In 1854, James and Emily Watson from Missouri settled on land along Little River near Glide, Ore. Today, the 160-year-old ranch is operated by a fifth generation descendent, Mark Talcott, and his wife, Glenda. They have raised three children on the ranch, where they produce beef, chickens, hogs, vegetables and tree fruits. They sell feeder cattle in the spring and occasionally sell custom-grown beef. They manage a forest and each year sell five or six truckloads of timber.
Oregon has 1,100 Century Farms, but the Talcott Ranch is one of only 25 Sesquicentennial Farms founded at least 150 years ago. The Talcott land may remain in the family for at least another generation under the Talcott son, Luke. He works part-time as a wildland fire fighter but assumes more farming responsibilities each year and plans to operate the Talcott Ranch when his parents retire. Luke’s wife, Sarah, was raised on a sesquicentennial farm near Talent.
The Century Farm program in Oregon is administered by the Oregon Agricultural Education Foundation, established by a partnership between the Oregon Farm Bureau, Oregon Department of Agriculture, and the Oregon Historical Society.
Source: Reed, Craig. “160 years of tradition sustains Glide ranch.” The News-Review 28 Apr. 2014 (Roseburg, Ore.): B1.
