Columns

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 […]

Our mission is to serve

By Jeff Stone — Posted January 30, 2018

The Oregon Association of Nurseries wouldn’t have lasted for over eight decades without changing with the times, but the pace of societal change feels like it is accelerating. We must keep up. All across the country, trade associations have struggled to demonstrate the return on investment (ROI) to their membership. They’ve presented a wide […]

Teamwork matters

By Josh Zielinski — Posted January 30, 2018

Growing up, I was always a foot shorter and roughly 20 pounds lighter than my age group, and my coordination was not exactly stellar. As a result of all this, sports analogies can go right over my head. These days I rarely watch sports events on television, and I definitely haven’t ever had a fantasy […]

Who is the hero of your ads, and why does it matter?

By Ian Doescher — Posted December 22, 2017

Have you ever noticed how most Internet companies advertise their services? One company has super-fast speeds, one has ultra-fast speeds, one has blazing-fast speeds, and another has lighting-fast speeds. What’s the difference between super-, ultra-, blazing-, and lighting-fast speeds? Your guess is as good as mine. These companies are making a mistake many advertisers make […]