Local politics, the county, and the world, as viewed by Tammy Maygra

Tammy’s views are her own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Bill Eagle, his pastor, Tammy’s neighbors, Wayne Mayo, Betsy Johnson, Joe Corsiglia, President Trump, Henry Heimuller, VP Pence, Pat Robertson, Debi Corsiglia’s dog, or Claudia Eagle’s Cats. This Tammy’s Take (with the exception of this disclaimer) is not paid for or written by, or even reviewed by anyone but Tammy and she refuses to be bullied by anyone.

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Seely Mints

 

Whole Foods Market’s stock Seely Mints peppermint patties in all of its 360 stores nationwide. A  number of stores in the Pacific Northwest also carry Seely Mint peppermint bark, mint melts and ivory melts. The Seelys Mints were discovered by a Whole Foods representative while they were selling their product at a small farmers market.

Whole Foods is a natural food chain and very popular across the nation and liked the natural, organic product, Whole Foods is a natural food chain and very popular across the nation. Seely’s process of mint making is far superior to any mint products which are mass produced making his product sought after by consumers. Seelys use’s essential mint oils in their products and not the cheap and inferior synthetic imitators.

 The company employs 26 full-time and part-time people but that number is expected to go up to 50. Eventually Seely’s would like to have about 200 full-time and part-time employees.

Seely Mint products can be found in New Seasons grocery stores across Oregon, Bi-Rite Markets in San Francisco, and dozens of small, independent stores like Candy Bouquet and Western World in Longview. In all, the family farm expects to have products available in 2,000 stores this year. Some products, like the mint teas and candy canes can only be purchased online at Seelys website.

 

The Best Artisanal Nibbles We Tried This Year 2013

PopSugar.com who taste tests and on gourmet foods gave Seelys Mints the below recommendation.

We thought that classic York Peppermint Patties couldn't be improved upon — that is, until we tried Seely Peppermint Patties ($9 for five), which boast a snappier shell and a bright, bracing mint flavor that takes the (cake) candy.

 

Seelys mints are being praised all over the country as many different types of stores praise Seely Mints as their new best seller, number one seller. Amazon carries the product which means millions of people have access to the mint product. Increasing the demand for the candy and mint related products.

 

Margaret Magruder  Wool Oregon Shephard  Insulation

 

We have a Columbia county commissioner who lives in Clatskanie and talks about her wool insulation business, her wool insulation was used in the re-modeling of the old grange building on Millard rd. Warren Oregon. The building was purchased by the Soil and Water District, the district’s remodel was done using green materials, making the building a green and environmentally friendly building. 

Below are the minutes of the Rainier Economic Development Council meeting regarding Ms. Magruder’s business;

 Rainier Economic Development Council

Rainier City Hall ~ Rainier, Oregon

Regular Meeting

August 12, 2010 ~ 6 p.m.

Call to Order

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Terry Grice, Chair, called the meeting to order at 6 p.m.

Roll Call

-

Present

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Terry Grice, Chair Tim Navarro, Vice C

hair Robert Piercy

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Secretary

Paul Rice Scott Cooper

Jennifer Dennis, Treasurer

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arrived 6:20 p.m.

Approval of Minutes

-

June 10, 2010 Regular Meeting

July 8, 2010 meeting did not have a quorum

Visitor Comments

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Margaret Magruder owner of Oregon Shepherd located in Donald, Oregon. Oregon Shepherd is a premier producer of natural sheep wool insulation. Margaret is working with the City Planner to relocate Oregon Shepherd to Rainier. The old J&R warehouse on Rockcrest Street is available. It would require a variance for their type of business. The project is moving ahead and they hope to be relocated by the end of the year. Their company would employ approximately 7 people and more as their business grows.

Rainier is an excellent location with connection to Interstate 5 Highway

being only a 10 minutes away. Margaret is a lifelong resident of Clatskanie so would like to bring her business and jobs to Columbia County.

Wool has superior insulation properties, Oregon Shepherd’s loose fill insulation products result in zero VOC emissions, both during their manufacture and in use. They provide superior breathability, improve indoor air quality, and are non-allergenic. As a result, they are completely safe to handle and install without the need for protective equipment typically used during traditional fiberglass insulation.(end)

 

Text Box: Commissioner Magruder understands the need to keep as much agriculture land as we can as she herself states in her comments to the economic council. Her business which relies on sheep for their wool can only be achieved by pasturelands. Ms. Magruder hopes to increase her business, move her business to Columbia County from Donald, Oregon and to increase her employees from 7 to more as the business develops.

 

 

Oregon Agriculture, has Magruder Farms featured.

 

Margruder farms-I am agriculture

 

Text Box: My name is Margaret Magruder of Magruder Farms. My family began farming in Oregon in 1904 after my grandfather, Richard Brooke Magruder, came from Sandy Spring, Maryland and found the productive soils along the Columbia River near Clatskanie, Oregon. Over the years we have produced many different crops including oats and peppermint along with cattle and sheep. Today I raise sheep for meat and wool. Our lamb is processed commercially and found in grocery stores with the label American Lamb. We use the wool to manufacture Oregon Shepherd PermaLoft® loose fill building insulation, a 100% natural sheep wool insulation.(End)

 

 

Seelys far surpass the number of employees which Commissioner Magruder employs in her business. Seelys Mints far surpasses the consumer demand between the two products. Not to say that Oregon Shepard is not a good product in its own right. But to be honest and forthright Seely Mints are known nationally and internationally and have been picked up by a well Known Natural Food Company( Whole Foods) which now has been bought by Amazon. And everyone shops at Amazon. Visibility is endless for Seely Mints.

 

Commissioner Magruder should understand the importance of protecting agriculture lands especially to the small local farmer who rely on the land for their lively hood, she should also understand the importance of the clean, air, and water that is required for the crops. She should also understand the importance of these business’s need for expansion---just as she herself has stated the importance of the need to expand for her  own business, which requires agriculture land to be feasible. She has stated in her featured story in Oregon Agriculture about the productive soils in the Clatskanie area and also mentions all the other crops that the Magruder family has grown/raised and surprising enough MINT was one of the Magruder crops.

 

The Clatskanie Chief printed the following historical article May 1, 2017

 

“Interest yourself today in Columbia County’s outstanding farm project,” read the St. Helens Mist newspaper on Oct. 5, 1928. A front page ad bearing the name R.B. Magruder, who claimed to be the owner of the land, offered fertile farm land for sale for as little as $105 per acre.

The property lay in areas prone to annual flooding by the Columbia River, but Magruder claimed the land lay above the low water mark and was protected by a recently constructed system of dikes and levees and drained by means of ditches and tidegates. The areas are now known as Marshland, Webb and Woodson.

“Rich as the delta of the Nile,” Magruder claimed. “The land is currently, widely used for dairying,” but could be used for growing a wide variety of crops from silage to vegetables.

“Supplemental cash crops are produced, however, with most encouraging results. These include broccoli, cauliflower, peppermint, bean, flax, oats and hay, corn and root crops…”

In all, Magruder offered 1,311.4 acres, almost all of which lay in three newly created drainage districts. (End)

 

The importance of agriculture land in the Clatskanie area gave credence enough for the current Clatskanie Chief to re-print an article which first ran October 5, 1928 quoting Commissioner Magruders forefather. Agriculture has been Magruders livelihood for generations.

 

Columbia County cannot afford to lose anymore agriculture land; Columbia County needs to protect all remaining agriculture lands as agriculture land has declined. Our farmers provide an important equation to our economy, our food sources, and rural well - being. People’s attitudes have changed from the industrial revolution mind set, to realizing that dirty industry is not the answer to our future in fact fossil fuels are on the way out --- sustainable energy, sustainable farms are the future.

 

It is simply wrong, for the county commissioners to make a decision to re-zone agriculture land which could be used to expand agriculture products, in favor of possible industries which would destroy or contaminate the current local agriculture production and products. To change zoned agriculture land to industrial zoning on the pretense that something may come along, no idea what it might be, or when something may come along is irresponsible and rash.

Instead of going down the same path of dirty industry, I would suggest that the county commissioners take a positive approach, a pro-active stance and deny the zone change at Port Westward. The county commissioners have a unique ability at this time to show that they are forward thinkers and have consideration for local business, local families over corporations. And understand in order for Columbia County to have a clean meaningful future Columbia County must move forward out of the past of dirty industry and jump into the 21 century of clean, green business.

 

 

 

Tammy Maygra

 

 

 

 

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