Richland's Dairy Future
Farmers in the Richland district pivot from hay sales to high-value dairy production and modernized silage techniques.
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.
That the future of the Richland district depends to a great extent upon the development of its dairying industry is conceded by everyone who has made a thorough study of conditions in this section of the Columbia River Valley. Alfalfa grows easily and large crops are produced every year, yielding from six to eight tons to the acre. There is always a market for alfalfa hay, but the dairymen of Richland are finding it much more profitable to feed their hay to thoroughbred herds of cows than to sell it on the open market. Already five distinct types of silos have been erected in the district, and it has been demonstrated that a silo on the farm will increase the production of milk to an appreciable extent. Hog raising is a natural adjunct to the dairy business, with skimmed milk from the dairies acting as a large factor in growth. Dairymen are also working toward securing better sires to upgrade their herds, ensuring that Richland will boast of some of the best thoroughbred cattle in the Northwest.
“The dairymen of Richland are finding it much more profitable to feed their hay to thoroughbred herds of cows than to sell it on the open market.”
Richland’s transition from an agricultural hub to a tech-driven city is well-documented, but this piece captures the earlier era of boosters positioning the region as a high-end dairy powerhouse. The reliance on cooperative effort and 'thoroughbred' herds shows the early ambition that defined the irrigation-led development of the Columbia Basin.
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