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You are here: Home / Archives for Columns / Director's Desk

La familia de viveros e invernaderos

By Jeff Stone — Posted November 28, 2021

The word “familia” has a long history of referring to close relations or connections. In Spanish, “la familia” variously refers in English to one’s family, circle of friends and coworkers, teammates, or other close communities or organizations. So, as many of you will know, the Spanish headline above refers to “the family of nurseries and […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Politics

No map should muffle our voice

By Jeff Stone — Posted October 26, 2021

Every 10 years, the nation takes a census to find out where our fellow Americans reside, so they can be better represented in the political process. Based on those results, those states or locales that increase in population get more representation; conversely, influence recedes in the states or areas that lose voters. While fairness is […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, directors desk, OAN, OAN Members, Politics

Ag is united in the face of adversity

By Jeff Stone — Posted September 22, 2021

The fall season signifies a change. Colors explode on our trees, while crisp mornings and the precious opportunities for a warm day combine for a special time in Oregon. While I am a boy of summer, the fall has always been my favorite time of year. My two daughters are away at college, the hard […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, directors desk, OAN, OAN Members, Politics

A more perfect union

By Jeff Stone — Posted August 27, 2021

On September 17, 1787 — 234 years ago this month — the Constitution of the United States was signed. This year, as every year, scores of our youth will sit in classrooms learning about democracy’s sustaining win, as well as its noble cause — the creation of “a more perfect union.” But what does that mean? The […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Politics

Road trip to the City of Roses

By Jeff Stone — Posted July 29, 2021

The pandemic has been a not-so-welcome roller coaster ride for the past two years. Just over a year ago, in the teeth of uncertainty and a virus outbreak that dominated public life, the OAN Board of Directors made the decision to push the 2020 Farwest Show into 2021. This was the right call. We had […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Farwest, Farwest Show, Politics

A summer of reconnection

By Jeff Stone — Posted June 28, 2021

It felt like home. Last month, the nursery and greenhouse family came together to golf at the Duffers Classic, our annual tournament to raise funds for the Oregon Nurseries’ Political Action Committee (ONPAC). Although some displayed a rusty golf game, that could not hamper the tremendous feeling of reconnection we all shared. Our long national […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Politics

Sustainability is our calling card

By Jeff Stone — Posted May 27, 2021

It is fitting that this issue of Digger focuses on sustainability. Sustainability is embedded in how our nurseries operate, and it comes standard with all of our products. Last Labor Day, our region and the nearby Cascade forests came under attack from raging wildfires. Communities were destroyed, people were forced to evacuate, and the sky […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: directors desk, OAN, OAN Members, Politics

Lessons of the pandemic

By Jeff Stone — Posted April 21, 2021

Every business sector has had to adapt to the pandemic. The various trade associations representing these sectors also had to navigate the same challenging environment, but they had a double responsibility. They had to steer their industry through the pandemic, as well. Nurseries did fairly well after an uncertain start to the pandemic. Other economic […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: coronavirus, Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members

A pause of appreciation

By Jeff Stone — Posted March 23, 2021

This is my 126th column as your executive director, and a lot has happened in the last  10½ years. As a history nerd, I went back to find the oldest version of Digger I could. I was able to locate Issue #2 (ever), from June 1956. The Oregon Association of Nurserymen, as it was known […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Politics

Going halfway to understand the new buyer

By Jeff Stone — Posted February 25, 2021

In the nursery and greenhouse industry, we have always had to follow and understand consumer trends. Otherwise, we will never be able to build business models capable of enduring countless shifts in behavior. The changes in preferences and mores also influence a government that is tone deaf at times, more concerned with shaping behavior than […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Politics

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NURSERY NEWS

Terra Gardens owner’s gesture for his mother opens the door to other wheelchair-bound gardeners

OAN announces 2025 Friends of Nurseries award winners

OAN leads grower-driven Japanese beetle solution

AmericanHort president and CEO to step down

In memoriam: Bill Van Belle

Longtime employee buys Heritage Seedlings and Liners

In Memoriam: Melvin John Steffenson

New USDA Census of Hort arriving in mailboxes this month

More Nursery News

From the pages of Digger

March: The Perennials Issue

February: The Greenhouse Issue

January 2026: The Retail Issue

November 2025: The Transportation Issue

October 2025

More issues of Digger

Pests and Diseases

OAN leads grower-driven Japanese beetle solution

Prioritizing nursery pest challenges

New tools in the battle against thrips

Aiming for precision in pest control

Oregon’s nursery licensing program aims to keep the entire industry healthy

More articles

FARWEST SHOW UPDATES

2026 Farwest Show issues calls for speakers

Excitement, optimism prevail at 2025 Farwest Show

Dazzling plants, products garner Retailer’s Choice Awards

Youngblood Nursery wins Best in Show booth honors at the 2025 Farwest Show

Glow Sticks Fescue wins top honors from judges at Farwest Show’s New Varieties Showcase 

More Updates from Farwest

The Value of Membership

AmericanHort president and CEO to step down

OAN honors industry leaders at 2025 Convention

Meet the Leader: Patrick Peterson

More member stories

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