Sowing New Roots

Reimagining Oregon’s Century Farms

By Tamara Turner

The landscape has changed considerably since settlers began moving West, yet many believe Oregon remains the land of milk and honey. After farming fruits, vegetables and animals, younger generations of families who’ve grown crops for over a century are now investing in vinifera.

Jill House, owner of Stave & Stone Wine Estates, is the fourth generation to reside on her family-owned property in Hood River. In 1919, House’s great aunt and uncle Leonard and May Fletcher, bought the Columbia Gorge land sight unseen and planted apples. During the ‘40s and ‘50s, they added pears and more apple varieties. House had been active in the farming operations, but, in 2004, dealing with a divorce and an aging orchard became too much to manage. To continue the family farm, a difficult decision was made to remove the existing fruit trees and temporarily plant hay.

Little did House suspect the change headed her way. “After working a second job in a winery to help provide for Hannah, my young daughter, my passion for wine and love of grape grew,” says House. “In 2009, I remarried. Three years later, we converted some of the land to a vineyard. By 2016, we had 20 acres of planted grapes.” Today, the family farm is home to Broken Boulder Vineyards, Stave & Stone Wine Estates and Hood River Lavender Farm. A remnant of the past– a century-old Gravenstein apple tree remains, keeping watch over the family and the land.

Many settlers followed the Oregon Trail, including Travis Cook’s family. Cook, winemaker at Copper Belt Winery, says his family has resided in Eastern Oregon’s Keating Valley for 130 years. Thomas and Cora Cook left Kansas with their three sons destined for Oregon City, but winter had other plans. They stopped short, settling east of Baker City, where the dream meant working the land. Five generations later, not much has changed, except the crops.

Believing vinifera could supply the abundant prosperity previous generations envisioned, Cook replanted some of the ranch’s land to grapevines in 2004. At 3,400 feet elevation, his estate vineyard was an experiment, with a risk. Two years later, the Snake River American Viticultural Area was established. His estate fell within its boundaries. “I became the first person in Baker County to plant commercial wine grapes after Prohibition,” says Cook. “I chose Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Counoise, mostly just to see if it would work. It did.”

Most farmers learn they need to adapt in order to evolve. Perhaps no one better understands this than the family at Dunbar Farms. Brothers Alfred and Leonard Carpenter moved to Medford in 1909 and became part of the then burgeoning pear industry. They bought 200 acres, which remained mostly pears until the 1990s when all the trees were removed. “As with many pear farms in our region, we were unable to keep the operation economically viable in the modern farming era,” says family member Nick Stevenson. They converted most of their orchards to grass hay.

They discovered countless challenges in running a farm: unfavorable economic conditions, family disagreements, drought, squirrels… “But each generation had key members who picked up the baton. They devoted themselves to the farm and evolved the operation in an attempt to keep pace with an ever-changing world,” says Stevenson. The family has tried many things to maintain the farm, including grains and chickens. Most recently, they planted a vineyard with five acres of Bordeaux reds (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec) and one acre of Sauvignon Blanc.

In searching for a lucrative crop, the family established wine grapes. Yet, it wasn’t until opening a tasting room with lunch and dinner service that they started turning a profit. They supplement farming expenses with the extra income. “The vineyard alone wasn’t enough, but by selling our wine and other products in the tasting room, we hope to sustain the farm for future generations,” explains Stevenson.

Kimberly Voelz, owner and winemaker of K Voelz Wine, shifted her family’s land for future generations. “My husband’s great-grandfather purchased the property in 1923, relocating his family from Wisconsin to La Grande,” says Voelz. “Great-Grandfather farmed wheat and alfalfa, had pasture for milk cows and raised upward of 2,000 chickens.” Voelz’s grandfather inherited the farm in 1974 and farmed mostly seed crops, including onions, zinnias, triticale, alfalfa, and peas for Del Monte Foods. The original farm equipment sits near the field in a nod to the past.

Voelz has worked the wine industry since 2004. She says, “When I married into the family, my in-laws were quick to welcome me by planting 75 test vines.” Their first planting included Riesling, Merlot and a Primitivo clone of Zinfandel. Over the last five years, they filled in some vine loss with Gewürztraminer and Marquette. “We are scaling up to an acre of grapes next spring with the goal of supplying my winery’s needs,” says Voelz. “It will be the first planting that involves transitioning the existing alfalfa field to wine grapes.” Ultimately, they hope to convert up to 15 acres.

“The decision to plant grapes has always been well supported by our family,” states Voelz. “We look forward to farming a crop that requires less water. Alfalfa requires almost double the water grapevines need. And it’s something that feeds my passion for winemaking and the growing business.”

A story hunter at heart, Tamara Belgard Turner is a freelance journalist focused on uncovering interesting and educational stories in the wine and travel industries. WSET2 certified, she passionately writes about wine, spirits, food and travel for a variety of lifestyle and wine publications. One of her favorite pastimes is locating and sharing information about hidden wine gems.