Successful Legacies

Lorenz Bohrnsen donated his 1,014 acres of farmland to WSU in 1991. Located in Spokane and Whitman Counties, the farm’s revenue supports the Vogel Endowed Chair in Wheat Breeding and Genetics and the Vogel Wheat Research Fund. Kulvinder Gill, the current Vogel professor, is leading research that aims to increase heat tolerance in wheat.

Cleora Neare left her 903-acre farm to the state of Washington in her will. WSU received the farm via House Bill 1016 for the support of the University’s Lind Dryland Research Station, which is dedicated to research on wheat breeding, winter wheat emergence, alternative crops, weed and disease control, soil fertility, erosion control, and residue management.

Lisa Painter wanted to protect the land she and Jeanne Clenendon had farmed since 1972 and to ensure that it was organically and sustainably managed—so she donated the 26-acre farm to WSU and the Jefferson County Land Trust. A central resource for WSU’s Jefferson County Extension, it includes a sizable organic garden, space for 4-H programs to raise livestock, and demonstration plots for sustainable agriculture and natural resource conservation. Lisa still lives in her home on the farm.

400 acres in Whitman County. Originally obtained from the Earmel Cunningham Trust, the Cook farm now serves as the University’s precision agriculture direct seed research farm.

215 acres in Spokane County. Revenue supports the Verle Kaiser Conservation Endowment in the Center for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources.

114 acres in Latah County. Revenue supports the Hattie Davis Espy Memorial Scholarships.

640 acres in Grant County. Revenue supports the Daniel Family Endowment for Precision Wheat Farming and Wheat Breeding.

118 acres in Douglas County. Revenue supports the Schroeder Family Scholarships in Electrical Engineering and Agriculture.

342 acres in Lincoln County. Revenue supports agricultural research at the Wilke Farm.

Georgia was raised and lived her life on her family’s farm in Rockford, Washington. This 500-acre farm gift was inspired by the work at WSU through the Orville Vogel research endowments and how the work directly supports wheat research for all producers. Her farm will continue 

Glenn ’52 farmed all his life in Fairfield, Washington. He knew that attending college was an opportunity many did not receive, and he wanted more farmers to benefit from a WSU education and from its agricultural research. He was a founding member of the WSU Land Legacy Council and enjoyed volunteering to help other farmers. This farm support conservation farming research in CAHNRS. Agricultural research conducted by WSU had made a better farmer out of him, and Glenn wanted other farmers to gain from that research. With the gift of his 400-acre farm, he established the Glen Leitz Soil and Conservation Farming Endowment to do just that.