4 B Farms: A Mt. Angel farm embraces its roots.
By Julie Pederson
4 B Farms sits in the shadow of its past. On a hill overlooking
the Butsch family’s fields, Mt. Angel Abbey serves as a constant
reminder of their connection to the town of Mt. Angel, Ore., and
their historical significance in this part of the state.
In 1873, Mathius Butsch arrived in Mt. Angel from Switzerland
with the Benedictine priests that founded the abbey, now known in
the area as Abbey Hill. This patriarch of the Butsch family played
an integral role in the development of the town of Mt. Angel, and
his legacy continues today. Members of the Butsch family have been
settled in Mt. Angel since his arrival, and they remain active
participants in the farming and social community of the town.
4 B Farms, named for the four members of the Butsch family that
founded the farm in 1972, continues to be family owned and operated
today. On 2,500 acres, the family raises a variety of crops for the
wholesale market including garlic, hops, grass seed, filberts,
wheat, row crops and specialty seeds.
Lori Pavlicek, now married with a family of her own, is one of
the original B’s in 4 B Farms, and serves today as the farm’s
secretary. She stands as a strong advocate for the town—staying
active with the Oktoberfest fundraising committee and St. Mary’s
Catholic Church—and the agricultural community. Even in these trying economic times, Pavlicek has the attitude of a
true agriculturalist—thinking first of the livelihood that her
family’s business provides. “In the tough economy, our goal is
staying in business,” she says. “We hope to become more efficient in
our operations, and able to do more with less, because we have 13
families to support.” |
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With such labor intensive crops as garlic and hops, 4 B Farms is
dependent on their full-time and seasonal employees to bring the
crops in at harvest and keep the business running. Luckily, the
entire Butsch clan has remained true to their farming roots, and at
harvest time family members that are not involved in the day-to-day
operations of the farm turn out to help—including the children.
Keeping the youth of today involved in agriculture is an
important mission for 4 B Farms. “I hope the farm can still be
around for our kids to work. I want them to have the work ethic that
farm kids have,” says Pavlicek.
Youth from the community can also find summer-time employment on
4 B Farms. The farm employed 20 local kids this summer, many whose
parents worked on the farm before them. Pavlicek feels that
providing the opportunity for youth to become involved in farming
will help ensure the vitality of Oregon agriculture in the future.
When speaking to someone from this community, it is clear that
the protected little town of Mt. Angel has changed very little with
the passing of time. Having grown up in the town, Pavlicek can
provide a first-hand testament to the joys of living in such a
close-knit community. “Our farm neighbors have stayed the same, and
we all support each other,” she says. “Last season, when a near-by
hop field failed, everyone turned out to offer a helping hand. It’s
nice to know you can count on those neighbors if you need help.”
When Mathius Butsch moved to Mt. Angel and cut the lumber for the
first church in town, he was building a legacy that continues to
this day. While 4 B Farms looks to the future—diversifying and
mechanizing their business to ensure survival, and encouraging youth
to become involved in farm work—they also look to the past for
guidance.
“These are very uncertain times,” says Pavlicek, “and our
generation hasn’t experienced the ups and downs of previous
generations. It’s going to be interesting to see how we handle it,
and we hope to learn from our parents.” |
