The Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center (EOARC) Union location, is divided into the "Base property", which consists of 600 acres of farm ground in Union, OR, and "The Hall Ranch," which is approximately 2,000 acres of forested land located 12 miles southeast of Union on Hwy 203.
The base property was established in 1901, and the Hall Ranch was established in 1939. Legal source of establishment and current ownership is by Oregon State University.
The main features of the EOARC Union are an office and laboratory facilities which are comprised of barns, buildings, and equipment necessary to run an agricultural experiment station. The laboratory is equipped to run basic nutritional analyses and micro-histological analysis. Areas are available for field trip camping, and limited housing is available for graduate students.
Average annual precipitation at the base property is 14 inches with snowfall possible from November through April and averaging 26 inches annually. Mean temperature ranges from 24°F in January to 84°F in July, but temperatures below 0°F and above 100°F are possible. At the Hall Ranch, fall and spring are cool and moist, while summers are hot and dry. Precipitation averages 26 inches, and snow is common and may be continuous in winter months. Accumulations in excess of 28 inches are possible. Temperatures range from 0°F in January to over 100°F in July.
The base property was established at an elevation of 2,769 feet. Soils originate from two dominant parent materials: (1) silt sized volcanic ash originating from Mount Mazama eruptions, and (2) basalt. The Hall Ranch, ranging from 3,937 feet to 5,905 feet in elevation, has four soil series: the Tolo, Klicker, Hall Ranch, and Chop silt loams. Pumicite is found in varying amounts in all soils.
Vegetation at the base property is farm ground comprised of cropland for alfalfa and grain production. Additionally, non-tillable acres are seeded to pasture grasses, primarily tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). The Hall Ranch vegetation is primarily forest land suitable for livestock grazing. Vegetation groups are grand fir (Abies grandis) forest on the north slopes, mixed conifer forest, wet meadow, and riparian. Dominant plant species are grand fir, Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), ninebark (Physocarpus malvaceus), ocean spray (Holodiscus discolor), snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), pine grass (Calamagrostis rubescens), elk sedge (Carex geyeri), and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis). Portions of the Hall Ranch have been clearcut and seeded to orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), timothy (Phleum pratense), blue wildrye (Elymus glaucus), smooth brome (Bromus inermis), and white dutch clover (Trifolium repens).
Cattle are owned by Oregon State University. The cattle herd has 200 cows, 20-50 replacement heifers, and 80 steers kept to long yearlings. Cattle are maintained on the base property from mid-October to mid-June. Hay is fed from December 15 to May 15. Cattle are grazed on the Hall Ranch and on the US Forest Service Starkey Experimental Forest the remainder of the year.