Northwest farming

Brandon Hopkins, a bee researcher with Washington State University, smiles from inside his bee suit’s protection at the university’s honey bee research facility near Othello, Washington.

Fewer Northwest bees shipped to California’s almonds could be a buzzkill for Washington and Oregon crops

Anna King

California has a glut of nuts! Over production of almonds has dropped prices and crushed the once-lucrative industry. Now, that’s a buzzkill for Northwest beekeepers.

Pinot noir grapes at Oregon State University's Woodhall Vineyard undergoing smoke experiments.

Oregon researchers hope to provide new tools to help wine growers address climate change, smoke

Anna King

Oregon State University is using science to block even a smudge of wildfire flavors in prime Northwest wines

Maple, the 7-year-old yellow lab, takes a swift lick on a couple of milkers near Sunnyside, Washington.

Dairy Steamer: Milk cows, like people, get hot and farmers use innovative ways to cool them

Anna King

It’s hot! It even hit about 110 degrees in the Columbia Basin this week. So how do dairy cows, with no air conditioning, stay cool?

Serafin Rodriguez Cortes, 21, of Kennewick, picks cherries above his head at night in a greenhouse at night outside the Tri-Cities.

Rare, super-luxe greenhouse Northwest cherries fetch top dollar in Asia

Anna King

It’s peak cherry season in the Northwest. The fruits are typically grown outdoors in an orchard. This business in southeast Washington is doing things a little differently.

Elk gather at Peter Nilsson’s farm outside of La Grande, Oregon. He says he loves watching the bald eagles and moose that show up on his farm by the river. And he thinks elk are cool too. But not when an entire herd parties all winter at his spread, eating his hay.

Gangs Of Elk Are Feasting On Farmers’ Haystacks Across The Northwest

Anna King

Gangs of wild elk are attacking farmers’ haystacks in Washington and Oregon. They’re hungry, after a long drought and record mountain snow this winter has driven animals down to the lowlands. Climate scientists say things may only get worse in the future.

Food, Agriculture, and Animals

Shipping Woes, Weather Foes Worldwide Mean Higher Prices And Smiles For Northwest Asparagus Farmers

Anna King

With spring warming up, Northwest asparagus spears have started to breach the sandy earth at a swift clip.For the last decade, the Northwest asparagus…