Seasons on the Farm
Stahlbush Island Farms is situated in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, one of the most fertile and pristine agricultural regions in the world. The 25-to 40-mile wide and 120-mile long fertile river valley is bordered by rain-forested mountain ranges and is abundant with diverse flora and fauna.
The climate of the Valley is relatively mild throughout the year, characterized by cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The climatic conditions closely resemble the Mediterranean climates, which occur in California, although Oregon’s winters are somewhat wetter and cooler. Growing seasons in the Willamette Valley are long, and moisture is abundant during most of the year.
At Stahlbush Island Farms, each season of the year brings a distinct stage in the continuing cycle of farm life. The farm thrives year round. Whether cover cropping in the winter, planting seeds in the spring, taking part in community events in the summer or enjoying the rigors of the fall harvest, Stahlbush embodies the vitality of this lush region.
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| A young Marion Blackberry cane pushes through the warming Spring soil |
Spring
As the farm awakens in spring, we plant our annual crops like broccoli, sweet corn and spinach, and establish new fields of short-term perennials, like strawberries. Scouting crews are busy checking young, emerging plants and blooming berries. We enlist the help of honeybees to pollinate our fruits and vegetables, and at the end of spring, we harvest our first crop of the year – rhubarb. |
| Summertime means getting ready for the Benton County Fair |
Summer
Long, warm summer days in Oregon’s beautiful Willamette Valley can’t be beat. Throughout the summer, we water crops and weed our fields. June and July bring our harvest season into full swing as strawberries, broccoli, caneberries (such as marionberries), blueberries, spinach and other crops mature in the sunshine.The corn tassels and squash blooms are signature signs of summer in the Valley. And, although we hate to say goodbye to summer, we look forward to fall harvest.
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| A bumper crop of pumpkins, on their way to your holiday pie |
Fall
With the fall months and start of the rainy season, come corn and pumpkin harvest on the farm. In late fall, we harvest cauliflower and later squash varieties, like butternut. Cover crops are planted to reduce runoff and erosion, contribute organic matter for future crops and contribute to overall soil health. |
| Frosty protected wetland areas at rest near an organic field. |
