FarmHouse - Washington State University

FarmHouse Almanac p . 3 FarmHouse Lessons Equip Vic Stokes '73 with the Tools for Success A s owners of Stokes & Stokes Cattle Ranch, Vic Stokes '73 is no stranger to hard work and dedication. Vic's commitment to the Washington State Chapter as an undergraduate equipped him with many of the skills for being a leader in the animal agriculture industry. Vic always enjoyed the atmosphere and the camaraderie that FarmHouse offered, prompting him to proudly live in the chapter house for all of his undergraduate years. During these years, Vic not only worked hard to complete his degree in animal sciences, but he also learned lessons that would serve him professionally for years to come. "Learning how to live with men with a wide range of backgrounds helped temper me. I quickly learned that you have to be part of the solution if a problem arises." The lesson of getting along with people you may not always agree with has served Vic throughout his life. Much of Vic's tactful ability to craft responses to his ranch's natural disaster devastation has stemmed from his experience as a FarmHouse member and his role as chapter advisor after graduating. "In my professional life, I've had to deal with a number of agencies that manage natural resources important to our ranch. I've learned to listen thoughtfully before I speak. This may have not been the case when I was a FarmHouse undergraduate, but it laid the foundation for who I am today." Vic is proud to see that the current FarmHouse undergraduates still display great commitment to learning from their fraternal experience. In April, a group of active brothers visited the Stokes Ranch to help Vic, Blake Stokes '00, and Kent Stokes '06 rebuild a fence that had been destroyed due to fire damage. "Spending time with these brothers allowed me to look back to nearly 40 years ago—the faces changed, but the dedication and the antics were extremely similar," Vic said. Vic and his wife, Carrie, reside in Twisp, Wash., where most of his time is consumed by running his ranch. He is proud to share his FarmHouse brotherhood and his cattle ranch with his sons, Blake and Kent. E-mail: beavercreek@methownet.com BROTHERS GIVE BACK AND MAKE MEMORIES AT THE STOKES RANCH O n April 25, one week after Founders Day, eight active members and five alumni descended upon the Stokes Ranch near Twisp, Wash., with work gloves and shovels in hand. A little over one year ago, lightning ignited a fire that eventually consumed 256,108 acres, destroyed 277 houses, killed 1,000 cattle, and burned miles of fences. The tremendous loss of livestock, structures, and resources placed a huge strain on these communities to rebuild, but it also demonstrated the generosity of people showing great support for those affected. Generous volunteers provided shelter, clothing, and food for those displaced, but left the Twisp area unable to help with repairs needed at the Stokes Ranch. Vic Stokes '73, along with his sons, Blake '03 and Kent '06, went to work rebuilding the miles of fence that had been destroyed. The Stokes Ranch may have been one of the hardest ranches hit; they lost half of their 500 head of cattle and 90% of their grazing land. As an association, we knew we needed to help our brothers in their time of need. The Stokes family welcomed us to their ranch early on a Saturday morning. We divided into two groups, grabbed eight-foot-long round posts, and headed up the mountain. We dug post holes with rock bars and shovels, pounded in metal T-posts with sledgehammers, and stretched fence wire at the direction of Vic. It was exhausting work, which welcomed a lunch break provided by the Stokes family. We joined forces after lunch and headed back up the mountain to complete the section we began that morning. In all, we completed about a half mile, but the degree of difficulty made it feel like several miles. The Stokes were great hosts and were extremely appreciative and humbled by our desire to help. They provided a place to camp in a lower pasture untouched by the fire, fed us hearty meals out of a makeshift cook tent, and entertained us with stories. We were exhausted from our efforts, but found time for laughter and brotherhood throughout the day. That evening we bonded over a campfire reliving FarmHouse tales. The memories we made connecting with brothers from other eras will last a lifetime—hopefully the fence does too! Brothers prepare for a hard day's work at Stokes ranch. Ron M. DeMuynck '55 lives in Arlington, Wash., with his wife, Carolyn. He proudly celebrated the 60th anniversary of his FarmHouse initiation at this year's Founders Day. Larry J. Zehm '58 has had a full and rewarding career in the USDA for 30 years, along with 30 years in the Navy Reserve, flying all over the world. He now keeps his hands busy in farming and foresting and does volunteer work with wildlife groups. Larry follows his 10 grandkids in their school adventures and sports. "I do everything I use to, just at a slower pace," he says. Larry resides in Spangle, Wash. E-mail: zehm-lm@centurytel.net Karl E. Felgenhauer '60 moved to Spokane in 2014. He has been active in re-opening a senior citizen care center, Fairfield Care. Karl hopes to return jobs, senior housing, and health care to rural southern Spokane county. E-mail: kifelgen@gmail.com Raymond D. William '67 is a professor at Oregon State University, teaching horticulture. Ray also spends his time volunteering with tree and agricultural development and education projects for Corvallis-Gander (Ethiopia) Sister Cities. He repairs furniture for Furniture Share, stocks books for Friends of the Library, and is a trustee at Congregational United Church of Christ. Having already lived in Srilanka, Brazil, Tawain, Flordia, and Malawi, Ray and his wife, Nancy, currently live in Corvallis, Ore. E-mail: williamr@peak.org Alumni News (Continued on page 4)

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