Don Blades

Donald "Don" Ray Blades passed away peacefully with his beautiful wife and loved ones by his side on June 2, 2023, in Moses Lake, Washington at the age of 75, after fighting a brief battle with cancer. Born to Amos and Roberta Blades in Raton, New Mexico on Oct. 4, 1947, Don graduated high school in Visalia, California in 1966. After he graduated high school Don attended Sequoias College. After only a few months of attending college, Don enlisted in the Army on Oct. 24, 1966. Don served in the Vietnam War as a heavy equipment operator. He was honorably discharged in 1969, six weeks before his release date, by a letter written from his agricultural education teacher for a job working on a Charolais Cattle Ranch in Enterprise, Oregon.

Robert Sieverkropp

Robert Sieverkropp, 94, returned to his Heavenly home on May 16, 2023, surrounded by his family who cherished him so much. His devotion to his family and his firm belief in God supported him during struggles and ultimately gave him peace. Robert Henry Sieverkropp was born on April 29, 1929, in Puyallup, Washington to Herman and Millie Sieverkropp. In 1940, Robert along with his parents and five siblings moved to Odessa, Washington. In eighth grade Robert “quit-uated” school to work on the family farm. If Robert had one regret, it was that he did not graduate from high school. In 1941, the family harvested its first crop off the land and the hard work Robert learned during that time would be instrumental to the successes in his life. In 1950, Robert was drafted into the Korean War, where he proudly served as a mechanic in the United States Army. After the war, Robert returned to the family farm in Odessa and worked alongside his family until a wheat and cattle farm west of Ephrata became available. In 1953, Robert and his twin brother, Raymond, purchased the farm and moved to Ephrata to begin their life as farmers and ranchers. The brothers Robert and Raymond were inseparable and what one didn’t think of, the other did.

Farming forecast

USDA sees good farming conditions, forecasts lower WA wheat harvest

OLYMPIA — Warmer weather and lots of sunshine in mid-May prompted a lot of farmers in the Columbia Basin to get out into the field and plant, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. “Central Washington had a great week for farming,” said the weekly Crop Progress and Condition report for the Pacific Northwest for the week ending May 14. “‘Tractors cultivated, seeded and sprayed while cattle were let out into nice spring pastures.” ...

Making health and comfort a priority for show animals

Throughout the year, youth across the country prepare and travel to various events, such as livestock shows, rodeos, and fairs, to show their animals. Because an animal’s performance at an event can be impacted if they are stressed or sick, Dr. Kevin Washburn, a professor of large animal internal medicine at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, offers tips for keeping animals relaxed and healthy every step of the way...

Lots of opportunity in FFA, 4-H programs

MOSES LAKE — Medical Lake High School ag teacher and FFA advisor Jennie Wagner said some of the people in the Medical Lake HS FFA chapter will go on to careers in agriculture, and some of them won’t. All of them, however, have picked up important skills through FFA - something that’s also true of the young people in the 4-H clubs she used to lead. “I think people, a lot of times, think FFA is just all those kids (raising) animals, or they wear those blue jackets,” Wagner said. “But what it really does is, it allows them to try things out in a safe environment and have experiences they wouldn’t get (in other clubs). Because it covers so many avenues, from public speaking to learning parliamentary procedure, raising animals, evaluating livestock, just tons of stuff.” ...

Donald Hugo Entzel

True to character, Donald Hugo Entzel made a timely exit. He passed peacefully at home, with his wife at his side, on March 6, 2023, his 71st birthday. Don was born in Glendive, Montana, to Hugo Carl and Olga Viola Frasch Entzel. Don’s family moved to Washington, where he attended Moses Lake and Quincy schools. Don graduated from Quincy High School in 1970, excelling in football, wrestling and academics. Don started working on the family farm at a very young age. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to numerous lifetime endeavors including trucking, farming, raising cattle, and private hay sales; working as an RV park owner/operator, private pilot and heavy equipment operator and being an avid “treasure collector,” to name a few.

Building permits for April 14, 2023

Unincorporated Grant County, March 4-April 7, 2023

Roger Thieme

Roger Lee Thieme – innovator, visionary, philanthropist, mentor, and owner of Evergreen Implement in Othello, Washington for over 50 years – passed away peacefully in his sleep in Encinitas, California, on Nov. 6, 2022. He was 87 years old. Roger began life on a farm in Hebron, Nebraska, with his parents Fred and Minnie (Mimi) Thieme and his older siblings Bill, Dwayne and Wilma (Willie). In 1944, when Roger was 9, the family moved to the promised land, a new farm in Kimberly, Idaho, where they raised potatoes, sugar beets, wheat and cattle. In high school there, Roger met his future wife, Joyce Petersen. They courted in Roger’s 1936 Ford stepside pickup, listening to the new ’50s hits on KLIX AM radio.

Livestock identification bill signed into law

OLYMPIA – Thursday, a bill sponsored by Sen. Judy Warnick (R-Moses Lake) was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee, coincidentally on Beef Day at the Capitol. The bill was coincidentally signed into law during Beef Day at the Capitol, which Inslee mentioned, Warnick said. “It was almost like somebody planned that,” said Warnick...

6T Ranch

Family and faith push local rancher

SOAP LAKE — Darren Hinen, of Soap Lake, has been in the cattle business most of his life. He started as a teenager with a job feeding cows nearby, but by 20 years old he had his first two. He said he prefers ranching over farming, as there is “less equipment to break down.” He said he credits his cattle interest to his grandfather, Irv Toler. Toler started Polar Lockers in Ephrata in the 1940s and was in the business of raising and processing animals for many years. In fact, Hinen used some of his grandfather's equipment for a time while getting started in his own operation. Hinen's ranch is next door to his grandfather's place, providing a reminder of his roots, even though he is striving to take his operation to a higher level. As such, he's developing a web presence and is establishing a brand name for himself – 6T Ranch Beef, an extension of his 6T Ranch.

Sackmann named to American Angus Association

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The American Angus Association announced last week that Nia Sackmann of Warden has been named as a new junior member of the association, according to a press release...

Dertings named GCCA Cattlemen of the Year

EPHRATA, WASH. – Will and Nicole Derting were recognized as the 2022 Grant County Cattlemen of the Year at the Grant County Cattlemen’s Association banquet in January...

Ecology fines Coulee City ranch for wetlands damage

COULEE CITY — The Washington State Department of Ecology has fined a Coulee City-area rancher nearly $268,000 for illegally damaging about two-dozen alkali wetland areas near Park Lake just south of Coulee City...

Quincy High School teacher Rod Cool stresses importance of ag industry

QUINCY — In Rod Cool’s estimation, ag teachers have a pretty important job. “One thing I always tell people about teaching ag and FFA is that, now more than ever, agriculture education in high schools is the most important thing that they can teach,” he said. “Because the farm population is so small, percentage-wise, there’s no way that it can sustain itself. Less than 2% of Americans are producers that produce for everyone else, and then almost the rest of the world. So it’s our job as ag teachers to make sure that for every 100 graduates at any high school we turn out two farmers, because if we don’t we’re going to starve to death.” Cool is in his 36th year as an ag teacher, he said, including the last six at Quincy High School, and he’s got no plans to move on any time soon...

Preparing food animals to beat the cold

When the weather dips into cold and freezing temperatures, especially at night, humans stay cozy by turning on heaters and pulling out extra blankets. Food animals, on the other hand, require special preparation to stay warm and survive cold weather conditions. Dr. Isabelle Louge, a clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, pointed out that the best way to keep food animals warm is to make sure they have enough food...

USDA looks to beef up meat supply chain

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The federal government will invest $9.6 million to strengthen farmers, ranchers, processors and rural businesses and diversify the country’s meat supply, according to a statement from the USDA.

Long haul

Truckers do the essential work of hauling goods

FIFE — Theron Wood stands in a fenced-in parking lot at the end of a narrow cul-de-sac not far from the Port of Tacoma. He’s watching a pair of forklift drivers load 32 tons of palm fat — 64,000 pounds in one-ton totes — on the back of a pair of flatbed trailers hooked up to his semi-tractor. The 25-year-old has been driving for a year as a professional driver for TL Trucking in Pasco, and the parking lot of Global Agri Trade is now a regular stop for him. But it’s a bit of a difficult stop. The street is narrow, short and poorly maintained — crumbling at the shoulders — and a tight fit for any big vehicle, much less a semi-truck pulling nearly 70 feet of trailers. “If I go any farther down that road,” Wood said as he neared the Global Agri Trade entrance, “I’ll need to call a tow truck to get out.” The forklift drivers do their work quickly and efficiently — the totes were lined up before Wood arrived — and make sure they are centered and balanced evenly on both the 40-foot front and 24-foot rear trailers. It’s illegal, in fact, to haul a lopsided load, Wood noted, as that makes a truck more difficult and dangerous to steer and stop. Altogether, Wood said his rig and loaded trailers weigh around 52 tons. That’s very close to the limit he’s allowed to haul.

How to read the range

Quincy High School’s Levi Kukes to compete in international rangeland management contest

QUINCY — An experienced observer – or somebody who’s done their homework – can study a piece of rangeland and find clues to its condition. The vegetation on a specific section of range, its distribution, the way the land slopes, the soil type – it all has something to say, at least to someone who’s done their homework. Levi Kukes has done his homework.

Join the kamp

Echternkamps Guide Services provide Columbia Basin hunting and fishing experiences

MOSES LAKE - Echternkamps Guide Services provides hunting and fishing experiences highlighting the abundance in the Columbia Basin. “We are more concerned about everybody’s experience, (we) want them to have a good time,” said Aaron Echternkamp, owner of Echternkamps Guide Services, which also goes by the name Eastern Washington Guides. The 50-year-old said he started his guide service when he was only 18. When he started, it was mainly focused on waterfowl hunting and later expanded to fishing, although he is focusing on waterfowl currently...

First and foremost cowgirls

Young women vie to become Miss Moses Lake Roundup 2023

MOSES LAKE — Annabelle Booth said she was a great deal more confident going into this year’s Miss Moses Lake Roundup competition than she was in 2021. “I ran flags for the Moses Lake Roundup and this is my second year running for Miss Moses Lake Roundup queen,” said Booth, 23, before the roundup’s annual queen pageant on Saturday. “I’m definitely more prepared than I was last year, and I knew exactly what to expect.” Booth, who was Miss Last Stand Coulee City Rodeo in 2019, was one of four contestants — along with Milie Cobb, 19, of Ephrata; Jenna Penrose, 20, of Moses Lake; and Alexis Shoults, 19, of East Wenatchee — vying to wear the crown of Miss Moses Lake Roundup 2023. The four young women spent the day riding patterns on their own and other contestants’ horses, giving speeches, being interviewed by judges and answering questions about their favorite part of the Moses Lake Roundup and what they would do if they were thrown from a horse during a rodeo. “I’d get back up and say ‘rodeo on!’” Booth told pageant emcee Emma Gunderson, herself a former Miss Moses Lake Roundup in 2017.