Chronicle

Sign along U.S. Highway 97 near Pateros warns motorists of deer in thearea.

“

All those deer will mow down any

shrubs trying to re-sprout, setting back

both the quantity and quality of

healthy winter range for years to come.Scott Fitkin

”

Wyss

Brady

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Ag communitydeals with lossesto Carlton fire

By Dee CampThe Chronicle

PATEROS — More than sixmonths after fire swept across thesouthwest portion of OkanoganCounty, growers, cattlemen andagricultural agencies are still tryingto get a handle on the millions ofdollars of agricultural losses to theCarlton Complex fire.

Orchardists, cattlemen, hay

farmers and others lost livestock,trees, barns and other buildings,farm machinery, irrigation systemsand fencing.

Some lost their homes, too, asthe largest wildfire in state historycut twin swaths south and eastfrom four ignition points in theMethow Valley.

The fires later joined into oneblaze that roared across 256,108acres in July and August 2014.

Although orchards weredamaged in the blaze, only about100 acres of trees were killedoutright by the fire, Okanogan

See Fire 14

Doug Camp/Special to The Chronicle

Peaches hang limp and shriveled on a Pateros tree two days after fireroared through.

Miles and miles of

fencing losses total

in the millions

County Horticulture AssociationSecretary Dan McCarthy said.

In areas with damage, somefruit was lost but in others the treesgreened up again and by harvest,the damage was negligible, he said.

Some orchardists may see cropreductions for a couple years astheir trees recover.

McCarthy said deer damage“could be a problem” because bothdeer fencing and forage were lost.

Damaged and destroyed fencingalone ranges in the millions ofdollars in the fire area.

The Okanogan ConservationDistrict has reports of 23.5 miles ofdeer fencing lost, at a replacementcost of $47,731. That’s a total valueof nearly $1.12 million.

Deer fencing, often 10 feet tall,is made of wire mesh and isdesigned to keep deer from gettinginto orchards and nibbling on treesand fruit.

Another 376 miles of perimeterfencing – designed to keep cattleinside specific property boundaries– was destroyed or damaged. That“inclusion fencing” will cost morethan $7.7 million to replace,district Conservation Planner TerriWilliams said.

The agency also has reports of46 miles of exclusion fencing,designed to keep open-range cattleout of areas, and seven miles offencing to keep stock out of criticalareas, such as streams. Thoselosses total $952,000 and

$150,000, respectively.Other losses reported to the

district include $27,000 worth ofwater piping and tanks, $38,000 inirrigation lines and sprinklers and$7,000 in irrigation pumps.

And those numbers are just thetip of the iceberg, since the agencyestimates it has received reportsfrom just 10 percent of thelandowners who suffered losses inthe fire, she said.

Much of the fencing isn’tcovered by insurance. Some can berepaired, but landowners arefinding that some fencing theypreviously believed was repairableactually was so damaged by heatthat it breaks apart.

The district has requested statefunding to help farmers andranchers rebuild fencing, but it’snot yet known whether theLegislature will include money inthe budget.

Another concern for theagricultural community – andothers – is stability of fire-damagedsoil. The district is trying to getfunding for planning and multi-agency coordination, and also toreseed and replant fire-scarredareas.

Of particular concern are theChiliwist and Benson Creek areas,which were hit by flooding inAugust as a storm settled over thefire area. Slopes in those areasremain unstable and theconservation district is looking atreseeding upper elevations,especially in the Chiliwist.

“Vegetation is hugely

important,” Williams said, addingthat people should be aware thatsome areas will remain unstable forthree years or so.

The district is working withseveral other agencies, includingthe Okanogan County NoxiousWeed Control Board. Areas wherethe soil has been disturbed by fire,fire line building and heavy

See Recovery 15


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Fire from 13

Al Camp/The Chronicle

Flames crest a hill above an orchard near Brewster on July 17. Barely visible through the smoke are trellisesfor the trees.

equipment is more susceptible toweed invasion.

“It’s going to be a busy couple ofyears” as the area recovers from thefire, she said.

Cattlemen also suffered lossesin the fire. An estimated 900-1,000cattle perished, with prices rangingfrom $1,000 to $2,700 apiece.

Gebbers Farms, the Brewster-based orchard and cattle operation,lost more than 200 head of cattle tothe blaze and suffered orcharddamage.

On a personal level, 13employees lost their homes andfamily patriarch Dan Gebbers wasinjured while his company foughtthe blaze north of Brewster; helater died of his injuries.

The company spent nearly $1.9million – which later wasreimbursed by the state – onfirefighting, resulting in a“doughnut hole” of unburned areain the middle of the fire area and astop to the fire’s advance towardBrewster.

Twisp cattleman Vic Stokesechoed Gebbers about recovery.

“It’s going to be a long-termrecovery process,” he said, withnext year being “a test” forcattlemen as they cope with lostrangeland.

He’s not sure where everyonewill put their cattle to graze; somemay have to move their herds out

of the area.“Next year will be tough for

grazing on range. We will just haveto see how it recovers,” Stokes said.“I anticipate being off some ForestService land for a couple years. Wewill have to go season by season.”

As a rancher and as president ofthe Washington Cattlemen’sAssociation, he has been in contactwith other cattlemen and withvarious agencies.

He’s also concerned about theland and its health.

“We want to make sure we don’tget out there and harm ourrangelands,” he said.

Various government agencieshave been very helpful towardcattlemen trying to rebuild fences,secure feed, rehabilitate springsand deal with displaced wildlife,Stokes said.

He’s signed up for several farm-related aid programs.

“I’m thankful for the help sofar,” he said.

The U.S. Farm ServiceAdministration, Natural ResourceConservation Service and ForestService, and state departments ofNatural Resources, and Fish andWildlife “all are trying to do whatthey can,” Stokes said.


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Apples are piled along burnt-over North Star Road, near the Chiliwist, for wildlife to nibble.

OKANOGAN — Hired labor costOkanogan County farmers $85.4million in 2012, up from $38.5million in 2007, according to the2012 Census of Agriculture,

released last spring by the U.S.Department of Agriculture.

In Ferry County, hired laborcost $615,000 in 2012, comparedto $454,000 in 2007.

Farms pay more for hired labor

By Brock HiresThe Chronicle

OROVILLE – Nearly 300 daysof sunshine, sandy soil and anagriculturally rich communitycould be the reason the OkanoganValley is making a spot on the mapas a wine lover’s destination.

According to the websitegotastewine.com, there are about753 wineries throughout the state,including one winery in Orovillethat plats, harvests, ferments,bottles and sells — all on site.

“We are what we call ground tothe glass,” Esther Bricques Wineryand Vineyard co-owner LindaColvin said. “We plant the vines,pick them, crush them.”

The winery, at 42 Swanson MillRoad, started on a five-acre plotwith 700 vines, but now hasupward of 7,000 vines.

“What we are doing is offering alocal product,” she said. “A trulyOkanogan-grown and Okanogan-produced product. This region isperfect.”

The winery started out withnine varieties of wine, but is nowup to 12, and specializes in both redand white, including Pinot Blanc,Lemberger and Chardonnay.

According to the WashingtonState Wine Commission, EasternWashington has roughly 300 daysof sunshine annually and drier,sandy soil that is fundamental for

growing grapes. “While the growing season is

slightly shorter from beginning toend than more southerly wineregions, the number of sun hoursreceived in Eastern Washington isequal due to incredibly long days atsuch a high latitude – receiving 16

hours of sun at the summer solstice,”said the commission’s website.

“We really haven’t had any nastywinters that would really test thedie-back to root stock,” Colvin said.“Maybe we won’t. Springs frosts arenot an issue (because) bloom is notuntil June. In the fall is where thegrowing conditions are such thatyou’re not finished ripening, (but)

See Wine 17


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Grapevines at Esther Bricques Winery, south of Oroville, glow with their fall colors.

Conditions ripe for wineEsther Bricques Winery, near Oroville, takes

red and white wines from ground to glass


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you have to pick.”Though the climate is superb

for growing, Colvin said hervineyard is similar to otheragricultural products in the senseof pesticides and weed control.

“We consider ourselvessustainable. We cannot be organic,because we use treated wood polesfor our trellises,” she said.

“The other thing is the weedcontrol. That is very difficult to doorganically. We certainly use pre-emergence and burn down weedsonce or twice a season.

“Our main concern is mildew,and we treat most of thatorganically.”

Colvin said mildew not onlyoffsets the flavor of the wine butalso hinders the fermentationprocess as the mildew can competewith the grapes and “it willscavenge the nutrients in theyeast.”

Another concern to grapegrowers is the potential forPhylloxera, an almost microscopicinsect that feeds on the roots andleaves of grapevines.

“The big nurseries in eastOntario have Phylloxera,” shesaid. But “it does not appear thatparasite is mobile,” or invineyards south of the Canadianborder.

“One of the things that people

want in an organic wine is nosulfites. That’s a kind of dangerousroad to take. These wines are builtto last.”

Colvin said once the grapes arejuiced, the mash – including skinand seeds – is dispersed on apiece of the winery’s property forwildlife to eat. It eventuallydecomposes.

“We tried to compost it (in thevineyard), however it brings indeer. So our compost area’s wereit’s being eaten. We de-stemeverything in the verybeginning.”

For the time being, Colvin saidthe winery’s primary customerbase is locals in the Oroville-Tonasket areas, but it also offersonline services.

She said she would like to seemore vineyards and possibly makethe U.S. portion of the OkanoganValley a destination for wineenthusiasts.

North of the border, theOkanagan Valley has long attractedwine enthusiasts, and hosts severalwine festivals.

“Commercially at this point, Ithink we are the only one” thatgrows, produces and bottles, shesaid. “Gold Digger isn’tfunctioning any more; Lake Crestisn’t any more. Copper Mountain,they grow their grapes, but they’resmaller.”

“You need that comparison andyou need people coming through.

There’s nothing about Prosser thatmakes you want to go there otherthan it’s wine highway,” she saidadding many people think winecountry ends at Chelan.

RockWall Cellars near Omakbottles and distributes its ownproduct, but does not grow its ownfruit.

“There’s very little wholesale,”Doug Sheets said. “Most is retail tolocal customers.”

Sheets said the winery hasaround 20 different varieties,which include both red and whitewines.

Several other local wineries thathave their products on the marketlocally in Oroville, includingCopper Mountain Vineyards,33384C U.S. Highway 97, andOkanogan Estate and Vineyards,1205 Main St.

There are numerous otherwineries in Okanogan County,including Methow Valley Winery,409 state Highway 153, Pateros;

Neff Cellars, 15 Alta Lake Road,Pateros; Methow ValleyCiderhouse, 13B Walter Road,

Winthrop; and Lost RiverWinery, 699 Lost River Road,Mazama.

Wine from 17

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Steve and Linda Colvin bottle wine at their facility in Oroville.

The Chronicle

OKANOGAN — WA 38,previewed to local growers duringthe 2013 Okanogan CountyHorticulture Association annualmeeting, is a step closer tocommercial availability with theannouncement of its brand name,Cosmic Crisp.

The newest Washington StateUniversity-developed apple,previously designated WA 38, wasnamed last spring.

The name was chosen after anextensive process led by CarolynRoss, associate professor in theWSU School of Food Science.

“It was quite a process,” shesaid. “I think people didn’trealize how much names caninfluence their purchasingbehavior until they startedtalking about them.”

Ross hosted several focusgroups around the state, includingPullman, Yakima and Seattle.Participants were presented witha list of potential names todiscuss.

During the process, a themeemerged because of the pattern onthe rosy cheeks of the apple.

“One of the striking thingsabout the apple is that it’s gotlenticels, little spots that look likestarbursts, so people wereinterested in pursuing namesrelated to outer space and thecosmos,” she said.

Participants also preferrednames that hinted at the sensoryproperties of the apple.

“They liked having that little bitof information in the name so thatwhen you are in the apple sectiontrying to decide which apple topurchase, you have some idea ofwhat to expect,” she said.

One attribute of the apple is itscrisp texture. “Crisp” also links theWSU apple to its parent,Honeycrisp.

Cosmic Crisp is a cross betweenEnterprise and Honeycrisp.

The large, juicy apple has aremarkably firm and crisp texture,WSU researchers said.

Its exceptional flavor profileprovides ample sweetness and

tartness, making it an excellenteating apple. In addition to beingdelicious, it is slow to brown whencut and maintains its texture andflavor in storage for more than ayear.

After more than 16 years in themaking, the dark-red apple is readyfor launch into the marketplace.

“With its winning combinationof taste, texture and beauty, thispremium apple will be a boon toWashington apple growers, WSU’sbreeding program and apple loverseverywhere,” WSU researcherssaid.

In addition to the focusgroups, Proprietary VarietyManagement, a Yakima-basedcompany specializing in themanagement of proprietaryvarieties, surveyed shoppers inretail locations.

The company is assisting WSUwith branding, licensing andcollecting royalties for the apple.

Cosmic Crisp apples are notexpected to be widely available toconsumers until 2019.

WSU is working with a numberof Northwest NurseryImprovement Institute-affiliatednurseries and other producers toincrease WA 38 planting stock.

The university had a drawing inMay to assign the limited numberof trees available to Washingtongrowers for planting in 2017.

PVM will work with WSU andthe Washington apple industry todevelop a logo and graphics tosupport the brand launch beforethe fruit goes to market.

The tree itself is upright andspreading, with moderately lowvigor, so it won’t grow rampantly oroversized.

It is precocious, meaning it willstart producing fruit at a youngerage, with spur developmentbeginning on 2-year-old wood.

Yield is within the range ofother locally grown apple cultivars,the university said.

The fruit ripens in lateSeptember, is large andround/conical with 90-100 percentof the surface covered with a richred-purple color over a green-yellow background.

In the past, a public universitywould simply announce a newvariety as available to growersand then hope for the best, WSUsaid.

In today’s highly competitivemarketplace, the introduction of anew apple requires a marketingplan with experts and advocates

helping it win a position alongsideexisting varieties on grocers’shelves and ultimately in shoppers’grocery carts.

That is why WSU is managingthe release and introduction of thevariety, researchers said.


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Newly developed applegets a Cosmic Crisp nameCrunchy fruit

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to marketing phase

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The Chronicle

REPUBLIC – The fourth annualWomen in Agriculture Conferenceis set for 8:30 a.m. Feb 21 in theFerry County Washington StateUniversity Extension Office in theFerry County Courthouse, 350 E.Delaware Ave. No. 9.

The meeting will runsimultaneously in Nespelem at theTribal Administration Buildingconference room, 44 School LoopRoad.

The conference, “Making senseof marketing, because everyone hasa story that needs to be told to

promote agriculture,” is a quad-state meeting discussing how toimprove farm management skillsand networking with other femaleproducers.

The theme of this year’sconference is “Put your best bootforward.”

Emily Asmus from WelcomeTable Farms in Walla Walla andErica Mills from Claxon Marketingin Seattle will lead the event.

Organizers said Asmus willshowcase how her farm keeps itsbrand fresh to build interest andcustomer loyalty. She will alsopresent the necessary tools and

techniques for a successfulmarketing plan.

Similar to Asmus, Mills isexpected to present a three-stepmarketing method and help tocreate a marketing action plan toobtain customer results.

Pre-registration is required. Afee will be charged.

Organizers said partialscholarships are available foraspiring farmers, collegeagriculture students and 4-H andFFA members.

The event will also take place inOregon, Idaho and Alaska for 28locations in all.

Feb. 21 conference focuseson Women in Agriculture

HAY SURVIVES


Hay bales ripenin a field along

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Beyond, alongthe creek, trees

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CANOLA HARVESTING

A canola field iscleared at the

Townsend rancheast of Okanoganin early July. The

flowering plant,which is used to

make oil and fuel,turns the

hillsides yellow inthe late spring

and earlysummer.

agriculture 2015

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