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History
of Oregon Agriculture
Long
before Oregon officially became a state, thousands of indigenous people
lived here and practiced a totally different concept of what is now
thought of as "agriculture." The Native Americans of the
Oregon Country had developed a tried and true approach to hunting,
trapping, harvesting, and preserving that seemed primitive to the Euro
American entrepreneurs, settlers and missionaries.
In 1824, the Hudson's Bay Company established Ft. Vancouver, under the direction
of Dr. John McLoughlin. The Fort, in an effort to be self-sustaining, commenced
farming operation. Within a year, supplies of seed corn, barley, oats, peas,
potatoes, and wheat arrived. Pigs, chickens, and other livestock had come in
by land from other Hudson's Bay posts, or by sea from California. On Sauvie
Island, a complex of dairies was created to supply needed milk, butter, and
cheese.
Due to the early success of Ft. Vancouver's farming efforts, thousands of Americans
and Europeans arrived in search of land to farm. Although most crops and livestock
could be successfully raised in the new Oregon Country, it soon became apparent
to the pioneer farmer that due to the varied climates of the region, a certain
amount of experimentation and adaptation would be necessary.
Unlike conditions in the eastern states and territories, the Oregon land west
of the Cascade Mountains was heavily forested, with a mild maritime climate.
Here, with the exception of natural prairie areas such as the Willamette Valley,
the farmer needed to first expend a considerable amount of time and energy
creating a clearing to plant crops.
East of the Cascades was an entirely different picture — here the infrequent
rainfall meant less water for irrigation and less timber, and required a more
cautious, challenging farming technique. The area was naturally suited towards
a livestock economy. It was also discovered that wheat would do fairly well
in the area.
Between these two extremes — the rain forests on the coastal range averaging
150 inches per year, and the vast stretches of arid land in the eastern portion
of the state — the pioneer farmer found numerous micro-climates to reckon
with, creating many unexpected challenges. Imagination was needed to successfully
grow crops and raise animals.
The pioneer farmer traveling to Oregon brought the most rudimentary farming
techniques with him. Land clearing, plowing, sowing, and harvesting were all
tediously performed by hand, with the occasional help of a beast of burden.
As the 19th century moved on, a revolutionary change in technology took place,
involving both intensive use of the horse to replace manpower, and the mechanization
of farming operations to take the place of the horse. Steam power, gasoline
engine tractors, and electricity took over many labor-intensive jobs.
These developments, slow to move West, and slower still to be adapted, nevertheless
captured the interest of mechanically minded Oregonians who temporarily turned
their attention from the land to the invention of machines to help reduce the
amount of back-breaking and time-consuming chores of farm life.
Although only a small percentage of the population is engaged in farming today,
agriculture still plays a major role in the state's economy.
For Oregon's Centennial of Statehood in 1959, the Oregon Historical Society
created a program to honor families who have maintained a working farm continuously
for 100 years or more. Known as the Century Farm Program, almost 1,000 farms
in Oregon have now been enrolled. The applications of the past year alone indicate
a rich and diverse settlement in Oregon.
Oregon's farmers, and the generations of descendants who comprise Century Farm
families, retain the same sense of pride and spirit of determination of their
adventurous pioneer ancestors.
Courtesy of the Oregon Department of Agriculture
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