The Scotch Farmer Betting on Moxee’s Soil
William Ker, manager of a massive 5,000-acre agricultural tract, shares his vision for the future of Yakima Valley farming.
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William Ker of the Moxee farm is a Scotchman, hale, hearty and practical. He was in Tacoma recently, where friends greeted him warmly. Ker is the manager of the Moxee farm. He enjoys his work immensely, although four years ago when he took charge of the 5,000 acres contained in the tract, he did not know a potato from a peanut. This he admits with characteristic Scotch frankness. But his four years’ experience has made him a pretty good farmer. He does not brook criticisms volunteered by novices in husbandry. 'Our work at Moxee,' said Mr. Ker, 'has convinced me that tobacco raising will be the most productive industry both for our company and those who farm on a small scale. The flavor of everything raised in our country has much to do with the superiority of the product. The delicious flavoring of the products is the result of the peculiar chemical formation of the soil. After tobacco, hops will probably be the next product in the line of profitable crops. Alfalfa will no doubt assume the third place, while stock—cattle and hogs—will take the fourth place. Fruits and grapes may still come in for the third or fourth position. Mr. Ker is confident that the passage of the Wright irrigation bill will greatly benefit the farmers of eastern Washington. At present the fences are being connected up, and things are being put in shape for the season's work. The company has not yet paid a dividend, but after the formative period is past, Mr. Ker believes the project will yield a handsome profit.'
“The delicious flavoring of the products is the result of the peculiar chemical formation of the soil.”
William Ker’s vision of Yakima as an agricultural titan was prophetic, though his specific bet on tobacco as a primary crop eventually gave way to the world-renowned hops and fruit orchards that define the valley today. His emphasis on soil chemistry as a competitive advantage remains a point of local pride in the region’s modern viticulture and agriculture.
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