Blog

When your farm is over 56,000 acres, planning and collaboration is essential. Topics like planting depth, fertilizer needs, soil health and pest management require discussion and a range of perspectives from a variety of experts.

Every February, our managers and directors from Threemile Canyon Farms get together to share knowledge and make sure everyone is on the same page for the upcoming season. For two days, team members engage in discussions about safety, innovation and plans to lead the farm into another successful year.

The first day of this year’s meetings featured presentations from several industry partners and colleagues, who shared insights with the Threemile farm team.

One session was with Jeff Wendler, General Manager of Livestock Operations for Threemile, who shared an update on the dairy side of the operation with the farm team, highlighting how beneficial the partnership between the two sides of the operation is for everyone.

“I don’t know any dairy that gives the manure for free to the farm, but the feed we get is great and we’re very appreciative,” Wendler said. “We feed heavy on forage crops because it’s a high-quality forage that you produce for us.”

A great reminder of the importance of the integration of livestock and farming to support one another as part of our closed-loop system. The farm and dairy work together in a uniquely symbiotic relationship: the manure from the dairy produces fertilizer and nutrient-rich ‘green-water’ for the farm, and the farm produces feed to keep the dairy cows happy and healthy. The two support each other to make sure Threemile remains sustainable for years to come.

Other discussions followed the same line of thinking. Mark Swanson, a representative from the Oregon Department of Agriculture, talked about the importance of having a safety plan in place to care for employees. Partners from Dekalb Corn Management came to share insights from their research team on methods for producing high-quality corn.

The second day of meetings continued the focus on collaboration and preparation, featuring information from Threemile team members. The agronomy team held breakout sessions to help managers align on best practices for managing things like weeds, insects and diseases, and the zone directors walked the team through a review of the 2025 season. Learning from previous growing seasons is essential to making sure our team is continuously learning and improving to ultimately be the best stewards of the land we can be.

These two days were full of planning, collaboration and a shared commitment to making each season better than the last. The annual meeting is a place where insights are shared as part of our preparation, moving into another busy season of planting, growing and harvesting.

Learn more about how Threemile is preparing for the growing season in our video series, "Growing Forward."