Our Klamath Basin Water Crisis
Fighting for Our Right to Irrigate Our Farms and Caretake Our Natural Resources

Story by,  Helen Newkirk Shuss

My husband Jack (now deceased) grew up on a farm in Ceres, California. He served in the Army in France and Germany. He was 24 and I was 20 when we homesteaded in Tulelake in 1949. 

We loved the lifestyle and it was a good place to raise our children. All of us homesteaders in the Panhandle (Tulelake) stayed together through happy times and sad times. Our 89-acre farm has been in operation for 51 years, employing up to 50 people as we raise organic horseradish. 

My husband and I were in on the establishment of Newell Grain and Tulelake Horseradish Growers & Grinders. Over the years four local horseradish growers have built the business up to "all of the horseradish grown this side of the Mississippi River." 

Jack died in 1985 after having 3 years of A.L.S. (Lou Gherig’s). My son-in-law and daughter and I now farm the homestead. We are here because this is our life. Now without water, we will lose everything because horseradish, once planted, is in for 30 years. 

(as it turned out, we had to drill a $100,000 well, from which we have not yet financially recovered..1/8/04)

(the little girl is a webmaster of KBC...cute, huh!)