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Saturday, March 3, 2012 – Daily News 5A Agriculture & farm The Intermountain area lost another icon of an earlier era when Floyd Bidwell passed away on Feb. 12 at the family ranch in Hat Creek at 87 years. In the '40s to '70s, there were many ranchers with purebred cattle in the Intermountain region. Not only Floyd Bidwell, but Perry Updyke's Hat Creek Herefords, later managed by his son-in- law Bob Thompson. Floyd's brother-in-law Lem Earnest was in McArthur, and Peter Gerig had a few registered Herefords. Morris Doty and his Volcano Angus Ranch, at Cassel while Rancheria Angus with Catherine Ryan and daughter Biz Elmhurst and Dot R Angus with Rudy and Dorothy Truesdale came in the '60s. New stock corrals at Lassen Volcanic National Park available for reservation Lassen Volcanic National Park Superintendent Darlene M. Koontz announced that the park now has improved stock corrals available for reserva- tions beginning April 1. The corrals and associated campsites are located at Butte, Juniper, and Summit lakes. Each facility has two separate metal panel stock corrals with gates and watering troughs. The new metal panels are a major improvement from the former rope corrals that served for many years. Each stock corral offers a group campsite con- taining a picnic table, food storage locker, fire ring, and vault toilet facilities. Drinking water is available for visitors and stock at all sites except Juniper Lake, where water is only available for horses. All sites are in close proximity to trailheads that access the 138 miles of park trails available for stock use. To reserve these stock corrals and accompanying campsites, please call 1 (877) 444-6777 or access online at www.recreation.gov. Reservations must be made at least four days in advance of arrival date and may be made up to a year in advance. These sites are only available for persons with accompanying horses or stock. The fees for stock corrals have changed to a flat fee per night for a maximum of 10 people in a group with a maximum of eight horses. The new per night fees are: Butte Lake $35, Juniper Lake $28, and Summit Lake $35. Stock corral fees are charged as part of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act, which enables Lassen Volcanic National Park to retain 80 percent of collected fees. These funds pay for needed repairs and projects to improve visitor services and facilities. All stock use in Lassen Volcanic National Park requires a backcountry permit, which can be obtained at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center, Loomis Museum, and the self-registration sites located at Butte Lake, Juniper Lake, and Warner Valley Ranger Stations. For information about backcountry permits and weather and road conditions, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/lavo or call the visitor center at (530) 595-4480. Shasta College Horticulture Department presents the 41st annual Spring Plant Sale The Shasta College Horticulture Department announces its 41st Annual Spring Plant Sale to be held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 19, 20 and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 21, at the 4500 Building and green- houses on the Shasta College Farm. The sale is planned and staffed by Shasta College Horticulture students. All plants are propagated and grown by students and all the proceeds from the sale supports the Shasta College Horticulture Program and Students. Students from the Nursery Management class have designed displays to showcase a variety of plants that will be for sale. Horticulture Students, Master Gardeners, and native plant experts will be on hand to answer gar- den and landscape questions. The sale will feature annual flowering plants, perennials, herbs, vegetable plants, berries, trees, shrubs, native plants, house plants, and many vari- eties that thrive well in this area's climate. All plants are grown using sustainable practices. For more information on this sale, contact Lei- mone Waite, Horticulture Instructor at (530) 242- 2210, or email your questions to lwaite@shastacol- lege.edu. Shorthorns and you immediately thought of Frosty Acres, Ed Albaugh and his sons Dale and Ron in Adin. Dale recently passed away. In McArthur there were the McArthur Brothers, John and Ken- neth. Floyd Bidwell Here- fords were well known at the Red Bluff Bull Sale when Herefords were the beef breed of the West. He consigned one bull to the first sale known as Red Bluff Hereford Show and Sale, Feb. 1942. It was sponsored by Tehama County Branch of Cali- fornia Cattlemen's Assn. and the Sales Committee consisted of Sam Ayers, President, Cattlemen's Assn.; Roy Owens, Sydney Watson, Clerk Ed Hart and Bob Teale, Western Livestock Jour- nal. The Daily News, Feb. 5, 1942 - "Entries range from two one bull consign- ments, one by Floyd Bidwell of Cassel, and ranch Remembering Floyd Bidwell more chairs being brought in and there were still people standing against the walls as we remembered Floyd Bid- well. I noticed another cow- boy and western custom as I looked around the hall. All the men and boys removed their hats and caps during the memorial service. *** We had 2.25 inches of rain in February, while I recorded 2.45 inches in 2010. Think rain, we still need it. Good luck to the Red Bluff High School Alpine team of snowboarders and skiers at the Califor- nia-Nevada Interscholas- tic Ski & Snowboarding Federation (CNISSF) Courtesy photo Floyd Bidwell sion bull at a show in Susanville." In the memorial ser- vice Dan Woolery said his legacy was determination, vision and encourage- ment. When Floyd Bidwell was two or three years old, he had polio but that never stopped him, although he walked with a limp. His high school ag teacher encouraged him to buy a Hereford heifer from Charles Hufford for $75, and he achieved the FFA American Farmer degree with his cattle. He spent a year at Herb Chandler's ranch in Baker, Oregon learning the purebred busi- ness. Floyd and his father Charles pur- chased the adjoining ranches and gradually increased the ranch acreage. Bidwell Jean Barton another by Montcrest Ranch, Hilt, to 28 by M. H. Harter of Sacramento. "Bidwell's Hereford fall yearling, which will be entered in the senior bull calf class has drawn the praise of many local cattlemen as an outstand- ing animal. Bidwell until recently was a native in future farmer work in Shasta and in 1941 he had the champion junior divi- never went with the fads, but achieved a rep- utation as a Hereford breeder of rep- utation cattle. They exhib- ited many Hereford cham- pions over the years at many shows and sales. At Red Bluff Bull Sale the trophy for Champion Pen of Five Bulls went to Bid- well Herefords for five years. He received the Jack Alford Memorial Top Consignor Buckle. His son Mark is now one of the bull graders at the Red Bluff Bull & Gelding water bill by the House of Representatives high- lights the need to reach bipartisan solutions to the state's water problems, according to California Farm Bureau Federation President Paul Wenger. The House passed HR 1837 by Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, by a vote of 246-175 Thurs- day. "At a time when dry weather and water short- ages are returning to Cali- fornia, it's important to refocus attention on the need for solutions to the state's water problems. Rep. Nunes' bill illus- trates that," Wenger said. "It has also shown that water issues remain divi- sive. For the future of Cal- ifornia's environment, cities and farms, its repre- sentatives must come together on bipartisan, statewide solutions. A deliberate, measured, comprehensive solution must be negotiated that meets the needs of all water users in the state." For the immediate term, he said, California The North State's premier supplier of stoves STOVE JUNCTION The Over 25 years of experience Accessories with purchase of any stove 20% OFF Stove Good through March 31, 2012 Tues-Sat 9am-5pm • Closed Sun & Mon 22825 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff 530-528-2221 • Fax 530-528-2229 www.thestovejunction.com COMPLETE AUTO REPAIR All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES Smog Check starting at $ (most cars and pick-ups) 2595 + cert. Pass or FREE retest 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. Sale. Vision - In the 1980s he installed hydro-electric plants on the creek, and Mt. Lassen Trout Farm created ponds for raising trout. For 30 years there have been fly fishing schools at the ranch and Floyd would come and tell stories at the big bon- fire held at start and close of season. The guests enjoyed the stories about fellow Here- ford breeder John Wayne. One time he sent an air- plane for Floyd to come to his sale and bid on a bull. The bid on the bull went sky-high and Bidwell almost bought a bull. Wilderness Unlimited has been associated with the ranch 25 or 35 years. "He brought private recre- ation to ranching," long before it became common on ranches. Encouragement — "He thought big for himself, and for us." He told a county supervisor "You‚re doing a good job," and another person told how as a 12-year-old he bought his first heifer, and her calves helped pay for his college. Someone brought his grandchildren to go fishing at a pond and the fish weren't bit- ing, so Floyd got a can of fish feed, and they caught some beautiful trout. Two favorite sayings were "Where you from" and "How are you doing," since he loved to be with people. George Ingram Hall on the Intermountain Fair- grounds was filled with family and friends, with needs more flexibility to operate its existing water system to maximize deliv- eries to cities and farms while promoting environ- mental values. Ultimately, Wenger said, California needs to expand its water system through new stor- age, both aboveground and underground, and through improved facili- ties for moving water. "The passage of Rep. Nunes' bill underlines the urgency of resolving both the immediate and long- term water problems fac- ing our state," Wenger Championships at North- star at Tahoe, March 5-8. The skiers will be Jenny McCluskey, Sosie O'Sullivan, Jessica Shults, Cheyenne Houghtby, Robin Bybee, Ryley Gallagher and Blake Villa. Snowboarders repre- senting Red Bluff High will be Zoe Treat, Emily Smalley, Nicole Sauve, Riley Garcia and Braden Berg. The coaches are Bill Treat, Mary Treat, Scott Treat, Nikkie Bosworth and Eric Johnson. Everyone has been thinking snow since November when they started ground work, and their races were cancelled due to lack of snow. *** Tehama County Cat- tleWomen and Sunrise Rotary are presenting America's No. 1 selling cowboy music singer on Saturday, April 14, at the State Theatre. Michael Martin Mur- phey will be in concert at 7 p.m. Tickets are now avail- able at Crystal Art & Apparel, The Loft and Crossroads Feed & Ranch Supply in Red Bluff, Shasta Farm & Equipment in Cotton- wood and Rabobank and Richfield Feed in the Corning area. VIP includes Meet & Greet at 5:30 p.m. at the IOOF Hall with beef appetizers and beverages, for $50. Premium is $30 and $35 at door, and gen- eral admission is $25 and $30 door. Jean Barton can be reached at jbarton@theskybeam.com. Farm leader: Passage of water bill underlines need for solutions Passage of a California said. "Farm Bureau will continue to work with our representatives in Con- gress and the state Legis- lature to create a Califor- nia water system that assures sustainable sup- plies to meet all the state's water needs." The California Farm Bureau Federation works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 74,000 mem- bers statewide and as part of a nationwide net- work of more than 6.2 million Farm Bureau members.