One year ago, I assumed the position of OAN president. I likened it to starting a long training run. I felt apprehension about my readiness, but I was excited for the challenge. Boy, I had no idea what was in store. The first major obstacle was like going up the first hill in a run. […]
Complete this picture
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The Oregon Association of Nurseries is our trade association that helps keep us working and growing. The volunteer leaders and professional staff that make up the OAN connect us, market our plants, and above all else advocate on our behalf to the politicians and government officials in Salem and Washington DC. I am really excited […]
The silver linings of COVID-19
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When the pandemic started, it threw our businesses and lives into chaos. It was difficult to follow as scientists continually discovered more about the disease, and we all had to adapt. Social distancing slowed many of our plant production processes, and trips to the grocery store became infrequent. As we come into September and the […]
An important partnership
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In 1888, the Oregon Agriculture College (OAC) established a horticulture department with sights on building a single greenhouse and creating its own laboratories to conduct experiments. In the subsequent 132 years, OAC became Oregon State University (OSU) and the horticulture department has grown. When I graduated from OSU in horticulture 20 years ago, there were […]
OAN takes a financial hit
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I miss baseball. Due to concerns related to COVID-19, the start of the Major League Baseball season was postponed. I’m hopeful there will be some baseball games before the end of summer. I’m not a die-hard fan by any means, but I played a lot growing up. Summer was a time for batting gloves, infield […]
Guides along life’s journey
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Throughout life, we run across people who affect us in positive ways. Teachers, coaches and friends can all have an influence upon us that lasts a lifetime. Within the nursery industry, mentors can be found just about anywhere. They can be bosses, co-workers, or even competitors down the road. They can also be family members […]
President’s Message: Into the unknown
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Spring is a hectic time. Add in a worldwide pandemic with economic uncertainties, and it can be a recipe for disaster. The most unnerving aspect is the unknown. As an industry, we are accustomed to unpredictable weather. We see damaging frosts, rainy weekends, and hot, dry summers stressing the growing season. These are all hiccups […]
Lending our future a hand
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The nursery industry as a whole is mutually supportive. We help each other out. There is always someone willing to assist a fellow nursery or talk with someone looking to start a career in this great industry. One of the ways Oregon Association of Nurseries members help each year is to promote horticultural education through […]
Our voice matters
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In February, I joined a group of the OAN’s Government Relations Committee members on a trip to Salem. We met with legislators to talk about the current session and how multiple bills directly relate to, and impact, our nursery industry. Ten or more years ago, this would have been an “off year” — the legislature would […]
Instant gratification
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This past fall I was able to take time away from my nursery and visit a few of our new retail customers. It’s always great to get out and see how the retail sector of our industry is doing. One of the things that kept coming up was an emerging trend of “just in time” […]