August 2021 - 12

WAGNER
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
the two. It's been vital to our farming
operation to get a higher-quality product
using less inputs while safeguarding the
quality and the production for human
consumption. "
A decision point
The farm once grew about 170 acres
of a mix of grain products, produce
including everything from potatoes and
onions to strawberries, and other u-pick
items such as raspberries. Today that's
down to just 80 acres, mostly of grain
corn and produce.
The decision to downscale the farm
operation was made by events beyond
Wagner's control.
" We suffered a substantial loss in 2013,
and multiple flood events in a season
that wiped us out, financially crippled
us for a couple years, and then we got
behind with a loss of land for eminent
domain as a development forced us off of
our most-productive renting land - our
farm was financed based upon that land
acreage, " he said. " With reductions over
the years, we had to figure out a way to
make the same money, make the same
living off of less acreage. "
Wagner and his family downsized in
2015-2016, letting go of all the leased
property and concentrating just on the
main farm, which was 106 acres with
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Ron Wager uses his New Holland TS6 110 to pull a Kuhn offset ditch
bank flail mower. He mowed down and shredded winter rye for
straw after heavy rains took down the grain crop.
70 acres tillable. About 10 more acres
rented have since increased the number
to 80.
He said the most difficult part has
been calculating costs and efficiencies
of growing. The devil has been in the
details.
" That's been the hardest ... knowing
the exact cost of things, " he said. " It's a
very fine line that we deal with. If there's
a penny to be saved, we do; however, I
never sacrifice my plant health or soil
conditions. "
Crops are sold only through direct
sales to customers, including a
Community Supported Agriculture
program and an agritourism operation
that includes a corn maze, sunflower
field for photos, and local band concert
series. Wagner said the local public
understands the importance of knowing
their farmer.
" Tourism, while not the same as
Community-supported agriculture, a farm market and agritourism operation are all part
of the farm's business model.
growing for food, has become fun and
enjoyable again, something that was
missing from our farm for many years, "
he said.
Growing green
Rethinking all of the farm's practices
has been an occasion for Wagner to
move into more sustainable growing
techniques. The application of synthetic
chemical sprays has been greatly reduced,
as have also been the use of agricultural
plastics. Energy has been saved.
" I got tired of what I was doing, "
Wagner said. " Years back, being a
commercial, traditional grower, we still
did a lot of plastic mulch, a lot of drip
tape. We found that we still had to use a
lot of chemicals, as far as weed control
goes, under the plastic. ... We were still
using exorbitant amounts of chemicals. "
While attempts to go completely
organic haven't worked out, " We
came up with a hybrid system where
we incorporate the organic ideas of
cultivation, cover crops and reductions, "
Wagner said. " It's an overall better
system. "
While he hangs onto a few key inputs,
especially Lumax herbicide on corn, a
substantial change has been made.
" I haven't used Roundup on our corn in
10 years. We've eliminated Roundup just
about completely off the farm, " Wagner
said. " We haven't actually used a fungicide
or insecticide sprayed on a crop in two
years. We still apply some in-furrow at
planting, obviously, because one-time
application upfront protects us. "
He's seen beneficial insects in the
ecosystem thrive. Monarchs are
flourishing and bumblebees can be found
in almost all of the farm's ditch lines.
" We see praying mantises, we see
ladybugs ... you name it, we see it, "
Wagner said.
A solar panel maintains the battery of a liquid-propanepowered
generator system plus solar panel charging system.
Canby, Oregon
www.WillametteNurseries.com
503-263-6405 Toll Free 800-852-2018 Willamette@canby.com
12 | FruitGrowersNews.com
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August 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of August 2021
