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While confident he made the right decision, Dick has a great respect
for young farmers today and admires their courage and sacrifice.
Deciding against traditional farming as a career did not deter
Dick from staying as close as possible to agriculture when searching
for jobs. He worked 23 years in fisheries, most of which were spent
with Ore-Aqua, a private salmon ocean ranching business that became
the largest in Oregon during its operation. It was during his time
here that Dick became familiar with the Agri-Business Council of
Oregon and eventually served nine years on the executive committee,
including a three year term as this organizations president.
When Ore-Aqua shut down in 1990 due to legislation minimizing its
operation, Dick became a consultant in the field and his contacts
through this work brought him to his next position as the general
manager of Agri-Tech, a company that delivers industrial bi-products
to agricultural land for use as soil amendment.
Despite working full time and frequently traveling on the job,
while raising two young girls with wife Maryanne, Dick found time to
keep a small farm operation running throughout the years. At
different times the family raised hogs, Shropshire sheep, chickens,
turkeys, calves and a sizable vegetable garden.
"The girls were not always as fond of farming as their father. I
pushed them, sometimes kicking and screaming, and in ways it was
selfish since it was not their passion, but it was also for them,”
Dick says. “I would say ‘This is good stuff! You’ll thank me
someday!’” And apparently they have. The days of preparing sheep for
4-H and picking produce for the market are memories the family
cherishes.
Even while hobby farming, Dick knew he would some day want to
expand his small Springfield farm and work the land full time. “It
was during my years at Agri-Tech that I began to think of ways to
develop the farm for the purpose of business and profit,” Dick says.
“I began to research and talk to people about how I could do this
and what I should grow.”
Never one to shy from a farming challenge, Dick decided to grow a
variety of crops, and today he farms full time on the same land
where he raised his family. Dick focused on Oregon’s top commodities
when he started developing his farm plan. “I decided to grow nursery
because that part of the industry is so well-networked,” Dick says,
“and I also wanted to raise cattle, partially because of my love
affair with cattle, but also because the industry is huge, with
abundant knowledge and a network of support.”
Dick’s nursery operation is thriving and after just four years,
he is afraid they will sell out of some varieties. “I was always
just a grower and then I realized I had to sell it,” Dick says with
a chuckle. “But before I knew it, I had built a network of buyers.”
Using only word of mouth advertizing, demand for Dick's nursery
products has spread throughout Oregon. When reflecting on the
success of his nursery stock, Dick credits his local approach. “I
think people are impressed that the plants are delivered by the guy
who grew it. And if there is a problem, they know where to find me.”
Although his cattle operation is developing more slowly, it is
clearly the challenge of farming that Dick has loved all along and
this portion of the farm is providing him enough excitement and
challenges to make up for his years of waiting.
Now that Dick is a full-time farmer, his enthusiasm for the job
is stronger than ever. Whether talking about his constant battle
against the Horse Tail Rush and Canadian Thistle that plague his
fields, or his midnight calving experiences, the love in his voice
would convince anyone listening that he is finally living his dream.
“Not everyone finds a passion in life and I am sorry for those
who don’t. Farming is my passion and I am really blessed to have
it,” Dick says, “It’s something I never tire of and the rewards are
tremendous.” |
