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You are here: Home / Archives for Columns / President's Message

What sets Oregon apart

By Josh Robinson — Posted December 20, 2021

The Nursery Country issue of Digger is quite possibly my favorite edition of the magazine each year. We get an in-depth look into the nursery and greenhouse operations that make our members world-class. With COVID-19 still in effect and tours being tough to come by, this issue is the best thing short of a tour […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Presidents Message, Welcome to Nursery Country

With purpose comes passion

By Josh Robinson — Posted November 28, 2021

Fall has arrived and is running its course. The deciduous trees have progressed through their show of fall color and have dropped their leaves. In the plant grower’s world, this turns the page to harvest season. At the mention of the words “harvest season,” a litany of tasks runs through my mind — all associated […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Presidents Message

The start of a beautiful journey

By Josh Robinson — Posted October 26, 2021

Hello everyone. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Josh Robinson. Alongside my parents, Rick and Roxanne, and brother, Chris, I am a co-owner of Robinson Nursery in McMinnville, Oregon. Mom and Dad started the business in 1984. I consider myself blessed to have been raised on the farm and as […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Presidents Message

Working for future generations

By Kyle Fessler — Posted September 22, 2021

When I look back on this past year, countless emotions come to mind. There is one in particular that I keep circling back to, and that is gratitude. For those of us in the nursery industry, we have much to be thankful for. While many sectors were hit hard by the pandemic, ours experienced rejuvenation […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Presidents Message

Overcoming adversity

By Kyle Fessler — Posted August 27, 2021

Fall is near here in Nursery Country. After a long, hot, dry summer, there is much hope and anticipation for cooler weather and plenty of that famous Oregon rainfall. Likewise, September brings about my favorite pastime: football. I spent nearly two decades of my life on the gridiron, participating as a player, coach, and occasional […]

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

Weathering the storm

By Kyle Fessler — Posted July 29, 2021

August has always been a month I look forward to. As summer draws toward an end, it’s a big time of transition for our family. Between football practices, trying to squeeze in one more trip to the lake, and scrambling to find last-minute school supplies, there is much to accomplish before Labor Day hits. On […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Farwest, Farwest Show, OAN, OAN Members, Presidents Message

Stop and smell the roses

By Kyle Fessler — Posted June 28, 2021

The annual chaos of spring has slowed down a bit the past few weeks here in Nursery Country. It’s almost a mirror image of the chaos curve we see in the Fessler household each year. Flower season has its big push through Mother’s Day. The weekly yardwork around the house is in full effect at […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, OAN, OAN Members, Politics, Presidents Message

Smart stewardship

By Kyle Fessler — Posted May 27, 2021

It’s tough to think about the future when we’re trying to keep up with solving the problems of the day. This is something we face nearly every spring, when the most important thing is getting plants out the door to our customers. We do, however, need to set aside time to strategically plan for the […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Presidents Message

Knowing what we don’t

By Kyle Fessler — Posted April 21, 2021

Some of the smartest people I know have one thing in common: They know what they don’t know. Years ago, I was fresh out of college and back in the industry, and I didn’t have a clue how much I really didn’t know. I had the opportunity to attend a multi-day conference put on by […]

Filed Under: Columns, President's Message Tagged With: Digger, Digger magazine, Presidents Message

Brighter days ahead

By Kyle Fessler — Posted March 23, 2021

This past month marked the one-year anniversary of our lives getting flipped upside down by COVID-19. What began as a passing phrase on the news ticker quickly turned into what some expected could be the Great Recession 2.0. Uncertainty became the norm. Expectations changed by the day. We were all in need of direction, and […]

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

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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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