Alfalfa, Oregon
Encyclopedia
Alfalfa is an unincorporated community
in Deschutes County, Oregon
, United States
, in the high desert
15 miles east of Bend
. Alfalfa was named for the primary forage crop grown there under irrigation
. Alfalfa had a post office from 1912 until 1922. The ranch
ing community has a population of about 400 families.
Alfalfa's 80-day growing season
limits the local ranchers to growing grass and alfalfa
, and because the crop yields are so low, the grass is considered somewhat more suitable for grazing livestock
—most commonly cattle
—than for hay
ing. The Alfalfa irrigation district
was formed in the early 1900s, and many of the local ranch houses date to that time. The Central Oregon Canal passes through the community.
Alfalfa is considered part of Bend, and with the potential zoning
changes that came with the passage of Measure 37, the community's rural character may change from being primarily agricultural to residential.
Alfalfa Grade School was founded in 1911 and closed in 1987. At the time the one-teacher, two-room school
closed, it served 18 students in kindergarten
through second grade
. Now, despite being closer to Bend, all public school students from Alfalfa attend school in Redmond
.
The hub of the community is the Alfalfa Store. Alfalfa Grange is a historic grange hall, also known as the Alfalfa Community Hall. Deschutes County considers the 1930 building a historic landmark. The hall is the meeting location of the Alfalfa Community Church.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Deschutes County, Oregon
Deschutes County, Oregon
-National protected areas:* Deschutes National Forest * Newberry National Volcanic Monument-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 115,367 people, 45,595 households, and 31,962 families residing in the county. The population density was 38 people per square mile . There were 54,583...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the high desert
High Desert (Oregon)
The Oregon High Desert is a region of the U.S. state of Oregon, located east of the Cascade Range and south of the Blue Mountains, in the central and eastern parts of the state. Divided into a southern region and a northern region, the desert covers most of five Oregon counties and averages above...
15 miles east of Bend
Bend, Oregon
Bend is a city in and the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, and the principal city of the Bend, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and, despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population...
. Alfalfa was named for the primary forage crop grown there under irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
. Alfalfa had a post office from 1912 until 1922. The ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
ing community has a population of about 400 families.
Alfalfa's 80-day growing season
Growing season
In botany, horticulture, and agriculture the growing season is the period of each year when native plants and ornamental plants grow; and when crops can be grown....
limits the local ranchers to growing grass and alfalfa
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...
, and because the crop yields are so low, the grass is considered somewhat more suitable for grazing livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
—most commonly cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
—than for hay
Hay
Hay is grass, legumes or other herbaceous plants that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
ing. The Alfalfa irrigation district
Irrigation district
In the United States an irrigation district is a cooperative, self-governing public corporation set up as a subdivision of the State government, with definite geographic boundaries, organized, and having taxing power to obtain and distribute water for irrigation of lands within the district;...
was formed in the early 1900s, and many of the local ranch houses date to that time. The Central Oregon Canal passes through the community.
Alfalfa is considered part of Bend, and with the potential zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
changes that came with the passage of Measure 37, the community's rural character may change from being primarily agricultural to residential.
Alfalfa Grade School was founded in 1911 and closed in 1987. At the time the one-teacher, two-room school
One-room school
One-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In most rural and small town schools, all of the students met in a single room...
closed, it served 18 students in kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through second grade
Second grade
In the United States, second grade is a year of primary education. Second grade is the second school year after kindergarten. Students are traditionally 7–8 years old, depending on when their birthday occurs....
. Now, despite being closer to Bend, all public school students from Alfalfa attend school in Redmond
Redmond, Oregon
Redmond is a city in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. Incorporated on July 6, 1910, the city is located on the eastern side of Oregon's Cascade Range, in the High Desert, and is considered the geographical heart of Central Oregon...
.
The hub of the community is the Alfalfa Store. Alfalfa Grange is a historic grange hall, also known as the Alfalfa Community Hall. Deschutes County considers the 1930 building a historic landmark. The hall is the meeting location of the Alfalfa Community Church.
External links
- Historic images of the Alfalfa irrigation district from Salem Public Library
- Image of Alfalfa Community Hall from Picasa