It’s shaping up to be a beautiful sunny day in Portland, with temps forecasted in the low 80s. Our deluxe bus coach hit the road promptly at 8 a.m., off to the first stop on the 2013 Farwest Trade Show Nursery Tours — “Heart of the Valley” at Bountiful Farms.

Catts shared the history of the area we’d be visiting, one of the most historic parts of Oregon. At nearby Champoeg Park is the site where settlers from the Oregon Trail voted to join the United States instead of Great Britain. Settlers chose this area specifically because of its fertile growing ground. 

Today, those very soils grow a variety of micro crops, including filberts (hazelnuts), small crop berries (blueberries, raspberries, and much more), grass and lawn seed used by golf courses, and grapes, both for wine and seedless table varieties. 

Hazelnuts in particular are a booming crop. We drive past acre after acre of just-coming-into-fruition and mature orchards. Oregon is second only to Turkey in the production of filberts. Here in Oregon, filberts are harvested mechanically, whereas Turkey harvests by hand – a very time-intensive process. Hershey’s and other candy companies are spurring the demand.

Jay Sanders, sales manager of Bountiful Farms, greeted us upon our arrival. Jay also chairs the Farwest Trade Show. He showed us around their display area, showing off the screens they’ve become known for.

Sanders explained the farm was started in early 1980s. Its built its reputation on specialized sculptured product such as animal shapes, collections for the patio, screens (such as the one shown on the left) which are great in small spaces for blocking out neighbors, and European hedges, using plant material such as Pyracantha, Carpinus, beech, and bloodgood Japanese maple trees. Geometrical shapes is another new line they started last year.

“I’ve seen espalliered trees before, but they’re kindergarten compared to this place,” said attendee Wally Kaste from Cathlamet, WA.

The main buyers of the screens are restaurants. They have about a two-year shelf life in cedar boxes before they need to be replanted in the ground. 

In total, the farm is 450 acres, with 110 acres devoted to pot-in-pot. They started off with just five acres of pot-in-pot.

“Pot-in-pot has opened up a lot of business opportunities for us,” said Sanders. “We’re able to ship yearly, even through summertime.”

In addition to the sculpted plants, Sanders said the operation grows a broad mix of products: fruits, Japanese maples, and more. “We selectively grow material that is good for the marketplace. We’re constantly shifting product around, moving it into larger pots as we go through the season. Right now [late August], we’re mostly focused on the shift from 3 to 6, then 10 gallon pots.”

For more information on Bountiful Farms, look on YouTube for instructional and informational videos.