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.

THE ART OF PRUNING: Warren Gilstrap, who is pretty particular about how his vines are handled, tried something new with cordon pruning this winter and cut the vines further back than ever before to one bud spur above the basal bud. The idea is that less quantity will yield higher quality. The 2006 harvest from these Kuhlman Foch grapes produced 280 cases of wine. - photos by Mardi Ford

“It was time to either ramp it up or ramp it down. And I think Dad will agree with me that we needed a serious marketing effort,” Warren says.

Rod Gilstrap nods his head in wholehearted agreement.

Across the valley, spring planting for some farmers like Wade Bingaman, above, may be off to a late start, but most agree there’s still plenty of time to catch up. The biggest concern may be that once the weather does warm up, it will turn too hot, too fast. - Observer Photos/Mardi Ford

At the north end of the valley, Imbler has had more than its fair share of wind, drifting snow and freezing temperatures.

MOTHER UP: Though junior steer does his best and cutest nudging to capture mom’s attention, she is mesmerized by the paparazzi. - Photos/Mardi Ford

While the older, experienced cows may only need checking on a couple of times a day during calving, first-year heifers need more attention. First thing in the morning, last thing at night and several times in between  around the clock, says Murchison, president of the Union County Cattlemen. 

FRESH FROM THE FIELD: This handful of flotsam and jetsam also holds hundreds of tiny little Kentucky bluegrass seeds within the clumps of cotton, straw clippings, rocks, dirt, sand and weed seeds. All superfluous material will be painstakingly cleaned at one of two facilities owned by Blue Mountain Seeds. - Observer photos/MARDI FORD

Since mid-July the grass seed cleaning operation at Blue Mountain Seeds has been running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In the end, the Imbler operation’s 2007 grass seed harvest will generate well over 10 million pounds of clean seed. It is one of several seed cleaning facilities in the county.