Vern Klicker stands between his son Aaron, left, and daughter Chyane, on March 27, 2023, holding the official century farm sign at Klicker Homestead Berries in the Mill Creek area of Umatilla County. The farm has belonged to the Klicker family since 1895.

MILTON-FREEWATER — Klicker Homestead Berries in the Mill Creek area of Umatilla County is more than a hundred years old. 

The Oregon Century Farm & Ranch Program awarded Century Farm status in 2022 to Klicker Homestead. Almina Ross Garland Klicker proved up the homestead in 1895. Successful applicants were Daniel and Vernon Klicker. The farm had been eligible for the award since 1995.

“It was my dad’s before me,” Vern Klicker said. “It never dawned on him to apply. He passed away right before we applied. He would have been in favor. My cousin said we should send it in. To be honest, she did all the paperwork.”

The submitted documents and photographs told the family farm’s 131-year history.

Recent widow Almina Ross Garland arrived in 1891 with her two small children at the Mill Creek area of Umatilla County. She filed her claim for a 160-acre parcel of land 12 miles southeast of Walla Walla, at the mouth of Henry and Web Canyons, just over the state line, 46 degrees north latitude.

Almina was a resourceful woman who built her home with salvaged lumber from a flume that had been destroyed by floods. Her brother and uncle helped her build her first cabin.

Almina met neighboring homesteader Jake Klicker in 1892. Within two years they were wed. Almina’s uncle and brother in 1894 built a second story onto her cabin, making a dormitory style addition which she turned into a successful resort hotel.

Almina discovered a mineral spring on her property. She developed this natural resource by piping the mineral water to a 500-gallon wooden tank in which she heated the water. She then delivered hot mineral water to three zinc bath tubs. Almina called her business Klicker Mineral Springs Resort.

Up to 250 renters and campers each summer would buy milk, eggs, butter and vegetables from Almina. She raised Jersey and beef cows, hogs, sheep, chickens and garden crops to support her business in the early years of the farm.

Almina proved up on her 160-acre homestead on April 18, 1895, and received ownership documents. Her sons Jacob and Delbert formed Klicker Brothers and Sons in the 1920s, when they started raising strawberries and cattle.

They built a new homestead log house with five bedrooms and running water in 1922. By the 1950s Almina’s grandsons established a new commodity line, Christmas trees.

In the early 1980s Almina’s grandson Delbert Jr. moved into the homestead log home and replaced strawberries with blueberries. He harvested the first crop of blueberries in 1986.

Delbert’s sons, Dan and Vern, now operate the blueberry and Christmas tree businesses. They hope to return the homestead to Almina’s original vision by establishing a modern day bed and breakfast nestled in the hillsides, surrounded by blueberries and Christmas trees.

The remaining homestead properties support cattle production and grazing. Land management through conservative logging practices has also added income to the homestead. Dan and Vern are the great-grandsons of Almina, the founder. Vern’s children are the fifth generation of Klickers living at the homestead.

Each generation has innovated. The present owners added farmers market vending to their sales mix.

“Dad didn’t do farmers markets,” Vern said. “Only U-pick and commercial wholesale at the house.”

After a scenic drive up Mill Creek, U-pick is available at the home place from early July until the berries run out or the first frost hits in September, Vern Klicker said.