About Us

Vision

WSU Asotin County Extension is the front door to Washington State University. It extends non-credit education and degree opportunities to people and communities throughout the state. Extension builds the capacity of individuals, organizations, businesses and communities, empowering them to find solutions for local issues and to improve their quality of life. Extension is recognized for its accessible, learner-centered, relevant, high quality, unbiased educational programs. Extension collaborates with communities to create a culture of life-long learning.

Our office has been serving the community since 1918.

Asotin County Extension Agents:
2000-Present    Mark D. Heitstuman
1987-2000         Marlene C. Garrison
1988-1994         Gary B. Delaney
1983-1986         JoAnn Cloaninger
1983-1987         James A. Church
1979-1982         Randall R. Mills
1978-1983         Virginia W. Woods
1973-1978         W. Douglas Warnock
1962-1978         Rosa Lee Bond
1938-1972         Cecil R. Bond
1959-1962         Esther B. Call
1958-1960         Mary Ellen Harvey
1955-1957         Georgia Burgess
1947-1947         Miriam Ann Laney
1946-1947         Dorothy Hodkins
1936-1938         Albert Polenske
1933-1936         Harold Simons
1918-1919         J. Mitchell Lewis

Asotin County Courthouse

We are located in the basement of the Asotin County Courthouse in Asotin, Washington.

Asotin County Agricultural Facts
per 2005 census
Average size of farms: 1558 acres

Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $50479

Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $143.05

The value of nursery, greenhouse, floriculture, and sod as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 11.15%

The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 35.96%

Average total farm production expenses per farm: $52580

Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 14.51%

Irrigated harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 0.50%

Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $66519

The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 78.89%

Average age of principal farm operators: 54 years

Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 3.54

Milk cows are a percentage of all cattle and calves: 0.05%

All wheat for grain: 25703 harvested acres

Vegetables: 15 harvested acres

Land in orchards: 71 acres

WSU Extension History

It's hard to imagine farm life in Washington a century ago, a life devoid of conveniences we take for granted today. There were no telephones, running water or electricity. Light was provided by smoky kerosene lamps. Horses provided transportation as well as draft power. Food was cooked on wood or coal stoves. Clothes were washed by hand in a tub with homemade soap. Farm families faced a multitude of challenges and had few places to turn for help. Hungry for knowledge, thousands flocked to Farmer's Institutes and demonstration trains staged by the Washington Experiment Station to hear about experiments at the state's new land-grant college in Pullman.

It was soon apparent, there was a real need to apply new found facts to local conditions. 1913, a year ahead of federal legislation authorizing the present extension system, the state authorized a Bureau of Farm Development headquartered at Washington State College and provided for the appointment and maintenance of agricultural experts across the state. By then, however, George A. Nelson, the first county extension worker, had been on the job for more than two months. Nelson was appointed as agriculturist for Wahkiakum County December 12, 1912. He was absorbed into the new Bureau. Pioneer extension educators established a philosophy that's still relevant today: "helping farmers to help themselves."

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Life is good at WSU.

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A unique richness of students, faculty, location, activities, and organizations creates a full, lively student life at the University. This section gives you the insider's view on student life and a sampling of the opportunities here.

"Glimpses." Students talk about life at WSU

These brief posts are written by WSU students to give you a personal look through their window on campus life.

WSU Asotin County Extension Office , PO Box 9, Asotin, WA 99402, 509-243-2009, Contact Us