SHARING THE HARVEST: Ed Robertson takes a well-deserved breather with his wife, Irene (far left), and daughter, Julie Gribling (center) — and one of their four cats. Ed, 84, has been raising vegetables and fruits on his land off Riddle Road for decades, and donates much of the bounty to charity. - The Observer/ETHAN SCHOWALTER-HAY

Much of the productive harvest is bound for charity.

The Robertsons have lived on Riddle Road since April 1964, tending five acres of assorted crops. Onions, pumpkins, peas, asparagus, corn, beans, cucumbers, carrots and other vegetables rub shoulders with cherry and other fruit trees.

Imbler High School agriculture science teacher J.D. Cant has been named the 2008 NAAE Outstanding Young Member of a 10-state region by the National Association of Agricultural Educators.

Having won the same award at the state level earlier this year, Cant, who is also an FFA adviser, was competing in the Region I category, which includes Washington, California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska and Hawaii.

FFA IN THE BIG APPLE: Members of local FFA chapters recently attended the Summer Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C., and toured around the East Coast. Posing here in Times Square in New York City are, from left to right, Gavin Baynes, Caleb Deboie and Nick Moncreif of Joseph, Briana Tanaka of Union and Karla Wilsey of Enterprise. - Submitted photo

Briana Tanaka of Union, Caleb Deboie of Joseph, Gavin Baynes of Joseph, Nick Moncreif of Joseph and Karla Wilsey of Enterprise attended the 2008 Washington Leadership Conference (WLC) July 15-23 in the nation’s capital.

PRESERVING AND EDUCATING: Andy Huber, a crop and soil science professor with the OSU Agriculture Program at Eastern, stands among mule-ears this past June at GROWISER — Grande Ronde Overlook Wildflower Institute Serving Ecological Restoration. - Photos/SARAH WEST

Big-leafed lupine.

Bulbous bluegrass.

Wild hyacinth.

IT’S SHOWTIME: Students compete in the Grand Champion Market Lamb contest at this year’s Eastern Oregon Livestock Show. Among those showing were J.T. Batty and Brittany Leithner. - Submitted photo

As we say good bye to another Eastern Oregon Livestock Show and direct our focus to the last few weeks preparing for the Union County Fair, the journey begins again, with a new animal, a new set of challenges and a whole new adventure.

At right, with the auctioneer in fast form, the bids were flying as assorted livestock strutted their stuff on their sawdusted runways at last year’s Junior Market Auction. - Observer file photo

John Leithner, co-chair of the auction committee, said he was expecting between 100 and 120 kids to participate in this year’s event, which is roughly average.

In 2007, the fair auction had a fine run, generating close to $75,000.

heading to the farm: From left, participants of the Summer Agricultural Institute Rose Burbee of Seal Rock, Linda Serbus of Florence, Robbe Ostby of Keizer and Joni Swanson of Lebanon are greeted by one of their local hosts for the evening, Tish Beck of Alicel. Several area residents volunteered to take in students for a night, providing them opportunities for hands-on experience at a working farm or ranch. - The Observer/CHRIS BAXTER

And for those instructors interested in relating all sorts of subjects to agriculture, it’s even better if you can play student out under the sun, standing amongst goats or mint plants, hearing it straight from the experts.

The 2008 Summer Agriculture Institute, implemented every year by the Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation through Oregon State University, is specifically geared toward kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers with little or no experience with agriculture.

Phil, left, and Seth Hassinger talk about some of the restoration work they’ve accomplished on their farm off Booth Lane. The Hassingers — Phil and Trudy, Seth and Melinda — were given the 2007 Union County Conservation Farm of the Year award for efforts such as tending a riparian buffer along Catherine Creek and including fish passages in their irrigation system. Local Eagle Scout Clancy Strand helped erect an American kestrel nest box to control rodents. - The Observer/ETHAN SCHOWALTER-HAY

The previous version, instituted in 2002, expired in September of last year.

The new bill, finally passed on June 18, endured two vetoes from President Bush — a clerical error forced Congress to pass a second, updated version — both of which were overriden by votes in the House and Senate.

On top of more domestic economic woes, there’s been a lot of talk lately about a global food crisis. The price of many commodities is rising, as is, of course, the cost of fuel and transport.

For Eastern Oregon agriculturalists wondering how such broad-scale dynamics might affect their operation, there’s a new resource in town — one with a semi-nomadic bent.

Greg Cortaberria makes it look easy as he deftly manipulates the heavy sheep into the proper positions for shearing. He said he can often work a ewe in three minutes. Photo/CHRIS BAXTER

It’s a precise process demanding much prowess to avoid injury to the sheep or the shearer.

A crew of Cove 4-H and FFA kids got a firsthand look at this aspect of sheep husbandry on a recent Saturday, out at the Hunter Road ranch run by Susan Bunch and Jennifer Isley.