When I look back on this past year, countless emotions come to mind. There is one in particular that I keep circling back to, and that is gratitude. For those of us in the nursery industry, we have much to be thankful for. While many sectors were hit hard by the pandemic, ours experienced rejuvenation […]
Overcoming adversity
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Fall is near here in Nursery Country. After a long, hot, dry summer, there is much hope and anticipation for cooler weather and plenty of that famous Oregon rainfall. Likewise, September brings about my favorite pastime: football. I spent nearly two decades of my life on the gridiron, participating as a player, coach, and occasional […]
Weathering the storm
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August has always been a month I look forward to. As summer draws toward an end, it’s a big time of transition for our family. Between football practices, trying to squeeze in one more trip to the lake, and scrambling to find last-minute school supplies, there is much to accomplish before Labor Day hits. On […]
Stop and smell the roses
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The annual chaos of spring has slowed down a bit the past few weeks here in Nursery Country. It’s almost a mirror image of the chaos curve we see in the Fessler household each year. Flower season has its big push through Mother’s Day. The weekly yardwork around the house is in full effect at […]
Smart stewardship
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It’s tough to think about the future when we’re trying to keep up with solving the problems of the day. This is something we face nearly every spring, when the most important thing is getting plants out the door to our customers. We do, however, need to set aside time to strategically plan for the […]
Knowing what we don’t
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Some of the smartest people I know have one thing in common: They know what they don’t know. Years ago, I was fresh out of college and back in the industry, and I didn’t have a clue how much I really didn’t know. I had the opportunity to attend a multi-day conference put on by […]
Brighter days ahead
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This past month marked the one-year anniversary of our lives getting flipped upside down by COVID-19. What began as a passing phrase on the news ticker quickly turned into what some expected could be the Great Recession 2.0. Uncertainty became the norm. Expectations changed by the day. We were all in need of direction, and […]
Making every step count
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Every family has traditions. In the Fessler family, we have one time-honored tradition that dates back long before my time. Each winter — typically on a cold, wet winter Saturday — our extended family gathers in Grandpa’s shop to make sausage. It’s taken decades of practice, but the process has evolved over the years into […]
Adapt, overcome and go live!
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Oregon nurseries have become well versed in the art of adversity. Out of sheer necessity, we have mastered the ability to adapt quickly to whatever may come at us. Winter can be a very erratic time for nursery growers in Oregon. Weather patterns can go from zero to 60 in the blink of an eye. […]
The greatest benefit of all
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We often hear the phrase, “Membership has its benefits.” When we invest in a membership organization or cause, we expect to see a financial or emotional return on that investment. The Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) offers several programs that directly impact your bottom line, with a prime example being our health and dental insurance […]