Quinoa undergoing testing in Northeast Oregon
JOSEPH, Ore. — A group of farmers and Washington State University researchers are studying whether quinoa, a grain traditionally grown in the South American Andes, can be a viable cash crop in the Northwest.
In 2014 Ted Golder of Seal Rock, Ore., came to Eastern Oregon on an exploratory mission. He thought the climate would be similar enough to the Andes to grow quinoa. In a local coffee shop he met Jerome Geortzen of Joseph, who was also on the same mission. Last summer the two started quinoa test plots in fields around the Wallowa Valley.
Golder said he first became interested in quinoa when it became popular in health food markets a few years ago.
“A nutritionist friend of mine in Eugene told me the climate and altitude in Wallowa County is not that different than some areas in South America. Then I learned through Washington State University we really do have one of the most optimum areas to potentially to grow it.”
Golder and Goertzen discovered Washington State had a team of researchers led by professor Kevin Murphy who are working with farmers all over the Northwest to grow different varieties of quinoa.
Last year Golder and Goertzen grew test crops at local farms. Using seed from last year’s crop and a variety from Colorado, this year they have 300 quinoa plants growing in seven rows near a conventional wheat field that Golder said are doing quite well.
In contrast, they have 16 rows of quinoa growing at Patrick Thiel’s Prairie Creek Farm outside of Joseph overseen by Washington State University researchers.
“Quinoa is a good fit with what I do,” Thiel said. “We’ve always grown specialized crops.”
Thiel’s farm is organic, which is more along the lines of what the researchers at Washington State have in mind, Golder said.
“It’s a good fit with WSU — they wanted their test plots grown organically,” Golder said.
Thiel said he was impressed with Washington State’s researchers when they came to lay out the test plots and outlined a uniform regiment for watering and weeding.
“They saw a value in doing a trial here. They get great research information while we keep it organic and grow it in a unique enough area,” Thiel said.
Farming is always a gamble. Golder said last year the weather was more consistent as was the crop.
This year a wet May stunted the growth of the newly planted starts. Thiel said quinoa is physiologically designed to come out of its seed in five days and puts down a taproot.
“If it’s overwatered they will stress and not survive,” Thiel said.
Rows were replanted, pushing out the harvest well into September, Golder said.
Not needing much water may be a major plus considering the extended drought in the West.
“Water is getting tighter every day,” Golder said.
Thiel said in South America quinoa is planted in a field and left until harvest.
“One of the things they liked about that crop is you leave it in an environment where it is doing well by itself,” Thiel said.
Golder said working with Washington State is important to help determine what traits farmers will want in their quinoa crop.
“Do they want it to be easily spotted from other similar plants like lamb’s quarter? Faster maturity?” he said. “The techniques we are using to grow quinoa will be repeated next year with a strategy. We are only half way there.”
Thiel said he couldn’t emphasize enough how important it is that Washington State is involved.
“They’ve worked with potatoes for more than 100 years. I see the same with the quinoa. They know how to do it,” Thiel said.