Agriculturist of the year
By Brielle Kennington
Argus Observer
Sunday, January 6, 2008 3:46 AM PST
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| Agriculturist of the Year Carl Hill. |
Adrian - 70-year-old Carl Hill, Adrian, has been honored with the Chamber of Commerce Agriculturist of the year award.
Hill was born in Colorado but grew up in the Adrian area most of his life where he chose to start farming in 1960.
“I was raised on a farm. It’s all I really knew, and I loved farming and the outdoors,” he said.
Hill is the third and last generation on his row crop farm, which grows beats, onions, grain, corn and alfalfa. Hill reports he is semi-retired and rents the majority of his land to other farmers. Though Hill is sad the family won’t own the farm forever, he understands the other career opportunities his children have pursued, and he and his wife still live on the farm. Hill has been happily married to his wife, Jinny, for an impressive 51 years. Hill is the father of two children, and he also has one grandchild. He and his wife are the owners of an enthusiastic 10-year-old golden Labrador dog named Sandi.
Hill is highly involved in several agricultural organizations in the area including the Irrigation District board, alfalfa growers organization, director of Vector District Malheur County, chair of the Owyhee watershed council, Oregon Alfalfa Seed Commission, and he has also been a member of the school board. Hill’s involvement in the Owyhee Watershed Council includes being a mediator for the council and organizing projects on conservation and water issues in the county.
“This is desert country, and water is the valuable resource. The important thing is to protect water rights,” Hill said.
For Hill there have been challenges in farming and also in meeting water act requirements.
“The biggest problem is meeting clean water act requirements. It’s going to be a great challenge to maintain our ownership, and we need to make sure we do,” Hill said.
Farming may have its challenges, but they do not overshadow the benefits and perks Hill enjoys.
“My favorite part is being outside and watching things grow and having the pride to watch it grow well.”
Hill’s love of farming and involvement in the agricultural community lead Clint Shock to nominate him for the award. Despite his participation in the community, Hill was surprised to have been chosen for such an honor. “I guess I’m just involved in the community,” Hill said. “I was really surprised, and it’s such a wonderful feeling that something like this could happen to people in agriculture. We have to deal with agency requirements instead of spending our time raising crops,”
Hill’s advice to farmers is to get involved in agricultural matters.
“Stay involved and spend efforts protecting agriculture. That’s the only way to get things done. There are wonderful people that take the time to help accomplish needs,” Hill said.
Hill said he plans to remain involved in the various agricultural organizations in the area.
“I don’t want to pat myself on the back. I just want to be able to help like I have been,” Hill said.
