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Written to make you a nursery industry expert.

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You are here: Home / Archives for Columns

Director’s Desk: Buckle up for a testy political year

By Jeff Stone — Posted January 7, 2025

Elected officials can make the industry buckle as quick as a pen signs a piece of paper. We have you covered at the state and federal level.

Filed Under: Director's Desk

In the Know: Naturally native

By Mike Darcy — Posted January 7, 2025

Whether a plant is native or not can create confusion for the gardener and this is where an independent garden center can shine with knowledge to share.

Filed Under: Columns, Mike Darcy Tagged With: Native Plants

President’s message: Linkage and flow

By Ben Verhoeven — Posted January 7, 2025

It is always good to get off the farm. Every time I visit a nursery, I come back with new ideas and fresh energy. I’d like to use this column to share some of those ideas and introduce you to the people who inspired them. It’s a blustery morning today in western Oregon. The driving […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message

Emphasizing fall planting for color

By Mike Darcy — Posted November 21, 2024

How does a garden center capture the
kaleidoscope of fall colors and turn it into potential sales?

Filed Under: Mike Darcy Tagged With: Plants

Director’s Desk: A year to take stock and be grateful

By Jeff Stone — Posted November 21, 2024

It is an understatement that 2024 has been a year full of anxiety. There’s been a contentious election season, uncertain economic conditions, and the emergence of challenges for nurseries specifically.

Filed Under: Director's Desk

President’s Message: Effective communication

By Ben Verhoeven — Posted November 21, 2024

Over the next year. I’d like to use this column to share some of those ideas and introduce you to the people who inspired them. My first foray brings me to Smith Gardens in Aurora, Oregon, where I learned a lesson in effective communication.

Filed Under: President's Message Tagged With: OAN, OAN Members

Growth means more when it’s a team

By Ben Verhoeven — Posted October 24, 2024

When you think about growing, what comes to mind? Root structure and branching? Fertility and weed management? Perhaps it is personal growth. Greenhouse structures and irrigation design? Or business and community? For me it is cultural growth — how a group solves problems together, makes small, meaningful improvements, how they interact with the outside world, […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message

A gathering of community

By Jeff Stone — Posted October 24, 2024

Our nursery industry community is special. This will be my 19th year celebrating our annual gathering at License to Grow: The 2024 OAN Convention. Mark Krautmann and Kathy LeCompte were easy choices to serve as honorary co-chairs on November 15–16 at Salishan Coastal Lodge in Gleneden Beach. Changing of the guard At convention we celebrate […]

Filed Under: Columns, Director's Desk

Government behind the scenes

By Jeff Stone — Posted September 26, 2024

It is true — government is like a mighty river or an aircraft carrier. These things are not nimble and take time to turn, but in the end, policy decisions do matter and directives from elected officials are eventually implemented.

Filed Under: Director's Desk

Thanks for the memories

By Amanda Staehely — Posted September 26, 2024

It is hard for me to believe that a year has already gone by since I wrote my first President’s Message. What an incredible year it was!

Filed Under: President's Message

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NURSERY NEWS

GOP gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan visits Farwest Show

Deciphering Oregon’s plastics recycling law

J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. celebrates 80 years as a nursery standout

Monrovia Nursery Company celebrates 100 years of innovation and looks to the future

New AmericanHort CEO introduces himself to OAN

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

More Nursery News

From the pages of Digger

September 2026 Digger

August 2026 Digger: Farwest Show Edition

July 2026

June: The Shrubs Issue

May 2026: the Sustainability 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

GOP gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan visits Farwest Show

Sofia® Cherry Laurel and Saturnalia™ American hybrid oak shine at New Varieties Showcase 

Eschenfelder Farms wins Best in Show at Farwest

A sense of excitement in the air at Farwest

Deciphering Oregon’s plastics recycling law

More Updates from Farwest

The Value of Membership

ONF scholarships help recipients launch their career in horticulture

New AmericanHort CEO introduces himself to OAN

OAN members see benefits and rewards from serving ag industry organizations

More member stories

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