According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, family farming is on the decline. It has been since its peak in the 1930s, when there were close to 7 million family farms in the country. By 2002, the number had leveled off at around 2 million.
The Columbia Gorge might be a notable exception. Here, numerous family farms begun by some of the first generations of settlers in the area are still in operation, run by family members several generations removed from those stalwart pioneers. Writer Kathy Watson chronicles two such family farms—Sandoz Farms in The Dalles and Riverside Farms in Hood River—beginning on page 10. What’s striking about these families is their resilience through generations—and complete eras—of change, and their ability to adapt to evolving markets and ever greater challenges in order to keep the family farm alive. It’s an inspiring story, and one that has played out many times over at farms all around the Gorge. Next time you’re visiting a fruit stand, strike up a conversation with its proprietor and see where it takes you.
Speaking of inspiring, one local school is bucking the norm when it comes to school lunches. The Mosier Schools, a charter school that’s part of North Wasco School District 21 in The Dalles, offers its students meals cooked from scratch every day. What’s more, the cafeteria cooks incorporate fresh produce from the school garden into daily meals when possible, and source other food from local producers. Writer Matt Landi chronicles the school lunch program at Mosier, beginning on page 26.
And to whet your appetite for fall, Kathy Watson once again ventures out to local restaurants to see what seasonal fare our talented chefs are cooking up this fall (page 22). As you can tell from the plate on the cover, created by Chef Ben Stenn of Celilo Restaurant and Bar, you won’t be disappointed.
With the season of harvest upon us, bringing its considerable bounty from local farms, orchards and ranches to our tables, we hope you’ll savor all that the Gorge has to offer.
