The SAGE Center in Boardman, Oregon. SAGE stands for Sustainable AGriculture and Energy.

Photos by Cheryl Landes

The exit to Boardman, where the Sustainable AGriculture and Energy Center (SAGE Center) is located, is often ignored by drivers on Interstate 84. But if you want to learn about history and technology for sustainable agriculture and energy in Oregon, it’s worth a stop.

The interactive exhibits here are educational and fun. Try your hand at milking a cow (not a real one, but you’ll get the idea) or planting corn in a straight line. Fly over Morrow County in a simulated hot air balloon. Discover how potatoes go from the farm to your table.

Learn about the top agricultural products produced in Oregon and why irrigation plays a big role in farming. Buy locally made products at the gift shop.

A potato machine in the SAGE Center in Boardman, Oregon

Turn this wheel to learn how water is important for bringing agriculture to northcentral Oregon at the SAGE Center in Boardman, Oregon.

A potato sensor at the SAGE Center in Boardman, Oregon

A farming exhibit at the SAGE Center in Boardman, Oregon.

Try planting corn in a straight line at this simulator at the SAGE Center in Boardman, Oregon. It’s more challenging than you might think!

The cow milking station at the SAGE Center in Boardman, Oregon

An exhibit focusing on the types of food grown in Oregon at the SAGE Center in Boardman. Agriculture is one of the state’s largest industries.

A tree farm exhibit at the SAGE Center in Boardman, Oregon.

This exhibit at the SAGE Center provides an introduction to barges and their roles in transporting goods along the Columbia River.

The SAGE Center is located at 101 Olson Road NE in Boardman, Oregon, 167 miles east of Portland.