DAYTON–Helping local farmers make more money through proper soil condition has been the focus of Columbia County Extension Agent Paul Carter's 15-year stint here, and Carter is gratified by the successes of his program that addresses soil acidity. And Carter was instrumental in establishing a Columbia County 4-H Endowment to keep 4-H membership free to local youth and promoted establishment of a shooting sports 4-H club.

Regional Extension Agronomist/Soil Scientist Carter, 68, will hang up his spurs January 4, 2021. His plans may include some part-time work at Washington State University, and some other contacts in agriculture have made overtures for some of his time, but Carter is looking forward to some time off. "But, I like to keep busy," he said.

Carter says "it's time" as a reason he's leaving the post. "It's time to start another career," Carter said. "I've got time for one more." He also wants to pass the job to an agent who will bring different ideas.

His emphasis on soil health, soil quality and plant nutrition centered on soil acidity and the use of lime, and there are a few ongoing projects of Carter's in progress. Application of lime changes the pH of the soil, resulting in improved yields.

Applying lime to test plots on ground farmed by Rick Turner, Jay Penner and Robert McKinney, among others, over the past few years have shown that yields improve, on average, by 10%. Investigation of lime application with light tillage is showing that the lime is tending to move down in the soil profile, Carter said, although the trials are incomplete.

Other data Carter has developed shows that adjusting soil pH has shown a 29% increase in peas, 15% in soft white wheat and 7% in hard red winter wheat.

Carter was born and raised in Orleans, Indiana, in the south central part of the state, and he grew up on a family farm that produced corn, soybeans, wheat, hogs and cattle. Like his pioneering grandmother, who attended Purdue and was an early statewide home economist in Oregon and Montana in the early decades of the Twentieth Century, Carter attended Purdue, earning a Bachelor of Science in 1974 and a Master of Science in 1999.

After graduating, Carter returned to the family farm, working with his father and brother for four years. In 1978, he started a stove company and had three years into it when the economy tanked in 1980.

He worked for Claas of America as a quality control technician at their combine manufacturing facility for a couple years. The Claas combine is also known by the Cat brand.

In 1984, his dad invited him back to the family farm and he was there about four years when the Farm Crisis of the 1980s claimed another victim.

Carter landed on his feet and persevered through a variety of jobs: a farm equipment repair business, working at a machine tool company, dealing livestock, construction, parts manager and truck driver.

Then Purdue called in search of a technician, which allowed him to concurrently complete his master's degree. After a brief stint at the University of North Dakota, where he worked developing precision ag with drones, he was hired by Washington State University as Director of Columbia County Extension.

When he interviewed, positions in Whitman County and here were open. "I think I'm much happier here than I would've been in Whitman County," Carter mused.

He remembers his "interview," a seminar presentation at the Seneca Community Center. "It was standing room only," Carter recalled.

And he remembers Jay Penner, standing at the back of the room, questioning what Carter, if hired, would be asking the local producers to do.

Penner hosted test plots for at least five years, Carter said, and after the first year, Penner again accosted Carter. "You [expletive deleted]. You just made a fool of me. I've watched that plot every day and I learned a heck of a lot," Carter remembers Penner saying.

Plots on Eric Thorn's no-till farmland are evaluating lime percolation. "The university says there is no lime percolation," Carter said. "This trial will surface apply lime and see if it goes down in a no-till situation."

Purdue's research shows lime gravitates downward one inch after the first year. Carter's trial shows the lime went down three inches. "That tells farmers you don't have to rip up the soil," Carter said. "It'll get down there if you put enough on."

Carter is proud of establishing the Columbia County 4-H Endowment, now in its second year of providing membership fees for any county youth who wants to be involved. The endowment was set up with the Blue Mountain Community Foundation and has reached about $60,000 in funds.

"It has done well," Carter said. "That fund will more than generate funds to pay 4-H memberships. So far, since the initiation of the fee, no 4-Her has paid a membership fee and we're starting the fourth year.

"I figure it was something I can do for 4-H that will last in perpetuity," Carter said. 4-H runs deep in his family: Paul, his two children, and his brother and father were all active in 4-H. "Extension work has a long history in the Carter family," he said.