Farm headquarters across from a tilled field waiting for planting

The Butsch family roots go back to the time Mt. Angel was founded, so it’s fitting that Jim Butch started 4B Farms there in 1971. The family farm’s headquarters in Mt. Angel is situated on 2500 acres, with additional fields in Gervais, Hubbard and Clackamas County. Like many farms, 4B grows a wide variety of row crops (corn beans and peas) plus garlic, hops, hazelnuts and specialty seeds.

4B Farms’ farming practices are efficient, effective and environmentally conscious: few chemical pesticides and fertilizers are used; the ground is minimally worked, to prevent erosion; the land is used wisely and the family is constantly working to increase production per acre. Irrigated acres are watered with hand lines and big gun sprinklers, while hops are irrigated by drip tube, for optimal efficiency in delivering water where the plant needs it most. “Every year we try to do things just a little better,” says Lori Butsch.

Lori Pavlicek and faithful companion Tobey

4B Farms discovered Farmers Ending Hunger through mutual relationships with the Agri-Business Council of Oregon and Norpac Foods, Inc. They have donated an acre of corn for several years and will do so again in 2011. This annual donation represents over 30 tons of corn. “It’s a great program because it is the job of people who can grow food to help the hungry. It really doesn’t take any extra time; it’s the processing plant that does the most. We help to take care of what we can. It’s easy for us to do this.”

A field of Elephant Garlic