Liz Writes Life 4-28-21 -- Some Scott Valley history

April 28, 2021

Liz Writes Life

Garden

Last weekend’s rain and cooler temperatures were certainly welcome. I picked-up my grandson, Bryce, one day after school and we got most of the garden area grubbed-up.  The weeds were not too bad.

The law clippings that I gathered from a local lawn (not mine, I don’t have a lawn) provided good protection to the soil throughout the fall and winter. I am pleased. The clippings are deteriorating into the soil, which is good and dandelions seem to be 90 percent of the weeds. Luckily, they dig up pretty easy. I believe the clippings smothered most of the mallow weeds that were such a problem in one area of the garden. I mulched the lawn clippings a good three-inches deep in that spot.

Even though I am grumbling at needing to hand-irrigate every few days, I will admit that once I get out there it is very pleasant. And there are perks! One late afternoon, I was sitting in a lawn chair irrigating the rhubarb and munching fresh raw asparagus. The breeze was just right for a 70-degree-plus day. Black cat ducked under the fence, I looked to the blue sky and noticed three golden eagles floating in huge circles. They were likely looking for food, (they typically grab the road kill pretty quickly) but I think they were having fun playing, swirling and catching the updrafts with just slight tilts of their wings.  I watched for a good 10 minutes. My point: I shouldn’t grumble. This is a pretty good life out here in God’s country. Yep, sure do love my open space!

Local history

Well, I don’t know how to do this justice so I will just jump-in. I recently read a family history book that Scott Valley’s Tery Timmons Drager authored. It is self-published and hardbound. The layout is enticing with generational charts, lots of photos, short bios and local historical stories. I am impressed!

Yep, she has Siskiyou pioneers in her heritage. For many years, Tery gathered information with the hopes of putting a book together. But, she said it was the Covid-19 lockdown that finally pushed her into doing the lengthy project. I love history and to me it is important to get it written and recorded.

Tery was able to trace families back to Scotland, Ireland and the Azores. She actually titled the book with a joke: Did you hear the one about the Irishman and the Portugee? It really isn’t a joke, cuz these Irish, Scotch and Portugee families did very well after arriving in Scott Valley.

With the help of a genealogist and family, she traced one clan back to 1370 in Scotland. Several families sailed to the Virginia Colony and served in the Revolutionary War. I like the story about Orpha McMechen, who was born in 1796 in Marshall County Virginia, and married James Davidson. In 1830, the couple moved with their children to Indiana. Eleven children were born to them and I think ten lived to adulthood.

In 1854, Orpha was well-worn in years, but would not be left behind, when several grown children moved by wagon across the plains and Rocky Mountains during the early California gold rush era. They landed in Scott Valley, which was just beginning to be settled. In fact, a single house marked the spot where now stands the town of Fort Jones. Orpha was one of a handful of white women in the area at the time and was known to open her home to the “orphan and wanderer.”

Orpha Davidson died in 1876. One of her son’s Dr. David M. Davidson, born in 1822, purchased an old hand-press and printed the first newspaper in Fort Jones called the “Scott Valley Mirror”. In the early 1850s, David became the first Siskiyou County supervisor for the Scott Valley area.

Another son, William D. Davidson, born in 1827, mined in Deadwood down present-day McAdams Creek Road. He engaged in merchandising and began a butchering business to supply meat to the Fort Jones area. In 1854, in company with his brother David and Charles McDermit, he built Old Etna (flour) Mills at a cost of $35,000. He then built a store in Etna and the Etna Hotel. In 1857, they built the Scott Valley Distillery. He also owned a cattle ranch in the Fall River Valley in Shasta County and moved there in 1872. He was then elected to two terms as Shasta County Supervisor.

A daughter of Orpha and James was Hanna Jane Davidson born 1829. She married Charles McDermit, who was the first sheriff of Siskiyou County.

Oh, this is a good one, James A. Davidson, born 1838, settled on the home ranch in Fort Jones and married Amanda Quigley in 1867. They raised eight children and an orphan girl. James, a Democrat, served as district supervisor for 32 years (beginning in 1925) and worked to preserve the history of the county by helping to found and maintain the Fort Jones Museum.

Well, there are lots more stories of these talented and rugged men and women. I haven’t even gotten to the Irish Timmons, Samon and Sullivans or the Portuguese Simas, Simmons and Valin. Then there is the larger-than-life Manuel Browne, who claimed he was born at sea and was saved by the ship’s First Mate, who was Portuguese, when the ship went down in the English Channel drowning his parents. His father was the ship’s captain. Tery said they are not sure of his heritage, but Manuel spoke five European languages, when he came to Siskiyou County after jumping ship in 1861 in San Francisco.

I’ll try to share some of this history every-so-often. It is fascinating what was accomplished without our 20^th and 21^st century technologies.

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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Liz Writes Life 4-21-2021 Klamath Project farmers are up against a wall

April 21, 2021

Liz Writes Life

Frustrations are mounting in our neighboring Klamath Basin regarding the huge reduction of irrigation water that the government decreed 1,200 farms will receive in the Klamath Project. Last week, the federal Bureau of Reclamation announced that the Klamath Project will receive about six percent of its needed irrigation water for more than 220,000 acres in the Project. Nope, not enough!

That hurts a lot of farmers and also means six wildlife refuges will lose water that gives life to 433 species, including ESA-listed bald eagles. Also, the Klamath Bureau of Reclamation announced it would not allow any irrigation until after May 15, 2021.

But, perennial plants and the soil need irrigation now. Crops raised in the Klamath Project provide a multi-million-dollar economy and include sugar beets, potatoes, onions, garlic, horseradish, wheat, barley, mint, pasture and hay.

Because of a dry winter and spring, farmers are up against the wall. After much discussion, the Klamath Drainage District decided to rely on a permit, acquired from the Oregon Water Resources Dept. in 1977, and opened the headgates of the North Canal and the Ady Canal -- last Friday.

Please note: For decades, this supplemental water right that is obtained from the Klamath River has been treated as independent from “Project” water. And, recently, the OWRD determined that water is available at KDD’s headgates.

Scott White, general manager of KDD, said that drastically needed precipitation has not arrived and the dust is unbearable. Winds are devastatingly eroding the soil.

Within hours of opening the headgates, the federal Klamath Reclamation acting area manager, Jared Bottcher, sent a letter to KDD demanding an immediate cease to the water diversions. The statement said that if KDD does not stop irrigation, the federal employees will access Reclamation-owned property to close the gates; and that water users within the KDD boundary may no longer be eligible for Drought Relief Act funds. Also, the United States may take other legal action against KDD and its members.

So, the carrot has been dangled and the stick has been shook. But are there enough federal assistance funds to financially save the hundreds of farmers, who would much rather work for their income? Not likely.

The USDA recently announced the availability of up to $10 million in assistance from its Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity Program to help agricultural producers impacted by drought conditions in the Klamath Basin.

California Dist. 1 Congressman, Doug LaMalfa, said the additional funds comes at a critical time and is appreciated. But, once again, reiterated that the Bureau of Reclamation is not delivering legally-owned water to the farmers.

LaMalfa added: “Much more remains to be done for our Klamath Basin farmers, ranchers, and wildlife refuges, and helping them continues to be one of my top priorities in Congress.”

Klamath Project farmers own their property and through their deeds own the rights to water that has been stored in Upper Klamath Lake and other areas with the purpose of seasonal irrigation. It is the Bureau of Reclamation that manages the infrastructure and releases the water. In the past 25 years, Tribes have demanded more of the farmers’ water for sucker fish listed to the Endangered Species Act. But, as LaMalfa referenced, recent court decisions state the farmers do have the right to water from these man-made or man-enhanced storage areas.

There is a myth that I wish to dispel. You see, there is plenty of water in the Upper Klamath Lake. A recent photo, sent to me by a friend, shows it is to the brim. The lower-elevation-part of the water is designated for the suckers, but a legal portion is decreed to the farmers.

So, why isn’t the federal government following the court order and releasing the farmers’ water? Upper Klamath Lake is huge at about 25 miles long and eight miles wide.

Another myth proven wrong, time and again by Ph. D scientists, is that ironically more water does not increase the population of sucker fish. The truth is that the suckers actually do better in less water and like to live at the muddy bottom of lakes and reservoirs. Believe it or not, the suckers and the farmers can and should be able to share the water. Unfortunately, this drought is exaggerated by what looks like anti-farmer bias of the Bureau of Reclamation.

Garden

The soil is so dry at my place that I am irrigating the few garden plants every two to three days. The 25 garlic are 10-inches high, some volunteer lettuces are up to five-inches, newly transplanted chives look OK and the comfrey is bushing out and a foot tall. The rhubarb didn’t start growing until I began irrigating consistently a month ago. It looks great at three-feet tall, so I should be able to start harvesting in a week or two. Rhubarb needs lots of water!

I see some asparagus are finally poking-up several inches. I only have five plants.  I found the chocolate mint is spreading well after I pulled out weeds that were covering it. Last year, I harvested the chocolate mint for the first time and I love it as a tea. It is much stronger than the wild mint I have been using for years. The chocolate is more in the aroma than in the actual taste.

The perennials like columbine, tansy, Oriental poppies, iris, hollyhocks, red bee balm, day lilies and Shasta daisies seem to always be thirsty and where I have irrigated, several gladiolus are spiking up. Can’t believe the weather stations are claiming the temps will be so warm that it shouldn’t freeze at night this week. No wonder things are dry.

Parting thought: Peace may be hard to find, but we must seek for it -- especially for our hearts and minds. Smile – just cuz it will make you feel better!

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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Liz Writes Life 4-14-2021 Little to no water for Klamath Project farms in 2021

 April 14, 2021

Liz Writes Life

Twenty years ago, 1,400 farmers in the Klamath Project were told by a federal government agency (Bureau of Reclamation) they would not receive any irrigation water for the entire 2001 production year. The culprit was the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that updated a Biological Opinion claiming the Endangered Species Act-listed sucker fish living in Upper Klamath Lake needed the legally-stored water. So, the suckers took precedence over any water slated for the farmers.

That year marked large rallies of peaceful protests in support of the farmers. On May 7, 2001, more than 15,000 individuals and elected politicians protested by holding a bucket brigade in the city of Klamath Falls. On June 15, 2001, the largest “field hearing” that had ever been held by members of congress met at the Event Center in Klamath Falls. But, more than 230,000 acres became a dust bowl.

Since then, there have been many meetings, lawsuits, court decisions and lots of hand-wringing.

So, it is with a very sad heart that I learned the now 1,200 farmers in the Klamath Project will not receive irrigation water this year. Quite often, I try to bring updated information about the Klamath Project to you. It is an integral part of our economic region. And, I also try to explain the complicated situation, when Tribes have filed lawsuits over the stored water and water right decisions have been made by courts.

This year, the loss of irrigation water has quite a lot to do with the drought. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued a Drought Declaration for Klamath County last month. A certain amount of water must also be stored, because of court rulings in favor of the Klamath Tribe and water for the ESA-listed species of fish.

With this short preface, I will now include a letter that went out to the Project farmers on April 8, 2021 explaining the present situation. It was titled, “Little to No water for Klamath Project Farms in 2021” and was sent by the Klamath Water Users Assoc. combined with several water districts.

Keep in mind that Siskiyou Tulelake area farmers are part of the Project and will lose their livelihood. Also, the Tulelake Refuge will also lose its water as it is part of the Klamath Project. Yep, this is a frustratingly sad situation.

Dear Editor and Dear Neighbors: 

Klamath Project irrigators find themselves in a situation that is eerily similar to 2001.

Unfortunately, there will be extremely minimal to no water from Upper Klamath Lake for irrigation this year. This will not change for the 2021 crop season, regardless of current efforts in various venues to make things work for irrigators. Upper Klamath Lake has been breaking records for low inflows every day for the past month and the forecast shows no meaningful precipitation. There are other problems that we all understand and on which we will be heard. Here we are simply being the messengers for extremely bad news.

Farmers and ranchers do not receive salaries. They pay mortgages, property taxes, irrigation districts assessments, and try to provide for their families. They provide good jobs for good people. They share this place with abundant wildlife. If the farms and our community survive, it will take upwards of eight good irrigation years to financially recover, not to mention the legacy effect on the future of our farming families.

With the efforts and cooperation of districts, irrigators, and our community, the Project has made the most of many poor situations in the past. This year, the tools to make this work simply are not sufficient to align supply with demand. Unfortunately, our only hope as a community is to seek federal funding to get the most out of any water that can be had, prevent foreclosures, and to keep a core workforce employed. We thank Senators Wyden, Merkley, and Feinstein, who are working hard to help in that effort. And we are grateful for the ongoing support from Representatives Bentz and LaMalfa.

We are well aware of the impact to the business community that is reliant on agricultural production in the basin, and we are very sorry for the pain they will experience. We will continue pursuing strategies to correct fundamental problems in the basin, advocate common sense, and begin work with responsible parties so that we are not in this impossible and unnatural situation again in the future.

There will be much more to say, but our message today is that we must assume that our farms will receive no meaningful amount of water from Upper Klamath Lake this year, and plan accordingly.

We ask our communities to do what we can to get through this year, and fervently hope that we can weather the storm together. We must not support or tolerate action that is counterproductive or unlawful, which only tarnishes the image of this remarkable community. Take care of your families. Take care of your neighbors.

We are united in our commitment to preserve this community, provide for our posterity, and feed the world.

Sincerely, Ben DuVal, President Klamath Water Users Assoc.; Ty Kliewer, President Klamath Irrigation District; John Crawford, President Tulelake Irrigation District; Jason Flowers, President Klamath Drainage District.

Genealogy tours

For something fun to do try one of Siskiyou Co. Historical Society’s Walking Tours that will be held in Yreka. A tour will be held each day Friday through Monday, April 16-19. Two tours will be at local cemeteries, one is about Miner’s Street and the Gold Rush; and one will showcase architecture on 3^rd St. and N. Oregon St. All start at 5 p.m. Due to Covid-19, they are asking participants to wear masks and there is a small charge of $5 per tour. For more info call 530-572-1099.

Parting thought: Peace may be hard to find, but we must seek for it -- especially for our hearts and minds. Smile – just cuz it will make you feel better!

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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Liz Writes Life 4-7-21 -- Snowpack and freedom to choose

 Liz Writes Life

April 7, 2021

Snowpack – locally and Sierras

The results of snowpack surveys have been released and Siskiyou County is doing better than the rest of the state.

Unfortunately, the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountain range is estimated at about 59 percent of historical average. San Francisco just recorded its driest two-year period in its recorded history – they just didn’t have much of a rainy season.

Adding to the bleak outlook is the fact that California reservoirs are at about half of their normal capacity, according to Sean DeGuzmen, who is Chief of the California Dept. of Water Resources. I also noticed the Deseret News in Utah reporting that many of their reservoirs are at about half capacity as well. The West is hurting.

So how did the mountains around Scott Valley fair?

The Klamath National Forest employees performed the surveys last week and came up with 80 percent of the snowpack historic average. Those early-March snowfalls did add some much-needed snow, the KNF report said.

Dynamite Meadow at 5,700 ft. above sea level (south end of the valley) came in the highest at 102 percent of average with 45 inches of snowpack. Middle Boulder #1 at 6,600 ft. had 55 inches of snow, which is an historical average of 78 percent. Middle Boulder #3 at 6,200 ft. had 54.5 inches making it 86 percent of average.

Near the top of Etna/Salmon Mt. at 5,900 ft. the measurement was 42 inches giving a 61 percent and Swampy John on Salmon Mt. at 5,500 ft. had 49 inches making a 62 historical percentage.

Scott Mt. at 5,900 ft. had 41 inches for an 85 percent of average and the KNF employees also skied into the Box Camp location, which is in the Marble Mountains, and found a whopping 81 inches giving the area a 96 percent of average.

I decided to check several Sacramento River Basin snowpack locations on the CA. Dept. of Water Resources website and found that the Mt. Shasta spot was very low at 51 percent of average with 68 inches at the 7,900 ft. elevation. But there was a nice above average in the Gray Rocks Lakes of the Castle Crags area of the basin with 73 inches recorded at the 6,200 ft. level giving that location 109 of the historical average.

On April 1^st, I noticed ranchers were turning their legal water right allotments out on fields and pastures. I do believe the warm spring temps have dried-out the soil more than expected. Right now, it looks like I will need to hand-irrigate every two to three days. Because it could still freeze my plastic pipes, I will not turn on the garden water for a while yet. The 25 garlic are six-inches high, rhubarb is really starting to grow and the volunteer lettuce is about an inch tall.

The lettuce seeds that I planted a month ago have not come up. I think I didn’t irrigate them at the right time. Those warm temps caught me off-guard. But, I am hoping for some May color as the Oriental poppies sprinted into new growth after several irrigations. Yep, the perennials are thirsty.

Conservatives meet

The Siskiyou Conservative Republicans will meet, tomorrow, April 7, 2021 at the Montague Methodist Church at 150 S 12^th St. in Montague. Tom Del Beccaro, a leader in the effort to recall CA. Gov. Gavin Newsom will be the featured speaker via Zoom. Tom is an author, writer and commentator for Fox News, Fox Business and Epoch Times. He has served as Chairman of the California Republican Party and even ran for CA. U.S. Senator, but lost to incumbent Barbara Boxer.

Tom will provide an update on the effort to recall Gov. Newsom. The meeting is free to attend; and if you would like to enjoy lunch, call Annie at 530-842-2350. Grill Master, Dave Tyler, is barbecuing Cornish game hens and ham. There will also be scalloped potatoes, fresh salad, spring inspired muffins and dessert by Jackie. Yum! Lunch is $13. Meet and greet is at 11 a.m. with lunch at noon and the speaker soon after.

LaMalfa pushes back

I have pretty much kept my opinions regarding Covid-19 to myself, but will now spout. I do believe Covid-19 has been a terrible threat to humans, but I am seeing too much politics involved with an over-abundance of regulations demanded by government agencies. So, I was thankful to learn that our Dist. 1 CA. Congressman Doug LaMalfa has introduced a bill that, if passed, will prohibit the use of “Covid-19 Vaccine Passports.”

Yes, the new Biden Administration caronavirus team has been actively working with specific private entities to institute Covid-19 related passport requirements.

While some may praise the idea of a proof-of-vaccination passport for travel, it reeks of tyranny to me. Many folks want to be vaccinated, so get them vaccinated! But, others may feel the successful use of therapeutics has also saved many lives. Not surprisingly, I have yet to see any statistics on the positive outcome of these therapeutics and lives saved.

My bottom-line is this: People should have the freedom to choose.

LaMalfa is of a like mind. He said, “It is unacceptable in this country that someone might be denied service because they are unable to receive a vaccine injection due to legitimate health reasons, availability, or simply because they choose not to receive one. This country was founded to protect individual freedoms, and my legislation will ensure that Americans do not have their health decisions forced upon them by the federal government or private companies. We cannot allow the fear and uncertainty of 2020 to justify authoritarianism and increased government control.”

Parting thought: Peace may be hard to find, but we must seek for it – especially for our hearts and minds. Smile!

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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