Diggins Winner Of Legacy Award

Earlier this month, Pendleton Cattle Barons awarded its annual Legacy Award to George Diggins.  Diggins was presented with a framed Cattle Barons Poster and belt buckle recognizing his achievements.  Diggins has been a long time farmer and rancher in the Pendleton area for over 40 years.  He has been a supporter of agriculture, youth and the western ranching traditions.

Diggins’ family initially settled in 1856 in the Milton-Freewater-Walla Walla area with his great grandfather homesteading on ranch land and expanded his farming and started freight hauling.  The land was inexpensive so he traded 360 acres for a team and buggy.  Later, Diggins’ grandfather started his own ranch in the Basket Mountain area near Milton-Freewater raising barley and cattle and developed a thrashing business.

It allowed his grandfather to put up stacks of chaff as he farmed along the Walla Walla river. Diggins’ grandfather lost his ranch during the Depression; Diggins’ dad, David, along with Diggins’ aunt and uncle, the Fergusons, ventured out again in the ranching business buying land to grow wheat and raise cattle. Diggins’ mother and father supplemented the ranch income working day job.

After attending college Diggins’ returned to the area and began working for Frank Tubbs in eastern Umatilla County.  Under Tubbs’ mentoring Diggins; was to get a loan from the then local Production Credit Association and buy heifers to start a cow herd.

“I have been in debt ever since” Diggins’ stated “but Frank helped me start out on my own and continue the ranching lifestyle that has been my life.”

Diggins’ continued to work for Tubbs and expand the cattle herd and a sheep flock. Breaking away in the 1970’s Diggins’ was on his own and leased farmland from the Snyders. When they died they left Diggins’ 160 acres and the house that is his current home. Running sheep early on in the 1980’s Diggins’ traded the sheep for cows and a forest grazing permit that is still part of his cattle operation. Diggins’ expanded the ranching operation into wheat and hay near the foot hills of the Blue Mountains. Diggins’ continues to run cattle and put up hay. Diggins’ is well known for his high quality hay that he sells in small bales to locals for their horses and cattle. Diggins’ annually donates hay to Pendleton Cattle Barons and frequently to Umatilla County to feed abandoned horses. He also lends his equipment to the Pendleton Round Up to unload and feed hay during Round Up.

For his dedication and service to agriculture, ranching and the Western traditions, Diggins’ was awarded the Pendleton Cattle Barons Legacy Award for 2019.

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