Columns

Finding common ground on immigration

By Jeff Stone — Posted April 30, 2018

The immigration system has been broken for more than three decades. Building an immigration reform package in a vitriolic political environment remains a huge challenge. Oregon’s agricultural industry is united in seeking a solution to the perpetual labor crisis. Getting from there will demand that we reconsider what a solution could look like. Washington, D.C. […]

What does efficiency look like?

By Josh Zielinski — Posted April 30, 2018

Regardless of what part of the country you are in, it seems labor is tight for nurseries in need of help. We all know our businesses must reckon with limited options if we are going to remain open. One way to address the labor shortage is to do more with less. Everywhere we look, we […]

Don’t overlook these late bloomers

By Mike Darcy — Posted March 27, 2018

Don’t overlook these late bloomers During the busy spring months, when customers are buying nearly everything that is in bloom, they might overlook plants that don’t show off their color until late summer. I have many plants in my garden that are just coming into peak flower in August and September. Whenever we open our […]

H-2A for nurseries

By Steve Shropshire — Posted March 27, 2018

The guest worker program offers a labor option, but has its challenges Oregon nurseries are facing pressing labor shortages. Several have turned to mechanization, but the industry still needs human hands. In recent years, those hands have not been adequately available. Many nurseries are considering the H-2A temporary agricultural worker visa program as a potential […]

This should be our month

By Jeff Stone — Posted March 27, 2018

What is the true meaning of Earth Day? And what about Arbor Day? The answers really depend on one’s personal perspective. I think of parades with causes on big poster boards, and a mix of environmental advocates, students, and parents with baby strollers. I asked my daughter and her two friends, all sophomores in high […]

An adventure worth taking

By Josh Zielinski — Posted March 27, 2018

On a recent weekend, I did something I don’t do enough — I went to a retail garden center. You see, as a nurseryman, the honest truth is that by Sunday, I usually feel like I’ve seen enough plants. I can’t wait to go out into the woods for a run, clean the house, putter […]

Excitement in the air

By Jeff Stone — Posted February 27, 2018

The nursery and greenhouse industry is known for adopting new technology. When it comes to exploring advanced production technologies, we’re not exactly wallflowers. OAN members have invested their time in the development of smart-sprayer technology by serving as testers. They’ve embraced the OAN’s Nursery Guide, a searchable hub that brings buyers and sellers together online. […]

When simplicity beats creativity

By Ian Doescher — Posted February 27, 2018

At Pivot, the marketing agency where I work, I have the enviable (at least I think so) position of being on a creative team tasked with dreaming up creative campaigns for our clients. We’re the group that sits around bringing every resource to bear — clever plays on words, less clever puns, cultural references, eye-catching […]

Christmas is here

By Josh Zielinski — Posted February 27, 2018

From the looks of this title, you may be wondering if it’s a misprint or if December’s article somehow crept its way into the wrong issue. By now, even the discounted holiday decoration aisles have all been put away, right? It’s not a mistake. For many of us in the nursery business, March is harvest […]

Inspiration in other gardens

By Mike Darcy — Posted January 30, 2018

Whenever I visit other people’s gardens, particularly at the start of the year, the conversation often turns to two questions. What new plants I am going to buy? And what were my favorite plants of the past season? I do not really have favorite plants for a season, but I might have a favorite plant […]