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

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

B2B interaction meets the next horizon

By Jeff Stone — Posted January 25, 2021

The Oregon Association of Nurseries exists for one purpose — to help the members succeed in growing the best plants in the world. Oregon’s growers are doing their part. Recent data show the industry once again surpassing the $1 billion mark in sales. Resiliency never has had a better example than our members. They got […]

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

Milestones and new beginnings

By Jeff Stone — Posted January 6, 2021

As we turn the page to 2021, many people take a moment around this time to reflect and rekindle the embers of a fresh start. Our natural surroundings can serve as a reminder of this process. Sprouting plants and budding trees signal new beginnings. Our industry plays an important role in that process. Many trees […]

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

Leading with a purpose

By Jeff Stone — Posted November 24, 2020

The Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN) remains, by its very definition and mission, a member-driven, service- and advocacy-oriented green industry force. It seems like a decade ago back in March 2020 when the industry and country were tossed into the abyss of COVID-19. Now that the last chapter of 2020 is being written, we should […]

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

Strength and wisdom

By Jeff Stone — Posted October 20, 2020

An adage says ‘behind every great man is a great woman,’ but it seems archaic to bring up these days with the budding ascension of so many women as national leaders. My two politically-active and college-aged daughters have watched Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris of California become a viable national force in real […]

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

One industry, one voice

By Jeff Stone — Posted September 28, 2020

Welcome to the Advocacy Issue of Digger. We have devoted most of this issue to showing you how the Oregon Association of Nurseries gets involved in policymaking and advocacy on behalf of the members. We wanted to take you “inside” and show you our mindset as well as the process and methods we follow. We […]

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

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NURSERY NEWS

Bailey Nurseries removed dams to build environmental resilience

The new NurseryGuide.com powers up with new features

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

More Nursery News

From the pages of Digger

August 2026 Digger: Farwest Show Edition

July 2026

June: The Shrubs Issue

May 2026: the Sustainability Issue

April: The Tree Issue

More issues of Digger

Pests and Diseases

Box tree moths pose a threat to Oregon nurseries

Managing Phytophthora: timing, temperature and emerging threats

Managing slugs and snails in Pacific Northwest nurseries

OAN leads grower-driven Japanese beetle solution

Prioritizing nursery pest challenges

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

OAN members see benefits and rewards from serving ag industry organizations

AmericanHort president and CEO to step down

OAN honors industry leaders at 2025 Convention

More member stories

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