As I write this column, I am at Cultivate’23 in Columbus, Ohio, where Oregon is well represented. More than 60 OAN member companies are exhibiting, dozens of them are walking the show floor, and Oregon’s own Nancy Buley (J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.) and Ryan Contreras (Oregon State University) are cornerstones of the educational […]
The shining city on the hill
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Only the stoutest of political nerds would recall that President Ronald Reagan’s farewell address to the nation invoked a 1630 sermon by Puritan pilgrim John Winthrop. White House speechwriter Ken Khachigian tapped into Reagan’s long-held North Star of America, defining his vision of “the shining city upon a hill.” Looking back from where we were […]
My chat with ChatGPT
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I had a conversation a few months ago with Steve Shropshire, the association’s legal counsel from Jordan Ramis PC, about the emergence of ChatGPT and the open-source abilities. I found it fascinating. Type pretty much anything into ChatGPT and it’ll spit out a confident, convincing response. What some have found is that its answers can […]
Sustainable industries need sustainable solutions
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Every year, when I try to come up with a column topic for the month of May, my tendency is to focus on labor. This year’s May issue of Digger is focused on sustainability, and that only leads me to an angering paradox. Many things about the nursery industry are sustainable — but our labor […]
Blessed to be part of this industry
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It took my legendary predecessor, Clayton Hannon, to notify me that I now stand as the longest serving executive director in the history of the Oregon Association of Nurseries. I thought this couldn’t possibly be correct, but as it turns out, as normal, Clayton had his facts straight. Over the last 12 years, I have […]
The lifeblood of our industry
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The Water Issue is one of the most pertinent Digger efforts to serve our membership. We hope that how we lay out the issues makes sense and provides some context of the dynamics we are facing at the state and federal levels. Our industry stretches the water resource farther than most of those involved in […]
Everyday things matter
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As Benjamin Franklin left the Constitutional Convention, he was reportedly asked what kind of government the founders would propose. He replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.” This phrase has resonated through American history. It has been tested through a civil war, world wars, and even the toxic sludge of political discourse we are […]
Time to go big and green
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Look around us. There are so many exciting innovations and breakthroughs happening all over the world. Many of these are happening in agriculture, which is no surprise. We are the stewards of working lands. We know from deep experience how to take what we have, and make something even better from it. It’s in our […]
A meaningful foundation
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The Pacific Northwest is rich in its history. It was the destination of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but also developed a rugged trade that brought goods to the world. Look at the names of rivers, towns and natural features. The influence of indigenous cultures is part of what makes this area special. Travel this […]
Your vote is your voice
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The 2022 election cycle has more angst, absurd assumptions, and consequences than I have seen in some time. No doubt, regardless of discussions are at the fence post, supply stores or at family dinner, there is tangible uncertainty about the economy, crime, and our social fabric. In Oregon, a high number of voters believe the […]
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