Oregon
Fewer Oregon ranchers are raising exotic animals
Data from the Census of Agriculture shows that in the past two decades, Ostrich numbers have dropped by 83%.
Courtesy of Craig J. Barber
Old McDonald had a farm, but he probably did not have any llamas or ostriches.
New data from the Census of Agriculture shows that in the last 20 years, Oregon has seen some increase in standard farm animals, such as milk cows and chickens, while the number of farms with unconventional livestock, such as llamas and ostriches, has plummeted.
Michael Lehman is the president of the American Ostrich Association and owns Central Oregon Ostrich with his wife. He says raising ostriches is a tale of a boom and bust that began in the late ‘90s.
“There was a huge, huge push to bring ostrich into the United States as the next big red meat, and unfortunately there was a lot of money behind it. It was a big speculation,” he said. “It failed rather dramatically.”
As reported by the Washington Post, the number of ostriches raised in the U.S. has dropped 83% in the last two decades.
Lehman says that one of the challenges is a lack of understanding for an animal that is not native to the U.S. He says that when farmers tried raising ostriches in ways they did other animals, the end result was a catastrophe.
“Everything blew out the window,” he said. “In order to farm them, you have to farm them as a wild species. You can’t just push them into Western farming practices.”
Beyond just their meat, ostriches were sought after for leather, feathers and even their bones, which can be used as dog treats.
The number of llamas raised in the U.S. has declined similarly — 79% since the early 2000s.
Ron Wilkinson, Central Oregon Llama Association president and owner of R&G Acres, says llamas were first available at game farms and zoos before they took off at the individual farm level. Unfortunately, like ostriches, llamas were a speculative venture at the time.
Ron Wilkinson is the owner of R&G Acres and raises Llamas. He first got interested in the animal after purchasing one to act as a guard animal.
Courtesy of Ron Wilkinson
“People were going to get rich quick with llamas, and over time that didn’t prove to be,” he said. “Some people did, but most did not.”
Unlike ostriches, llamas aren’t harvested as a food source in the U.S. but are mainly used for companionship. They are often used as packing animals for hiking since they are able to carry more than 70 pounds. Wilkinson says their fiber also has some value but faces steep competition with sheep wool.
Like Ostriches, Llamas were seen as a speculative venture when they first rose popularity. Within the past two decades, the number of Llamas across the U.S. had declined by 79%.
Courtesy of Ron Wilkinson
Wilkinson got interested in llamas when he purchased one to act as a guard animal for his sheep. He says they work great as guards because they’re naturally curious and big animals that intimidate dogs or coyotes.
While the numbers are declining, Wilkinson is hopeful that there is some potential for llamas in the future.
“I think llamas have always been a niche industry,” he said. “Until that fiber market is developed and widespread. I think when that happens, things could change a lot.”
Michael Lehman is co-owner of Central Oregon Ostriches and believes they can be the livestock of the future.
Courtesy of Craig J. Barber
For Lehman, much of his work now is figuring out the best ways to raise ostriches and their hatchlings. He believes that ostriches are the future of sustainable agriculture.
“Consumers are very much in tune with humanity, the humane treatment that is being applied to the animals,” said Lehman. “To be successful as an ostrich producer, you have to raise them that way.”
Michael Lehman and Ron Wilkinson both joined OPB’s Think Out Loud to discuss llama and ostrich farming. You can listen to the full conversation here:
The good times keep on rolling for the Oregon Ducks in the recruiting world. Dan Lanning and the Ducks scored a massive commitment from five-star quarterback Will Mencl out of Chandler, Arizona.
Oregon had been rumored to be leading the race for Mencl’s services for months, but the No. 1 quarterback in the country, per Rivals, cleared the air and committed to the Ducks on Wednesday evening. Mencl chose the Ducks over Auburn and Penn State, both of which battled hard for him down the stretch.
However, Mencl has been connected to Oregon for a long time. While he was offered last fall before breaking out in his junior season, Mencl has been a fan of the program long before he popped up on the Ducks’ recruiting radar. In a post shared by Rivals recruiting expert Steve Wiltfong, Mencl was announced as a quarterback for the Ducks when he was a kid at the 2019 NFL Draft fan experience in 2019.
Now, Mencl is ready to don the green and yellow for real and make his childhood dreams come true. The Ducks have made a point to get Mencl on campus as often as possible and as recently as last week. The continued connection between both sides is ultimately what made the decision easy for the nation’s top passer. Mencl said he told Lanning and the Oregon staff about his decision on Sunday.
“The biggest thing was the relationship with the staff,” Mencl said after committing. “I feel like that continued to grow over time, especially when I first got there last spring. Being able to sit down with Coach Koa, really being an underlooked guy at that time, and kind of blowing up my junior season. And then, the path to the NFL. You can’t deny what they do with quarterbacks and the type of scheme they run. I felt like that was the best fit for me and my family to get to the next level.”
Koa Ka’ai, Oregon’s new quarterback coach, made waves earlier in the offseason after his recruiting test about ice cream flavors went viral, but that doesn’t appear to have scared Mencl off. In fact, the two have a close connection that Oregon hopes will translate to success on the field in the near future.
“My relationship with Coach Koa, I feel like that is super, super strong,” Mencl told Rivals. “I’ve had a lot of discussions with Coach Lanning about the culture there and how they’re going to continue to sustain greatness throughout the program.”
Mencl exploded onto the national recruiting scene with a massive junior season for Chandler. He completed more than 70% of his passes for 3,815 yards and 33 touchdowns against five interceptions in his junior season, leading Chandler to a state title berth. He also rushed for 741 yards and an additional 17 touchdowns.
The Ducks expect to have some competition for Mencl to compete with when he joins the team for the 2027 season, with Dylan Raiola and Akili Smith Jr. already on the roster and competing for a role as the backup. Oregon has gone to the transfer portal as well in recent seasons, finding success with Bo Nix, Dillon Gabriel, and now Dante Moore.
Oregon has recruited well at quarterback in the past, establishing an NFL pedigree that attracted Mencl. Maybe he will be the one to buck the trend and give the Ducks a true, homegrown product under center.
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‘Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,’ a Wine Enthusiast contributor said of an Oregon wine
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Wine Enthusiast released a list of the top 40 sparkling wines around the world in 2026 – highlighting two bottles of bubbly from Oregon.
“While it can seem like you need a fortune to enjoy high quality sparkling wine, you honestly don’t. Excellent affordable bubbles are being produced around the world, often in places you might not expect. Each of the selections on our inaugural Top 40 Sparkling Wines list delivers personality, freshness, and celebration for under $75,” Wine Enthusiast wrote.
Wine Enthusiast divided its list into separate sparkling categories including, Champagne, Italian Bollicine, American sparkling and bottles $25 and under.
Snagging a spot on the American sparkling list: Corollary Wines in McMinnville.
Corollarly’s 2021 Momtazi Carbonic Rosé Pinot Noir scored 96 points from Wine Enthusiast.
“This is a Peter Max print of a wine, with vivid aromas and flavors to match the wine’s electric Kool-Aid color. It is filled to the brim with aromas and flavors of macerated strawberries, candied rose petals, apricots, and a bitter note similar to watermelon rind. Pour in the largest glass you can find while slow dancing in your socks,” wrote Wine Enthusiast contributor Michael Alberty.
The second Oregon winery to earn a spot on the list: Lytle-Barnett in Dundee.
Wine Enthusiast also gave Lytle-Barnett’s 2018 Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Chardonnay 96 points.
“Bubbles as persistent as an eight-year-old with a question deliver aromas of dried rose petals, macerated strawberries, and a touch of fresh hay and talc. This 70/30 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blend is packed with flavors of lemon zest, Honeycrisp apple slices drizzled in caramel, and a dollop of raspberry,” Alberty wrote.
The nods to Corollary and Lytle-Barnett come as the wineries recently helped launch Method Oregon, a nonprofit made up of 50 Oregon wineries aiming to turn Oregon into a global sparkling wine destination.
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