Good morning from the Hermiston Agricultural Research & Extension Center, I am Bruce Sorte, OSU Extension Economist, for the 2/3rds. (66,000 sq. miles) of Oregon east of the Cascades. In the winter, I work out of here and the rest of the year I am on the road in my Chevy PU pulling a 1968 Airstream trailer.

Local Extension faculty and others point me towards communities, businesses, and people that would like ideas on how to improve their economies or want to know how their plans might affect their economies. I also teach economics – right now for the Joseph High School senior class working with their regular teacher. I was born 59 years ago in Oregon, 38 years married to my college sweetheart, three grown children, two grandchildren, and enjoy hunting and fishing.

I also like visiting with people about their lot in life and what they want changed. I sit at counters in restaurants to visit with waitresses, cooks and customers, get my haircut in different places so I can learn from the barbers, and visit with any business person who will take the time. I have worked in agriculture, dry cleaning, food service, banking, retail, manufacturing and government and served in elected office. My grandparents were Norwegian and Irish immigrants and Montana homesteaders. They raised my parents to work hard, take risks when necessary, and find a way to get along with almost everyone. That formula has worked for me, as well.

Agreeing to write for this blog was based on finding rural people who would help me. Before you read my comments, they will have been discussed with a rancher from Wallowa County, an economic development director from The Dalles, a sheriff from far Eastern Oregon, a business person from Central Oregon, and others. My posts need to be a way for metro and rural people to learn more about each other. There is a bigger city/country divide than most admit. Oregon can weather the fairly stormy economic future more successfully if we build many more bridges than currently exist. The devil hides in the generalities, the solutions are in understanding the details of individual people’s and businesses’ lives.  Once a week, usually on Thursdays, I will write an article about some economic issue in rural Oregon and look forward to your suggestions or questions.

Take care, Bruce Sorte

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