SAGE Center — Attraction in Boardman

Upon entering the exhibit hall, the first thing you see is a massive two-story potato processing machine that explains the steps necessary to make curly fries. It's very informative and well done, but after that the experience quickly devolves into what is essentially walking through a commercial for factory farming.

For example: You can watch a video at one kiosk that shows how corn goes from the field to your table. It shows a bucolic field with an overalls-clad farmer husking a ripe corn cob, then smash-cut to a a harvester dumping what is clearly shucked animal feed corn or ethanol corn, and then fade into a fresh cob of yellow corn slathered in butter. The video neglects to mention that less than 10% of the corn grown in the US is meant for human consumption.

There are some areas of the museum that attempt to delve into the history of Morrow County, although they are very heavy on emphasizing the 5-6 famines that own the major factory farms in the area.

The museum does not hide the fact that it is one big advertisement for Big Ag. One kiosk in particular had recently been removed and replaced with a "Your Ad Here" message written on a whiteboard.

But the moment you realize you've been bamboozled into paying $10 a head to walk through a commercial is when you see the Amazon exhibit--complete with replicas of Amazon packages stacked up next to some fiber cables that represent an Amazon project that is currently underway in the area.

There are a handful of other annoyances ("The government too-heavily regulates how much water we use to grow alfalfa that we ship to India" etc) but there's too much to list.

I would compare it to a forest museum that touts the economic benefits of clearcutting old growth trees or an aquatic museum that extols the virtues of making baby seal burritos.

It has clean bathrooms and a...

Updating my review since we happened to be traveling on a none-holiday weekday. Great quality exhibits (a few need minor repairs) Lots to experience and learn about the local area and agriculture in general. They are working on an expansion that appears double or triple current size. Looking forward to seeing the result. (If we are ever lucky enough to be driving by when they are open...)

Absolutely worth stopping by if your timing is right.

Previous Review: Family intentionally drove out from western Oregon and planned our trip around stoping at the SAGE Center. Doors locked, no message on the door, or the voice-mail, or on the website... Not being open on the weekend is pretty frustrating, but understandable. Finally get a chance to come out on a weekday and no communication... As much as we would like to visit, it feels like the stars are not going to align...

(Also door says open on Saturdays but Google says closed on Saturdays...what's the deal?)

Will update review when...

I visited the Sustainable AGriculture and Environment Center after my recent 50th high school class reunion in Hermiston, Oregon. After graduating in 1965, I worked for four college summers at the Union Pacific Railroad's Hinkle Yard and Ordnance Section just east of Boardman. The Port of Morrow was then just shaping itself around its new shore lands elevation along the Columbia River caused by the brand new John Day Dam reservoir. My SAGE Center visit was very impressed with the level of agricultural reclamation on former government lands and the scientific effort being taken by the Port and its corporate partners in creating a haven of sustainable economic enterprise--to even providing soccer fields and space for a riverfront parkland/marina for sustaining its neighboring West End community. Its growth to having now become the second largest Port in Oregon is...