Farmers in Western Oregon are known for their knowledge of the land. For generations, they have worked with soils, rain patterns, and crops in ways that produce food and forage for both people and livestock. That experience is now being tested by longer, hotter summers and shifting rainfall.
Oregon State University has been leading important research to explore options such as sorghum, pearl millet, cowpeas, and sunn hemp. These warm-season crops are showing potential for extending grazing seasons, reducing feed costs, and helping the soil hold more life. The trials highlight both the opportunities and the challenges of working with new varieties under local conditions.
In North Texas, farmers have been working through similar challenges for many years. The climate there has long been hot and dry, with soils that demand careful stewardship. Out of that experience came practical approaches to crops like cowpeas and sorghum, which can serve more than one purpose in a farming system.
That is the background for The North Texas Garden Revolution: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Thriving in the Lone Star State’s Toughest Climate. The book was written to share what has been learned in one tough environment, in hopes it may support others facing similar patterns. It is not a manual for Oregon farming, but does serve as a companion piece, a perspective that might spark ideas and shorten the time it takes to adapt.
Why It Matters
• Oregon farmers already have deep expertise in managing their soils and crops, and that knowledge is essential for making new systems work.
• The work being done by OSU and local growers shows a strong commitment to finding solutions that fit Oregon’s land and people.
• Insights from regions with longer experience under similar stress can add one more tool to the conversation.
Invitation
If you are interested in seeing how lessons from North Texas might support the work you are already doing in Oregon, you can download The North Texas Garden Revolution here: Download the book.
References
Oregon State University Extension Service, Warm-season crops give Western Oregon farmers food and forage options. September 2025. Link
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Western SARE Program. Link
