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Ferry County Top Stories
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Perseverance, flexibility still key to ranchers’ survival |
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Written by Sikander Jaad
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Friday, 27 August 2010 18:42 |
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 As I turn up the dirt driveway, movement in a stand of trees across the pasture catches my eye. I realize I’m looking at a large eagle’s nest, and as I watch, a bald eagle swoops in past me moving towards the trees. The silence is notable; birdsong is the only sound punctuating the silence as my gaze travels over rolling tree-covered hills, green pastures and blue sky.
I’m visiting the Grumbach & Son ranch north of Curlew today as part of our series of business interviews. The ranch family consists of Ken & Aldena, Doug, Bonnie, Amanda, and Coby. As I pull up, three dogs swirl around the car, barking. Ken "Curly" Grumbach steps out onto the porch and greets me. He’s a robust man, and it’s easy to imagine him working a ranch.
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Swan Lake complex beautiful, active |
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Written by Bill Chamberlin
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Friday, 27 August 2010 18:18 |
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September is a great month for outdoor recreation in Ferry County. The summer heat has abated, the mosquitoes are virtually gone, the fall colors are appearing and the sun continues to shine. A perfect place for a September outing is the Swan Lake region of the Colville National Forest. Here you will find four very picturesque, virtually unspoiled bodies of water, sitting at 3000 feet elevation. Swan Lake, Fish Lake, Long Lake and Ferry Lake, all within a few miles of each other offer a plethora of mostly non-motorized recreational opportunities, including camping, swimming, fishing, hiking, boating, mountain-biking, wildlife viewing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
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Last Updated on Friday, 27 August 2010 18:25 |
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Local rancher turns love of goats into business |
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Written by Mary Masingale
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Monday, 09 August 2010 12:11 |
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 Some days, weeds can really get your goat. But not if you’re Wayne Konz. After a childhood on a cattle ranch and several years serving on the local weed board, the local farrier was well aware of the need for effective weed control. His love for animals, especially his goats, gave him inspiration for a unique way to fill the need.
Enter Bill, Ted, Helen, Bart, Grace, Margaret, Sheila, Sir William and the rest of the gang, about 30 in all. These are Wayne’s “employees,” ruminants with four-chambered stomachs that will eat just about anything that grows, anywhere. They can get to places lawnmowers or even people with weedeaters can’t touch, and the fertilizer they leave behind is largely inert, or free of weed seeds.
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The early flyers of Ferry County |
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Written by Greg Sheffield
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Monday, 09 August 2010 12:15 |
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 Later this month, pilots from around the Northwest will "Fly-In" to Ferry County Airport for a weekend of food, entertainment and airplane talk. But there was a time in Ferry County when to "fly in" meant to land in as short a distance as possible on a slightly uphill slope in a grassy pasture, and turn quickly before you hit a hillside or someone's cow. Navigational aids? Nope. Until the advent of global positioning satellites in the last decade, surrounding mountains have always prevented Ferry County pilots from using radio signals to find direction.
"I think the first civilian pilots of Ferry County were Carl Lindsey and Vaughn Hougland. A flying club was formed during the mid 1930's: Ed Walden, Knut Burg, Ken Foote and Wilson Treavitt. They owned a J-2 Piper Cub," said Ralph Pendry. Pendry, 80, built and owns the yellow Aeronca Champ hangared at the Ferry County Airport, similar to the airplane flown by Carl Lindsey shown on the cover of this newspaper. "That picture was taken on the Lindsey Ranch on LaFleur Creek Road northwest of Curlew," said Hugh Maycumber, also a pilot. "Carl used to fly in and out of his farm field."
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Last Updated on Monday, 09 August 2010 12:18 |
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Columbia Mountain offers cooler clime, easy climb |
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Written by Bill Chamberlin
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Monday, 09 August 2010 12:09 |
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 My son and I had wanted to escape the hot, dusty conditions of the low country on a recent Sunday morning. I had not been on the Kettle Crest this summer and Liam had never hiked to the top of a real mountain. Columbia Mountain, accessible from Sherman Pass and just a short drive from our home seemed like a good bet.
We drove to the top of Sherman Pass on State Highway 20 (less than 20 miles from Republic). Ample parking (Northwest Forest Pass Permit required to park), a kiosk with maps and other info, as well as bathroom facilities, make this a perfect spot for starting a hike either north or south on the Kettle Crest Trail.
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Copyright © 2010 Ferry County View. All Rights Reserved.
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