Alfalfa, Oregon

Alfalfa is an populated place[1] in Deschutes County, Oregon, United States, in the high desert 16 miles (26 km) east of Bend.[2] Alfalfa was named for the primary forage crop grown there under irrigation.[2] Alfalfa had a post office from 1912 until 1922.[2] The ranching community has a population of about 400 families.[3]

Alfalfa's 80-day growing season limits the local ranchers to growing grass and alfalfa, and because the crop yields are so low, the grass is considered somewhat more suitable for grazing livestock—most commonly cattle—than for haying.[3] The Alfalfa irrigation district was formed in the early 1900s, and many of the local ranch houses date to that time.[3] The Central Oregon Canal passes through the community.[3][4]

Alfalfa is sixteen miles east of Bend, but has a Bend zip code. With potential zoning changes that came with the passage of Measure 37, the community's rural character appeared it may change from being primarily agricultural to residential,[5] but Measure 49 reversed nearly all of Measure 37, and today Alfalfa continues to be a primarily agricultural area.

Alfalfa Grade School was founded in 1911 and closed in 1987.[6][7] At the time the one-teacher, two-room school closed, it served 18 students in kindergarten through second grade.[7] Now, despite being closer to Bend, all public school students from Alfalfa attend school in Redmond.[5]

The hub of the community is the Alfalfa Store.[5] Alfalfa Grange is a historic grange hall, also known as the Alfalfa Community Hall.[8] Deschutes County considers the 1930 building a historic landmark.[9][10] The hall is the meeting location of the Alfalfa Community Church.[11]