Cattle and horses graze near a wind farm outside Umapine, Ore.
Peering south from Walla Walla, the rolling hills of Eastern Oregon seem garnished with dozens of pinwheels, slowly turning in the crisp afternoon breeze.
But these aren't children's toys. These deceptively large wind turbines are some of the Northwest's newest sources of renewable energy.
Just a few miles southwest of Walla Walla, nestled among a few hills and a town called Umapine, which appears to have only a single street, the Combine Hills wind farm is host to more than 40 turbines.
Oregon currently ranks fifth in the nation in wind-power capacity, beating Washington, which ranks sixth, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
Just after the rain had settled on a cold December afternoon, I took the short drive from Walla Walla to Umapine so I could take a peak at some of the turbines.
The turbines dwarf nearby power lines. Although they look small from a distance, wind turbines can tower nearly 400 feet in height.
Though a source of green energy, wind turbines have recently come under attack from a few Oregon farmers who complain about the noise.
