Grain Scoop
About three fourths of Bonner County crop land has traditionally been utilized for forage crops, with very little cereal grain being grown. This is partially due to the environment, as there typically are not enough heat units in the growing season to be able to produce field corn on an economical basis. The major forage crops have continually been grass, timothy, brome, and orchard, grown in conjunction with clover or, in a few instances, alfalfa. Most of the grain grown locally is used for livestock feed.
Sandpoint became a grain shipping center for the first time in 1952 when the Co-Op Gas and Supply began shipping grain from the elevators on the Spokane International railroad tracks as a service to the community. The Northern Pacific Grain Growers, a Spokane cooperative, agreed to buy Sandpoint shipped grain on contract.
Starting in the late 1960’s, many of the old time farmers wanted to retire and land values had increased to as much as $75.00 per acre. Consequently many farms were put up for sale. At the same time there was an influx of people who began moving to North Idaho. The combination of the two attracted many developers who bought large blocks of land and subdivided it into 5 to 20 acre parcels. This signaled the beginning of the end of most family farms in Bonner County. Over the course of the decade, Bonner County would lose over 60,000 acres to developments and subdivisions and much of the area changed from agricultural to suburban. However, agriculture remained a significant contributor to the local economy. In the late 1960s, it accounted for $3 million in gross annual income; by 1980 the value of Bonner County farms swelled to $5.1 million, and by the turn of the century there were approximately 501 farms with crop sales totaling $7,269,000. Considering that those dollars turned over again and again, they eventually produced an impact of $50 to $75 million.
Donor: Stewart Gutenberger
Adopted by:
About three fourths of Bonner County crop land has traditionally been utilized for forage crops, with very little cereal grain being grown. This is partially due to the environment, as there typically are not enough heat units in the growing season to be able to produce field corn on an economical basis. The major forage crops have continually been grass, timothy, brome, and orchard, grown in conjunction with clover or, in a few instances, alfalfa. Most of the grain grown locally is used for livestock feed.
Sandpoint became a grain shipping center for the first time in 1952 when the Co-Op Gas and Supply began shipping grain from the elevators on the Spokane International railroad tracks as a service to the community. The Northern Pacific Grain Growers, a Spokane cooperative, agreed to buy Sandpoint shipped grain on contract.
Starting in the late 1960’s, many of the old time farmers wanted to retire and land values had increased to as much as $75.00 per acre. Consequently many farms were put up for sale. At the same time there was an influx of people who began moving to North Idaho. The combination of the two attracted many developers who bought large blocks of land and subdivided it into 5 to 20 acre parcels. This signaled the beginning of the end of most family farms in Bonner County. Over the course of the decade, Bonner County would lose over 60,000 acres to developments and subdivisions and much of the area changed from agricultural to suburban. However, agriculture remained a significant contributor to the local economy. In the late 1960s, it accounted for $3 million in gross annual income; by 1980 the value of Bonner County farms swelled to $5.1 million, and by the turn of the century there were approximately 501 farms with crop sales totaling $7,269,000. Considering that those dollars turned over again and again, they eventually produced an impact of $50 to $75 million.
Donor: Stewart Gutenberger
Adopted by: