The Dryland Miracle of Horse Heaven
A local farmer defies the myth that Horse Heaven hills can only produce wheat, winning a coveted cup for his diversified harvest.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Size considered, the display at the Grape Carnival which attracted more attention perhaps than any other, was the showing of dry land products made by Carl Williams. Not only did Mr. Williams display grains that would compare very favorably with those grown in the more famous wheat sections of the country, but he opened the eyes of even the pioneers with winter apples, grapes and other products grown on the dry hills of Horse Heaven where irrigation is a myth. To be sure, the fruits were not in a class with their irrigation kinfolk but they evidenced the fact that the hills have agricultural possibilities beyond wheat and summer fallow. Mr. Williams’ exhibit, which carried off the Claussen cup for the best general display of dry land products, included four varieties of wheat, both threshed and in the sheaf, and a tray of rye, in addition to the other products.
“he opened the eyes of even the pioneers with winter apples, grapes and other products grown on the dry hills of Horse Heaven where irrigation is a myth.”
The 'dry land' farming practices showcased here foreshadowed the massive transformation of the region via irrigation projects. Today, the Horse Heaven Hills are still an agricultural powerhouse, but they remain at the center of modern debates over water usage, wind energy, and land preservation.
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