Bill Coleman Oral History Interview, March 8, 2017

Partial Transcript: So, where were you born?

Segment Synopsis: Bill Coleman introduces himself to begin the interview being conducted at his older sisters house. He was born in Portland, Oregon in 1946, and spent his childhood in St. Paul, Oregon. His family didn't have much money growing up, but they didn't know any different. He started working around the farm as a young boy around the age of 4, where he would pick various crops, specifically hops. Bill shares how much despised picking hops at the time, and shares a story of how we has convinced to pick hops with the promise of his own straw hat.
He breaks down the process in which they dried hops at the time, providing a far more intricate process than what is used today. He continues on to speak about the various work he did as a kid, moving forward to when he was 9 years old. His responsibilities had increased, and he was now in charge of feeding the calves each morning and evening, and worked the hops by driving the tractor.

Partial Transcript: We had a 13 acre field of Fuggles (hop), planted in 1944.

Segment Synopsis: Bill explains the process in which you strip the hops plants, and how his mother volunteered herself and the kids to strip the hops when their father was unable to find labor to get the job done. The majority of their labor was outsourced to a few men, but the rest of the labor fell within the responsibility of the family.
He continues to share stories about how he was able to get himself out of working long days by using clever tricks on his father.
The family owned about 100 cows while Bill was in High school, and he was responsible for milking and taking care of the cows. Although dairy was never a very profitable venture for the Coleman family, Bill explains that they were important due to the fact that they taught the kids how to work hard.

Partial Transcript: How many hops were there when you were 5-7 years old? How many acres?

Segment Synopsis: Before Bill was in school the family had 17 acres of hops. Between 1944-1956 their father continued to plant more acres, ultimately ending with 93 acres total. He explains the technology they used to dry the hops, and how this process evolved over the years.
In 1968 the family bought a property right outside St. Paul that had 69 acres of Fugles on it. Between the 93 acres on the original property, and the newly purchased 69 acres Bill explains how they began picking night and day to harvest all the hops plants they owned. In the drying rooms, Bill elaborates on their decision to use 17 feet high floors opposed to the standard 10 feet because it results in a more efficient drying process. During this period they were bringing in 300-350 bales a day.

Partial Transcript: I'm the first one on the stand, they are suing my cousin.

Segment Synopsis: Bill shares the story of his cousin being sued due to an accident that happened on the property. He took the stand and was questioned by lawyers on the bailer that he had built. They were surprised to hear that he had built it himself without a college education, and not having used blueprints.
He built a second one that didn't require a blueprint either. He didn't face an issue with the mechanics of the bailer, was the computer caused him some troubles.
Bill moves forward to share on the variety of hops that are grown in specific areas, focusing on the Yakima region. At the time of the interview, the Coleman's are growing 25 varieties. He talks about how they grow the hops that are demanded by the buyers, hops are crop that they have to sell, they can't consume themselves so they have to meet market demands.

Partial Transcript: In the hop business, like any other business, you have to wait for one generation to pass away so the next generation can do it their way.

Segment Synopsis: Bill explains how in the hops industry, like any other industry, real change occurs when there is a passing of the torch from one generation from the next. He and his brother learned a lot from their father, and they applied much of that to how they grew hops. However, once they were in control of the farm they were able to implement their own techniques.
He moves on to share his opinion about how a farm can best be managed using multiple individuals who can make decision. This structure allows for more input in making decisions, and ultimately diversifies the farm.
As Bill's father got older, he and his brother John began to run the farm. Once John's kids graduated from college, they returned and took over decision making obligations.
Many of the Spanish laborers they hired had came from Eagle Pass, Texas.

Partial Transcript: What has it been like to have the Abby right there?

Segment Synopsis: Bill elaborates on the relationship with Abby Farmland, specifically how they would rented land to the Coleman family. They were entirely separate entities, but maintained a relationship with one another. He explains that they are normal people just like the rest, they simply want to be paid for the property they are renting out.
In a place with so many farmer generational farmers in a close proximity, Bill explains how everyone knows each other, and they pride themselves on helping out other farms. He mentions his fathers marquee advice, invest your money in real estate, not cars, boats, or other commodities with no return.
Many of the challenges they face in farming industry is completely out of their control. Bill mentions the weather as a prime example of how they can work equally as hard each year, yet their revenue can greatly fluctuate from year to year.
Bill explains how important tenure is when considering what employees perform what jobs. He references a story of when he hired a man named Juan 40 years earlier, and how his responsibilities progressed over his time working on the Coleman farms.

Partial Transcript: So here we had something to talk about.

Segment Synopsis: Bill elaborates on some of the relationships he has fostered outside of the hops industry through the years. He shares stories about people he had met on various cruises, specifically a retired judge from New York and a Jewish man who endured Auschwitz. He retells many of the stories that they had told him, and explains how their life lessons had impacted him. He received great financial tips about the stock market.
Bill has gone on many trips involving hops throughout his life, many of which they would go down to California. Bill has a great appreciation for the scenery throughout the United States, and explains how he would go to locations that many would considered undesirable purely because of his curiosity.
He attended the International Hop Congress in Paris one year where he served on the board. He shares his feelings about how densely populated the area was when coming out of the subway.

Partial Transcript: What about the role of the growers association?

Segment Synopsis: Bill shares how the hops conventions they attend are important because of the camaraderie they built with fellow hop growers. He moves forward to speak about the culture of farm tours, allowing people outside the hop industry to tour the farm to witness the process of growing hops. Bill explains that they never participated much in this aspect of business, but notes that it has become a regular thing as beer has become increasingly popular in the pacific north west. The younger generation has become much more interested in the food to table process, and that is why these tours have become much relevant.

Partial Transcript: What are stories we didn't ask you about?

Segment Synopsis: In 1969, Bill and his brother Bobby started the two row machinery because they had more hops that they couldn't get plowed. So when Bill got out of school they had to plow 10 acres a day, but they were looking to increase that number. They built this new machinery, and were now able to plow 40 acres a day, revolutionizing their plowing process. They continued to progress, and eventually got to the point where one man could plow 60-70 acres a day.
He moves forward to share about the wages his father paid him once he returned home after school, and quoted a wise man, "the best money you'll ever make, is what you leave in your back pocket."
Bill shares about the market demand for hops from the brewing industry, and how they planted the variations of hops to meet the demands.

Partial Transcript: The hop growers was the only marketing order that got no money from the government.

Segment Synopsis: Hop growers had an assessment of $60,000-70,000 an acre. Because of this figure, Bill explains how it was difficult to enter into the hop business without an established grower selling you their base.
In the late 1970's the global hop production was flat, so Bill decided that they had to earn 3 1/2 a pound. He and his father were in a disagreement, but he had taken over the reigns of the farm and stood with his decision. He had four buyers that could each have 3,000 bails. One buyer offered him $4 a pound for the decade of the 1980's for the entirety of his hops, but he declined to maintain relationships with multiple buyers. Bill notes this as his biggest mistake in his hops career.

Partial Transcript: Anyway Michelle, what did you want to know today?

Segment Synopsis: Bill shares more advice that his dad gave him and his siblings, specifically to marry a good woman to go through life with. He moves forward from his fathers advice to how he can continue to share that wisdom with the generation that follows him. He says it requires picking opportune times, and avoid cramming it down their throats.
He concludes the interview by sharing some stories of kids who had worked on the farm and return years later to express their gratitude for his ability to teach them how to work and how to farm.