
Old Red Barn and Corral by Gary Hamburgh - All Rights Reserved
At the mention of the Palouse region of eastern Washington, a picture of rolling hills and wheat fields usually enters our mind. This region is well known for the beautiful patterns and textures that accompany the dry land farming that takes place.
As you become more familiar with the region, you will find that much of the land is used for raising cattle. The lush agricultural fields are left behind for an arid and rocky landscape that is the home to cattle ranches. The barn that is shown at the top of this page is located on a ranch that is ten miles northwest of the small town of St. John. About a mile from where I photographed this barn, I met a rancher and his grandsons as they were herding ten bulls into a field for breeding with about one hundred and fifty cows. He told me the story of how his great grandfather had settled this land in the late 1800’s. His family has lived in the region in the same house for four generations.
Hopefully you will visit this Palouse and experience the tremendous diversity that exists with the land and its inhabitants.