Nearly One Year Since Devastating Wildfire, Whitewater Ranch is Harvesting Beautiful Blueberries for OGC
On a recent early morning, OGC traveled down the McKenzie River Highway to visit Jim Russell and wife Jane Haake-Russell at their organic blueberry farm, Whitewater Ranch.
A long-time grower partner and land-steward, Whitewater Ranch is as picturesque a location as anyone could hope to farm. Bordered by the river on one side and hugged by a forested ridge on the other, the farm’s rows of blueberries are stunning against their natural backdrop
Though traces of morning mist illuminated by golden light embraced the edges of the property, adding extra romance to the already gorgeous scenery, it was hard not to notice the impact of last year’s fire.
In September of 2020, the Holiday Farm Fire barreled down the McKenzie River Valley, devastating the natural environment and the residents who call the river home. Among them was Whitewater Ranch.
Although Jim and Jane’s home was spared and their crops left virtually unscathed, a historic barn, a bridge, their irrigation system and thousands of acres of timber were consumed by the fire. Thankfully, both the couple and their workers safely evacuated.
The response both by local and national agencies to help mitigate fire damage to the farm and natural resources was immediate. OGC quickly joined the recovery effort by providing Whitewater Ranch with funding to help rebuild their irrigation system.
With the necessary infrastructure restored, Whitewater Ranch kicked off the 2021 growing season with optimism and vigor. The addition of a recently acquired second mechanized harvester promised a season marked by extra efficiency.
Mother Nature will always have the final word, though, and like other growers in the Pacific Northwest, Whitewater Ranch’s blueberries were impacted by June’s heat dome. Though the extreme temperatures did impact the quality of early berries in July, the outlook for the rest of the season is positive and delicious!