Agriculture

The rolling hills of the Palouse
I took this photo from Steptoe Butte, which overlooks the Palouse region north of Pullman, Wash. It is wheat harvesting time now in Washington, and farmers are feverishly working in all directions harvesting the valuable crop.

 

Southeast Washington extending into northwest Idaho is home to the region known as the Palouse. Rolling hills that extend for miles in all directions host some of the nation’s most productive farmland. Farmers grow wheat and lentils, and the region hosts the annual and world-famous National Lentil Fest. (Click on the photo to see a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

The barns of Lincoln County, Washington
This beautiful barn is located near Fort Spokane, a major spot for history buffs and those wanting to splash in Lake Roosevelt. I love this part of the state.
Coming southeast from Coulee Dam on Highway 174, this large barn and old farmhouse sit on a prominent point overlooking the Columbia River valley. This was one of those perfect photographic moments.

I recently completed a wonderful tour of central and eastern Washington. One of my trip’s highlights was passing through rural Lincoln County, which is west of Spokane. This is wheat country. There are fields upon fields of wheat in all directions. Given the price of wheat, this is also a very profitable business too. Right now harvesters are running night and day cutting down the golden grain in the hot summer sun. The landscape is dotted with grain elevators and some of the most beautiful barns. These barns remind me of the ones I used to see on jigsaw puzzles that I connected growing up. I still do not why red is the preferred color, but the effect is stunning, particularly against an evening sky and rolling hills of wheat ready to harvest. This is definitely a place worth a visit. Be sure to slow down and stop and savor the scenery. (Click on each photo to see a larger picture on separate picture pages.)