The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Outlook is good for elevators operating for the first time under NWGG banner

DAYTON – Every year in the Touchet Valley and surrounding areas, the second half of summer is known as harvest season, which many refer to simply as "harvest."

The season sees many teens and college students on summer break come back to work for local farmers during this labor-intensive season. On top of those who work cutting the fields themselves, are those who work for the elevators that store the product until it is sold.

In years past, these grain elevators used for storage were run by the Columbia County Grain Growers (CCGG). CCGG was formed in 1929 and ran as such until a merger with Northwest Grain Growers was finalized on May 1 this year, according to CCGG manager Mitch Payne. The merger marked the end of CCGG's 86 year run.

Although this was the first year of the merger for both companies, the move was studied for "a couple of years" before they went forward with the deal, Payne said. The deal is supposed to help both sides handle harvest operations in the area, as they both have increased the area they serve.

This did not mean that the local elevators were going to be changed or shut down, however. The nine locations have remained unchanged, and all nine of the elevators in Columbia County are operating for this year's harvest. According to Payne, the nine elevators employ "about 16 summer students." Many of these kids are upperclassmen in high school or are college students working at the end of their summer vacations.

Many of the kids working harvest this summer enjoy helping out with the local agricultural environment. They often cite the opportunity to make money for the school year and the satisfaction of helping out local farmers as some of the main reasons they decide to work the sometimes long and hot days in the countryside.

"I've had a good experience here at Northwest Grain Growers," said Andrew Mendoza, who works at the Lyons Ferry elevator. "This is my first year as an elevator operator, and it's been quite fun and I have learned a lot of stuff the past couple weeks. My supervisors make the job a lot easier as well. With me being a first year, it helps a lot that they also share all their experiences with me which benefits me as well."

He went on to add, "I chose to work for Grain Growers because I have always liked working agriculture jobs and I heard that this company was a good one to work for, plus they have good benefits."

Jessica Tate, who has worked at the elevators for a number of years, said, "Working at Grain Growers is great. Although it can be a hot and dusty job, I've gotten some good work experience and learned a lot about the agriculture in the area."

The late-summer harvest season usually starts in mid-July and lasts for approximately 40 days, sometimes extending into early September. Most elevator workers start the work day at 8 a.m. and work until 8 p.m. These 12-hour workdays usually run from Monday through Saturday, with some Sundays bringing work for the seasonal crew as well.

The amount of work is dependent on the crop, as the amount of bushels produced impacts how long the season lasts and how many trucks an elevator sees on any given day. The area that these storage units serve contains about six million bushels according to Payne.

There are many different crops held at the elevators run by NWGG. Both Hard Red and Soft White wheat, peas and barley are included in the list of products that NWGG holds. The grains are then sold at Portland or at other coastal locations, and farmers are paid based on the selling prices for the crops.

This year is seeing good results for area farmers. "The yields are good this year. The initial quality is looking good," said Payne. "If we can keep the rain away, it will be really good."

A good yield mixed with other factors, such as a relatively weak French wheat crop according to the NWGG website, are making the outlook good for this year's earnings.

Rain and other precipitation can cause problems for farmers, as samples are tested by the elevators at the beginning of harvest for each farmer to record a moisture level. Different kinds of crops have different maximum moisture levels, with wheat and barley maxing out at 12.5 percent. Peas and garbanzos go by a slightly different and lower standard, with their minimum being 12 percent for the sample.

Ian Smay

Outside wall of Long's elevator donning the Columbia County Grain Growers logo.

Moisture in the grain and other crops held at elevators can cause a number of complications. Problems such as the rotting of the product due to sitting in a mixture of heat and moisture, which can result in a loss of both product and money. An increased risk of fire can also occur in these situations, which puts both the stored grains and the people working the elevators at risk.

Due to these regulations, a dry summer is ideal for these land owners. Rain can put a delay on harvest activities, as the crop then has to be given time to dry before it can be cut or taken to the elevators. Northwest Grain Growers provides up-to-date weather reports and forecasts for various locations around the region on their website so farmers can keep an eye on the sky during the season. So far, the summer has been relatively dry compared to normal summers, and shows no indication of changing.

The Columbia County office for Northwest Grain Growers is located at 210 East Main Street in Dayton.