Out on Riverside Drive, about half a mile from Oakville Road, this is what you see: Three great big stacks of stuff covered with tarps to protect them from the winter rain.
I went by there again on the bike the other day (Dec. 15, actually) and stopped to take a closer look:
I assume that what’s stored there, under all those tarps, are countless bales of straw taken from mid-valley grass-seed fields after the harvest last summer, probably waiting to be exported.
The truth is I don’t know anything about this, including exactly what is stored there or why, or by whom, or how long before the stuff gets shipped somewhere so it finds a use.
I was just impressed with the size of those long stacks, three of them, enough to stop and look around for a few minutes on a windy December afternoon, and take some pictures too.
And if someone wants to fill me in, please do so in the space for comments below. I’d be grateful for a chance to learn more. (hh)
They are stacks of straw that was harvested this last summer. They get pressed down and exported. Due to the current shipping issues, we are having a hard time getting empty containers to fill with this straw. We normally are able to do two loads to the Port of Portland a day. Lately we only are able to due one because we sometimes have to wait hours for an empty to come in. Hope this answers some of your questions. I am a driver for Gilmour.
I’m grateful for your explanation. Thanks much.
I was wondering myself as I drove by the other day! What in the world is it ?
This is a hay/straw storage from local fields, you will find more of this over on Columbus street near hwy 34. It will eventually get sent to a press where they compress it down to a small block and remove most all of the water.
It gets sent overseas to Japan, Korea, china and several other Asian countries to help feed the cattle industry where it gets chopped up and other nutrients are added in.
Thanks a lot for the info.
I live down the road, and watched them put these stacks of hay there. Truckloads came down Riverside at different times and all unloaded here.
Unsure as to the reason, but it’s definitely hay bails.
I’m somewhat amazed that Gov. Kate hasn’t banned the export of Oregon hay/straw.
About a third of human-caused methane emissions come from livestock, mostly from beef and dairy cattle.
Eliminating methane from cattle burps, farts, and poop would go along way in reducing greenhouse gases.
When Kate bans exports like this I’ll take her Climate Protection Plan seriously.
She’s a nut case! I NEVER take anything from her seriously!
“About a third of human-caused methane emissions come from livestock, mostly from beef and dairy cattle.”
Gordon Longhorn Shadle, you strike me as an expert in methane emissions.
Carry on…
We drive back from Corvallis often on Riverside and have seen the storage tarps. With it being The Christmas Season they really need some good LED lights!