Soil and water conservation districts - Digger magazine · including City Sprite® zelkova (Zelkova serrata ‘JFS-KW1’), shown planted along this roadway. ... [email protected]

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DECEMBER 2017

Soil and water conservation districts

PAGE 20

The war on weeds PAGE 25

3DIGGERMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2017

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COLUMNS 7 President’s Message

13 What I'm Hearing

30 Director’s Desk

DEPARTMENTS 8 Calendar

9 Northwest News

23 Classifieds

25 Subscription Info

25 Advertisers Index

27 Growing Knowledge

31 Digger Marketplace

17

15 Growing under the lines Growers and researchers seek short, tidy and tough trees

that can coexist with utilities.

20 Getting the most from your natural resources

Soil and water conservation districts are here to help landowners, not regulate them.

27 Fighting the resistance Weeds can become herbicide-resistant, but there are

strategies to counteract it.

On the cover: Trees that interfere with power lines can be a troublesome and expensive problem for utilities and property owners. Researchers and growers have identified several utility-friendly trees that bypass that problem, including City Sprite® zelkova (Zelkova serrata ‘JFS-KW1’), shown planted along this roadway. photo courtesy of j. frank schmidt & son co.

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December 2017 Vol. 61 No. 12


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www.diggermagazine.com NEWS BLOG

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STAFF Jeff Stone EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR [email protected] 503-582-2003

Beth Farmer COMMUNICATIONS & [email protected] WEB DESIGN MANAGER 503-582-2013

Bill Goloski PUBLICATIONS [email protected] MANAGER 503-582-2009

Debbie Hopkins ACCOUNTING & [email protected] DATABASE MANAGER 503-582-2004

Curt Kipp DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS [email protected] & PUBLICATIONS 503-582-2008

Allan Niemi DIRECTOR OF EVENTS [email protected] 503-582-2005

Allison Pennell EVENT & EDUCATION [email protected] MANAGER 503-582-2010

Blair Thompson ADVERTISING [email protected] ACCOUNT MANAGER 503-582-2012

Kristen Urban EVENT & PROGRAM [email protected] COORDINATOR 503-582-2006

Stephanie Weihrauch DIRECTOR OF FINANCE [email protected] & ADMINISTRATION 503-582-2001

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Curt Kipp EDITOR [email protected]

Bill Goloski ART DIRECTOR [email protected]

Blair Thompson ADVERTISING [email protected] ACCOUNT MANAGER

____________

Copyright © 2017 by the Oregon Association of Nurseries (OAN). Digger magazine is an official publication and a member service of the Oregon Association of Nurseries, 29751 S.W. Town Center Loop W., Wilsonville, OR 97070.

REPRINTS AND SUBMISSIONS Digger allows reprinting of material with written permission; requests should be directed to the editor. We are not responsible for unsolicited freelance manuscripts and photo-graphs. Contact the editor for contribution information.

SUBSCRIPTION AND CHANGE OF ADDRESS Circulation is controlled. Domestic subscriptions are complimentary to qualified U.S. nursery industry members. Non-qualified U.S. subscriptions are $42. Qualified foreign subscriptions are $35 to Canada; $45 to Mexico; and $80 for all other countries. Single copy rate is $6 while supplies last. Notify OAN Publications of change of address. Please allow 3-4 weeks for address change.

Postmaster: Change of address correction requested to above address.

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A winter respiteGrowing up on a farm and

container nursery, I have always

noticed a slight lull in the pace

when fall and winter roll around.

While many of my childhood friends went out of town for Spring Break and often went on numer-ous summer camping and fishing trips, it didn’t make sense for our family to leave work and play then: it was time to harvest and grow.

It was showtime, and we were simply too busy to get away. So, instead of being “fishing-and-coast people” of summer, we were “skiing-and-

mountain people” of winter. We went out of town for Thanksgiving, Christmas or both. We even attended church regularly in the fall and winter! (In all honesty, there was a period when I was very young that I thought church was actually closed for summer.)

Now, to be totally fair, these seasons between summer and spring aren’t exactly slow for most Oregon growers. We are blessed, and to an extent cursed, by our rela-tively mild fall/winter weather which allows us to plant, dig, prune, and get really, really wet and muddy nearly any day of the year.

However, it does seem like there’s a little more time for reflection once the days start shortening and the temperatures dip. We can come up for air, get off the farm or out of our offices, and get together. We gather with our communities; whether it’s family for the holidays or a well-earned vacation, or our industry friends for func-

tions like our Annual Convention held last month and various chapter functions planned in the upcoming weeks/months.

While together, we celebrate the season’s victories, give thanks, and reflect on lessons we learned. With our families we prepare holiday feasts (yum!) and maybe even dip our toes in the sands of far-off beaches or spray

each other with snow on the slopes. Within the industry we pause to give awards to recognize sacrifice and hard work from our comrades and take time to learn more about each other as both as people and as businesses with a common passion for growing amazing things.

So, I urge you to take advantage of a few of the rainiest — maybe even snowy — days and make a point to get out and get together with not only your families but your friends in the industry, in your association, and reflect on how far we’ve come and what we’ve learned over the season. By doing so we’ll have a clearer idea of where we are going or some new ideas to consider as we enter the new year!

Getting together may be as simple as stopping in at the neighbor nursery for a cup of coffee or I’d recommend taking a look at the OAN’s list of upcoming events (www.oan.org/events/event_list.asp) and attending one of the offerings listed there.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2017–2018

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Josh Zielinski Alpha Nursery PRESIDENT 5050 Hazelgreen Rd. N.E. [email protected] Salem, OR 97305-3519 503-390-1286 FAX 503-390-2639

Mike Hiller Kraemer’s Nursery Inc. PRESIDENT-ELECT P.O. Box 930

[email protected] Mt. Angel, OR 97362 503-845-2283 FAX 503-845-6557

Jim Simnitt Simnitt Nursery VICE PRESIDENT 138 NE 22nd Ave.

[email protected] Canby, OR 97013 503-266-9640 FAX 503-263-6330

Kyle Fessler St. Christopher Nursery LLC TREASURER 12936 Portland Rd. N.E.

[email protected] Gervais, OR 97026 503-580-4470 FAX 503-792-3902

Mark Bigej Al’s Garden & Home PAST PRESIDENT 1220 N. Pacific Hwy. [email protected] Woodburn, OR 97071-3616 503-981-1245 FAX 503-982-4608

Josh Robinson Robinson Nursery Inc. SECRETARY P.O. Box 100

[email protected] Amity, OR 97101 503-835-4533 FAX 503-835-3004

Denece Messenger Decorative Bark Products MEMBER AT LARGE P.O. Box 1198 [email protected] Tualatin, OR 97062 503-510-4029 FAX 503-859-3764

____________

STATE BOARD REPRESENTATIVES

CENTRAL OREGON CHAPTER Gary S. English Landsystems Nursery [email protected] 541-382-7646

CHRISTMAS TREE CHAPTER vacant

CLACKAMAS CHAPTER Adam Farley Countryside Nursery

[email protected] 503-678-0511 Amanda Staehely Columbia Nursery [email protected] 503-810-2598

EMERALD EMPIRE CHAPTER Tamara Clift McKenzie River Nursery [email protected] 541-747-2767

GREENHOUSE CHAPTER Andrea Avila-Aragon Smith Gardens

[email protected] 503-678-5373 Mark Leichty Little Prince of Oregon Nursery [email protected] 503-678-5687

MT. HOOD CHAPTER Scott Ekstrom Ekstrom Nursery Inc. [email protected] 503-663-4035 Anthony Kinen Kinen’s Big & Phat Special Plants [email protected] 503-866-3627

RETAIL CHAPTER Laura Hammond Al's Garden & Home [email protected] 503-981-1245

SUNSET CHAPTER Matt Gold Midas Nursery Solutions

[email protected] 503-628-3059 Ron Kinney Monrovia

[email protected] 503-868-7941

WILLAMETTE CHAPTER John Maurer Evergreen Growers Supply [email protected] 503-908-1946 Robert Van Klaveren Van’s Nursery [email protected] 503-463-4507

Josh ZielinskiOAN PRESIDENT

While together,

we celebrate the season’s

victories, give thanks,

and reflect on lessons

we learned.


DECEMBER 5, 2017MT. HOOD CHAPTER CHRISTMAS PARTYAll chapters are invited to the Mt. Hood Chapter Christmas Party! The evening will start with hors d'oeuvres and a no host bar. The dinner to follow will include holiday salad, potatoes and gravy, vegetables, turkey, ham and dessert. Following dinner, we will have announcements, a Map App update, raffle drawings, and a visit from Santa. The event starts at 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 5 at the Persimmon Country Club, 500 S.E. Butler Road, Gresham. The cost is $20 for adults, and kids under 18 years eat for free. Please register at www.oan.org under “Events” by Thursday, November 30, or contact Rhonda at [email protected] or 360-693-5131.

CalendarGet the word out about your event! Email details to [email protected] by the 10th day of the month to be included in the next issue of Digger.

DEC

SIGN UP THROUGH DECEMBERWINTER TRUCKS TO TRADE SHOWSOAN members can ship plant material to the green industry shows held across the country in January and February, including MANTS, The Western, MGIX and others. Reservations are first-come, first served with full payment. To sign up, contact Kristen Urban at [email protected].

ONGOING – FEBRUARY 2018FIRST AID AND CPR CLASSESThe OAN Safety and Insurance Committee is presenting First Aid and CPR classes as a service to members and the industry. Successful completion results in certification that is good for two years. Each class runs from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Check the OAN website for dates and locations. The cost is $42 for first-time or expired certifications and $32 for renewals. Register and pay at www.oan.org, or call Kristen Urban, 503-682-5089.

DECEMBER 5, 2017EARTH, WIND, FIRE AND WATERThe OAN Willamette Chapter will present “Earth, Wind, Fire and Water. How the Green Industry is Working Towards Sustainability.” Playing off of the four-element theme, the meeting will discuss topics such as using banker plants to reduce pesticide use, intelligent sprayer tools to prevent pesticide drift, financial incentives for using alternative fuels, as well as retrofitting water systems. Register at www.oan.org under “Events” by November 28. The event is from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Days Inn Black Bear Conference Center, 1600 Motor Court N.E., Salem, Oregon. The cost is $25 per person.

JANUARY 10–12, 2018MANTSThe Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show will be held at the Baltimore Convention Center (One West Pratt St., Baltimore, Maryland). MANTS is one of the largest green industry trade shows on the East Coast, attracting more than 900 exhibitors and 10,000 attendees annually. For more information, log on to www.mants.com.

JANUARY 15–17, 2018MGIXRegistration is now open for the Ohio Nursery and Landscape Association’s annual trade show, the Midwest Green Industry Experience (MGIX). Formerly known as CENTS, MGIX will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High St., Columbus, Ohio. For more information, log on to www.mgix18.com.

JANUARY 17–19, 2018THE WESTERNThe Western Nursery & Landscape Association’s annual trade show and conference, known as The Western, will take place at the Crown Center Exhibit Hall, 2323 McGee St., Kansas City, Missouri. WNLA represents the green industry in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Nebraska. For more information and to register, log on to www.wnla.org/western.

FEBRUARY 10, 2018MYSTERY DINNERSave the date and watch for details on the OAN Willamette Chapter’s Mystery Dinner for 2018. This year’s event, replacing the traditional tour, is your chance to don “Gatsby” attire, show off your glamour and take part in a 1920s-style

Mystery Dinner! It will take place at Scenic Valley Farms, 1242 River Road N.E., Gervais, Oregon. The entrance fee is $50 per person. Registration will be available at www.oan.org under “Events.”

FEBRUARY 15, 2018NOR CAL LANDSCAPE & NURSERY SHOWThe Nor Cal Landscape & Nursery Trade Show is a one-day professional collaboration between California’s horticulture and landscape industries. It features more than 250 exhibits and nine educational seminars. Revenues raised by the Nor Cal Show are reinvested in the industry through education, research and philanthropy. The event takes place at the San Mateo Expo Center, 1346 Saratoga Drive, San Mateo, California. Register online at www.norcaltradeshow.org or call 530-458-3190.

CELEBRATE WITH A LOCAL

NURSERYCHAPTERCHRISTMAS PARTY

Full event details on www.oan.org

DECEMBER 7, 2017SUNSET CHAPTER CHRISTMAS PARTYThe Sunset Chapter Christmas Party is back, along with the white elephant gift exchange (the cowboy hat and ball and chain will be making an appearance). Spend the evening eating great food, connecting with old and new friends as we celebrate the past year and the Christmas season. The whole family is invited. The first drink is sponsored, thanks to Robinson Nursery Inc., Wilbur Ellis Company and The HC Companies Inc., ProCal.Nonperishable food donations will be taken to YCAP for needy families in Yamhill County.The event starts at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, December 7 at the Michelbook Country Club, 1301 N.W. Michelbook Lane, McMinville. The cost is $40. Registration will be available at www.oan.org under “Events.”

9DIGGERMAGAZINE.COM DECEMBER 2017 9

Northwest NewsOAN members and chapters are encouraged to send in relevant news items, such as new hires, new products, acquisitions, honors received and past or upcoming events. Email [email protected].

The OAN President’s Awards Banquet honored several outstanding industry contributors. Back row (l-r): J. Frank Schmidt III, Dan Wells, Randy Skinner, Matt Gold (representing Sunset Chapter), Jack Bigej, outgoing president Mark Bigej, Chris Robinson, and Aaron Guffey and Scott Ekstrom (both representing Mt. Hood Chapter). Front row: Diane Wells, Leigh Geschwill, Kathy LeCompte, Teri Dillard-Lund, Kristin VanHoose and Amy Bigej. In front: Jeff Stone (representing OAN staff). PHOTO BY CURT KIPP

Zielinski assumes the OAN presidency

The 2017 OAN Convention featured the passing of the president’s gavel from retailer and grower Mark Bigej (Al’s Garden & Home, Woodburn) to wholesale grower Josh Zielinski (Alpha Nursery Inc., Salem, pictured).

Like his predecessor, Zielinski is a second-generation OAN president. His father, Doug, served as president in 1999, just as Bigej’s father, Jack, served in 1993.

Joining Zielinski and past president Bigej on the OAN Executive Committee for 2017–18 are president-elect Mike Hiller (Kraemer’s Nursery, Mt. Angel), vice president Jim Simnitt (Simnitt Nursery, Canby), treasurer Kyle Fessler (St. Christopher Nursery LLC, Gervais), secretary Josh Robinson (Robinson Nursery Inc., Amity) and member at large Denece Messenger (Decorative Bark Products, Tualatin).

Zielinski will lead a 22-member Board of Direct-ors, which includes a seven-member Executive Committee, in overseeing the 784-member trade association for the next 12 months. The OAN represents a statewide nursery industry that achieved gross sales of more than $909 million in 2016.

OREGON ASSOCIATION OF NURSERIES HONORS THE INDUSTRY’S BEST AT ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET

The Oregon Association of Nurseries honored several members for their outstand-ing achievements and service to the nursery industry at the annual OAN Convention November 3–4 at Salishan Spa & Golf Resort in Gleneden Beach, Oregon:

Honorary Life Memberships went to Teri Dillard-Lund, J. Frank Schmidt III and Dan and Diane Wells. This award recog-nizes lifetime service to the nursery industry.

Dillard is co-owner of William Dillard Nursery Co., a wholesale nursery based in Damascus, along with her siblings Michael Dillard and Debra Dillard-Ward. She has worked in the nursery industry for 57 years and served as OAN president in 1989.

Schmidt is co-owner of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., a wholesale nursery based in Boring, along with his siblings Jan Barkley and Jean Webster. His nursery has made leading contri-bution to tree breeding as well as production practices. He has served on the board of the Wholesale Nursery Growers of America and the American Nursery & Landscape Association.

The award is also in recognition of the com-pany’s philanthropic contributions through its own J. Frank Schmidt Family Foundation and through various industry organizations.

Dan and Diane Wells are the former own-ers of D. Wells Nursery, a wholesale nursery that was based in Hubbard. Dan served as OAN president in 2000. The couple was recog-nized for its longtime service to the industry.

The OAN Outstanding Service Award went to Kristin VanHoose, co-owner with her husband, David, of Amethyst Hill Nursery, a wholesale grower, and Hydrangeas Plus®, a retail mail order nursery, both based in Aurora, Oregon. The award is given for outstanding long-term service to the industry and associa-tion. Kristin served as OAN president in 2011 during a difficult time in the industry, going to bat to help stave off harmful regulation of interstate shipments. Since concluding her presidency, she has continued her involve-ment in, and support of, the nursery industry.

The Clayton W. Hannon Distinguished Service Award went to Ken McVicker, sales manager at Van Essen Nursery Co., a whole-sale grower in Lebanon, Oregon. The award honors specific and notable service to the


Northwest News Top: Dan and Diane Wells of D. Wells Nursery were honored as OAN Honorary Life Members at the 2017 President's Awards Banquet. Presenting the award to them were Tom Fessler of Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas (left) and Doug Zielinski of Alpha Nursery (second from right) with emcee Treda McCaw.

Bottom: J. Frank Schmidt III of J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. was honored as an OAN Honorary LIfe Member at the 2017 President's Awards Banquet. Presenting the award to him were Tom Fessler and Treda McCaw.PHOTOS BY CURT KIPP

Bill Goloski joins OAN staff as publications manager

Bill Goloski has been named as the new publications manager for the Oregon Association of Nurseries.

Goloski will serve as the lead designer and art director of Digger magazine and main writer of the weekly Member Update. He will also contribute to several other digital and printed articles, publications and projects for the association, including support for Farwest Show marketing.

"I'm looking forward to the variety of topics to be covered as the nursery industry has so many components to it," Goloski said.

He comes to the organization with more than 12 years of experience in the non-profit sector. He has previously served as a creative design manager in marketing and public affairs offices in the higher education sector, most recently for Oregon Institute of Technology in Wilsonville and Klamath Falls.

"We are excited to have Bill on board," said Curt Kipp, OAN director of publications and communications. "We feel that he has strong visual design and production skills, as well as keen marketing insight, and will help us improve the quality of OAN's marketing and communication initiatives."

Those who have news items or events to submit for Member Update or the calendar and Northwest News features in Digger should submit them to Goloski at [email protected].

.

industry. It is named for Clayton W. Hannon, the former OAN executive director. Ken has made key contributions to the Farwest Show and the OAN Marketing Committee, and currently serves on the board of the Horticultural Research Institute.

The Political Awareness Award was given to Leigh Geschwill, co-owner of F & B Farms and Nursery, a wholesale grower and retailer (Happy Bee Garden Center) in Woodburn, Oregon. The award honors an individual who has shown exceptional political aware-ness in dedicated support of the nursery industry. Leigh served as OAN president in 2016 and as chair of the OAN Government Relations Committee in 2017. She has been an effec-tive voice for the OAN in legislative hear-ings and a strong fundraiser for the Oregon Nurseries’ Political Action Committee.

The Chapter of the Year Award was given to the Sunset Chapter, which represents grow-ers in Washington, Yamhill and Polk counties. The award is given to a committee or chapter that is particularly successful in service to the OAN membership. Chris Robinson of Robinson Nursery Inc. and Matt Gold of Midas Nursery Solutions accepted the award on behalf of the chapter. The award recognized recent efforts to revitalize the chapter, including the resurrection of the New Ideas Tour and a recent social event at Top Golf.

The Distinguished Member of the Horticultural Allied Trades went to Randy Skinner of Leonard Adams Insurance Co. in Beaverton, Oregon. The award recognizes an allied trade member who has shown exemplary support for the OAN, the industry and our mem-bers. Randy oversees the OAN medical and den-tal benefit program, which is available to OAN member companies. In this role he has helped educate members about changes in the insurance industry and new programs and benefits.

The New Nursery Professional of the Year Award, sponsored by Northwest Farm Credit Services, went to Chris Robinson, general man-

ager and part-owner at Robinson Nursery Inc. in Amity, Oregon. The award honors a person relatively new to the nursery trade who demon-strates outstanding service to the OAN and the industry. Since becoming general manager of the family-owned company, Chris has spearheaded several improvements to company culture and process efficiency, and has also helped rejuve-nate the Sunset Chapter.

The Retailer of the Year Award went to Al’s Garden & Home, a grower and retailer based in Woodburn with additional loca-tions in Sherwood, Wilsonville and Gresham. The award honors the company’s strength and innovation as a retailer, which was high-lighted in 2017 with the company’s branding transition and the opening of its fourth and newest location, which is in Wilsonville.

And finally, the President’s Five Star Awards, chosen by outgoing president Mark Bigej, were given in recognition of outstanding or crucial service, assistance or support ren-dered during the president’s year. They were as follows:

Kathy LeCompte, co-owner of seed-ling growers Brooks Tree Farm in Salem with her husband Dave, was recognized for her longtime support and leader-ship of the industry, particularly for her


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The US Department of Agriculture has designated seven Oregon counties as natural disaster areas due to losses and damage caused by excessive snow and rain, freezing, flooding and frost that took place between December 8, 2016 and February 25, 2017.

The primary designated disaster area is Marion County, but six other counties — Clackamas, Jefferson, Linn, Polk, Wasco and Yamhill — are also included in the disaster area designation because they border on Marion County. The designation means that farmers and ranchers in all seven of these counties are eligible for natural disaster assistance, including emergency (EM) loans from the Farm Service Agency.

fund raising and support of the Oregon Nurseries’ Political Action Committee.

Leigh Geschwill was recognized for her service as past president, going above and beyond what most past presidents do. She took on a key role as 2017 chair of the OAN Government Relations Committee and delivered effective testimony to the Oregon Legislature on several key matters.

Mt. Hood Chapter was recognized for its initiatives in supporting the next generation of nursery industry lead-ers and in bringing the OAN Wholesale Nursery Map into the digital age with creation of the OAN Map app.

OAN Staff was recognized for its outstanding hard work and ser-vice throughout the year.

Amy Bigej, wife of Mark Bigej, was recognized for her support during Mark’s year of leadership.

MEMBERS APPROVE BYLAW REVISIONS AT CONVENTION

OAN members approved new bylaws to guide future governance dur-ing the annual meeting on November 4. The annual meeting was part of the OAN Convention in Gleneden Beach, Oregon.

The most significant change is that board representation will now be based on indus-try segments rather than chapters or regions. The board for 2017–18, which was sworn in at the convention, will still be based on the old model of representation. Beginning in 2018–19, the new model will take effect.

Under the new model, the full board will include six officers and one at-large member of Executive Committee, as it does now, plus 10 industry representatives — six nursery grow-ers (consisting of three container growers, two field grown/bare root growers and one field grown/B&B grower), two greenhouse


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operators, one retailer and one associate member. They will serve two-year terms, but during the first year of phase-in, some will serve for one year so that terms are staggered to help assure continuity.

Between now and next summer, president Josh Zielinski will appoint a Nominating Committee to nominate the industry representatives for the board. The Board of Directors will then approve a slate of nominees for 2018–19 and may add additional nominees to it. The slate of candidates then will be sent to the members next fall for a vote via mail in ballot. The resulting board will be sworn in at the 2018 OAN Convention.

For more information on the approved bylaw changes, log on to www.oan.org/bylaws.

WILDFIRES MAY HAVE UNANTICIPATED BENEFIT AGAINST SOD

Phytophthora ramorum, the patho-gen that causes sudden oak death, has been spreading through the wild for-ests of the Southern Oregon Coast. The damp environment promotes

the pathogen's growth and transmis-sion, resulting in expanded quarantine areas over the past several years.

According to a report from Oregon Public Broadcasting, late summer wild-fires brought fire trucks and response vehicles to the area. Officials expressed concern that these could track the pathogen to new areas. As a result, they required trucks to drive through a "weed wash" to remove contaminants.

But at the same time, fire is a tool that the U.S. Forest Service already uses to remove infected trees. Officials think that the fire may have burned more than 20 infected sites, resulting in a possible slow-down of the pathogen's spread. The Forest Service said it planned to investigate and see to what degree that might be the case.

"Although the vast majority of Oregon nurseries are located hundreds of miles away from the affected areas in the wild, the industry still is concerned about the spread of sudden oak death and watching carefully," OAN Executive Director Jeff Stone said. "Our nurseries work closely with Oregon officials to make sure that infected material doesn't move through the industry and is not shipped to markets."

Below: Past president Leigh Geschwill received one of five Five Star Awards from outgoing president Mark Bigej for outstanding service during 2017. Geschwill has remained very active in the association as past president, serving as chair of the OAN Government Relations Committee. PHOTO BY CURT KIPP

Northwest News


WHAT I’M HEARING

Specializing in the unique

THEY WOULD NEVER BE called a “garden center.” They would not be a place to go to for buy-

ing annuals in the spring. They have very few hard goods; it is unlikely that a customer would find garden chemi-cals, fertilizers, gloves and other items.

Their locations are usually not in a metro area and they rarely advertise in a mainstream media outlet. They do not even try to compete with the big box stores. So, what are they?

They are specialty nurseries that have a passion for plants.

These nurseries offer an unparalleled selection of plants, many not available in typical retail channels. Their own-ers are plant explorers constantly on the lookout for a new plant, or perhaps a variety that has fallen out of favor and needs reintroduction. As avid garden-ers, they love to share new discoveries.

We are fortunate to have many respected specialty nurseries here in the Pacific Northwest. Here are three of them, each offering something unique to the world.

Joy Creek Nursery in Scappoose, Oregon, was founded in 1992, with a goal of growing unusual and hard-to-find plants that would thrive in the Pacific Northwest. In the beginning, it was a

Mike DarcyHead “plant nerd,” longtime speaker, host of gardening shows on radio and TV, and author

of the In the Garden email newsletter. You can reach Mike, or subscribe to his

newsletter, at [email protected].

mail order nursery with a print catalog. (The Internet existed, but it hadn’t yet broken through to the mainstream.)

Not long after the nursery launched, customers started showing up in person. It was then the own-ers knew they needed to create a space to showcase the many plants that were unfamiliar to local gardeners.

Today, Joy Creek Nursery has a well-known, 4-acre display garden with meandering paths for customers to see plants growing as they might in their own garden.

Joy Creek Nursery is owned and operated by business partners Mike Smith and Maurice Horn. Mike is in charge of the garden design, installa-tion, landscape and maintenance pro-gram while Maurice is responsible for retail sales, propagation, website con-tent and the selection of new plants.

The display garden has proven to be a superb investment because it invites people to browse products throughout the gardening season. It also serves as a test garden for new plants that Joy Creek may be thinking of introducing. More than once, a plant has failed the test to be considered garden worthy.

Maurice considers Joy Creek Nursery to be a collection-driven nursery. They have collections of hydrangeas, hardy

fuchsias, ornamental grasses and penste-mons. Their largest collection is clematis; they have at least 200 different species and cultivars for sale at any one time.

Joy Creek Nursery often introduces new plants to the retail trade. In 2018, Hydrangea ‘Eve’, which was selected from 1,000 seedlings, will be introduced.

Today the business at Joy Creek Nursery is comprised of about 25 percent brick-and-mortar sales, 25 percent online sales and 50 percent in landscape design.

Even more removed from the city environment is Dancing Oaks Nursery, which is located in the countryside outside Monmouth, Oregon. Leonard Foltz and Fred Weisensee founded Dancing Oaks Nursery in 1997. Their goal was to cre-ate a destination nursery with an assort-ment of rare and unusual plants. Even though their location is somewhat remote, they felt that people would be enticed to come because of the unique selection.

Fred and Leonard also realized the importance of a display garden since many of the plants would not be familiar to the average gardener. In addition, they needed a way to show how these plants would grow in Oregon’s outdoor grow-ing environment. The display garden frequently includes suggested plant group-ings where the plants complement each other and have similar growing needs.

Leonard told me that they are not disciplined enough to have defined “collec-tions,” but rather they have an eclectic mix of plants. However, they do have some

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specialized areas in the display garden. These areas showcase specialty plants that are for sale, including plants from South Africa that are hardy in Western Oregon, Chilean plants, manzanitas, dryland plants, native plants, unusual maples and a new and expanding group of ginkgos including variegated types.

Dancing Oaks strives to have plants that are unusual and would not be readily available at other nurser-ies. In addition to their retail sales, they also participate in many plant sales throughout Oregon and Washington.

Five years ago, Dancing Oaks developed its first online presence, which is now responsible for about one-third of the nursery’s sales.

In 2018, Dancing Oaks will intro-duce Gentiana scabra ‘Royal Stripes’. The owners pride themselves on their knowledgeable and enthusiastic staff.

Sebright Gardens was officially founded in 2004 and is located north-east of Salem, not far from Interstate 5.

Owners Kirk Hansen and Thomas Johnson definitely specialize in cer-tain groups of plants. They decided to focus on a select few genera of plants that they could grow in overwhelm-ing quantities that would make them unique from any other competition.

They began with hostas; they now offer over 1,000 varieties of them! Since customers would often ask about adding ferns with their hostas, Sebright now offers more than 150 varieties of ferns. Their third larg-est collection is of epimediums.

At 4 acres and growing, Sebright’s display gardens have made the spe-cialty grower into a destination.Thomas started the display gardens in 2000.

According to Kirk, the display

gardens are meant to inspire customers with interesting plants and plant combina-tions. The owners hope those who are duly inspired will tell their fellow gardeners. The nursery has a knowledgeable and friendly staff to answer questions, which also helps customers have a positive experience.

Sebright still has a print catalog which they find very effective. It is free to customers at the nursery, at plant shows and for existing customers. Catalogs can be purchased from the nursery for $2. Sebright does have a web-site and today about 15 percent of its sales are from the Internet. A new hosta introduc-tion for 2018 will be Hosta ‘My Maria’.

It appears that the specialty nursery business is alive, well and prospering. I found it very uplifting to talk to plant lovers who are passionate about their work, enthusiastic about life and optimistic about the future.

Happy New Year!

WHAT I'M HEARING


WHEN THE POWER goes out in a storm, daily life halts abruptly. Our TVs go dark;

we can’t cook our food or keep it cold, much less brew coffee, charge our many electronic devices or turn up the heat.

We are lost without our electric-ity, dependent on it for comfort, con-veniences and communication.

Likewise, we love our trees. Their beauty softens our streets, and their leaves clean the air, cool our yards with shade and benefit birds. We need trees, too.

But trees and power lines don’t mix well. In places where trees and transmission lines interface, power providers address the problem of out-ages and the billions of dollars they cost annually with proactive approaches.

For starters, distribution arborists search aggressively for trees near power lines that could cause outages during weather events. They employ pruning and trimming practices to restrict the width, height and potential impact of nearby trees. And they try to educate the public about which trees and shrubs are most compatible with growing near power lines.

Nursery growers and researchers, too,

help tackle the problem of tree-caused power outages by identifying, testing and producing utility-appropriate trees.

Such trees need to conform to the spaces between street and side-walk, but size isn’t the only factor that determines which trees will do the job well: utility trees have to be tidy and tough enough to make the grade.

They can’t be messy or vulnerable to pests; they need a naturally upright habit to allow pedestrians and vehicles clear passage; and they have to withstand the challenges of average urban growing con-ditions in diverse regions of the country.

These are tall orders for trees!But private and public play-

ers in the nursery industry, uni-versities and power companies are working together to meet the need.

UtiliTrees™

J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., a wholesale tree grower in Boring, Ore., has contributed to the effort for years by identifying and designat-ing a list that now includes 53 trees that are “tailored to reduce the conflict between trees and utility lines,” accord-

ing to the company’s UtiliTrees™ guide available at www.utilitrees.com.

Trees that make the list must stay small, rarely exceeding 25 feet based on 30-year height averages, but they must also be tough enough to survive harsh conditions. Challenges for tree health are considerable when trees are relegated to “planting pits,” those squares of ground cut into the con-crete of cities, JFS Communications Director Nancy Buley said.

Among the biggest challenges are inadequate soil volume, soil compaction, limited moisture, air pollution, tempera-ture extremes and inhospitable soil pH.

As a group, the collection of pedestrian-friendly UtiliTrees™ compiled by J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. boast compact or vase-shaped branching that allows for pruning that doesn’t destroy the shape of the tree. These cultivars resist disease and pests, tolerate varied soils, climates and urban growing condi-tions, and need minimal maintenance when established in the landscape.

Trees that earn the designation UtiliTrees™ undergo 10 or more years of trial and observation before being

Growing under the linesGrowers and researchers seek short, tidy and tough trees that can coexist with utilities

BY ELIZABETH PETERSEN

City Sprite® zelkova (Zelkova serrata ‘JFS-KW1’)PHOTO COURTESY OF J. FRANK SCHMIDT & SON CO.


added to the list, Buley said. Many are cultivars selected from highly variable spe-cies that are smaller in stature and offer more symmetrical form while maintain-ing the character of the larger forms.

Some genera — notably maple, crabapple, cherry/plum and hawthorn — account for multiple selections on the list. But since too many of one type of tree can cause different problems, diversifying the urban forest is also a valid goal. As a result, the collection has expanded to include a more diverse assortment of trees.

Examples of such cultivars include the following.

• Styrax cultivars introduced by J. Frank Schmidt, Snow Charm® and Snowcone® (Styrax japonicus ‘JFS-E’ and ‘JFS-D,’ respectively) are both reliable, easy-to-grow UtiliTrees™. Snow Charm® has larger leaves and a rounded form; Snowcone® has more finely textured foli-age and a more slender, uniform shape.

• Summer Sprite® Linden (Tilia cordata ‘Halka’) was discovered at Halka Nurseries of New Jersey and co-introduced by JFS in 2000. It has proven to stay reliably small and per-forms well in confined city spaces.

• City Sprite® Zelkova (Z. ser-rata ‘JFS-KW1) was clearly unique from the beginning, Buley said: com-pact, dense and semi-dwarf with a mannerly, upright growth habit.

• Amur Maackia (Maackia amuren-sis) is an unusual, underused species that maintains an upright branching habit over the long term, performs well in poor soils, fixes nitrogen and produces clus-ters of white flowers in mid-summer.

• Acer griseum, the paperbark maple, has proven itself to be tough enough to withstand urban challenges. A heat-resistant hybrid and a newly-introduced cultivar, Cinnamon Girl™ and Fireburst™, offer opportunities for different growing conditions around the country. Cinnamon Girl™ (A. griseum × A. maximowiczianum ‘Molly Fordham’) boasts a narrow form and good heat resistance that make it a good choice for conditions in Georgia and other south-

ern states and in hot summer climates where the straight species can suffer from heat, drought and humidity, Buley said. Fireburst™ claims superior branch structure, an upright, predictably uniform shape, dependably bright fall color, and exfoliating papery curls on the bark.

• Parrotia persica cultivars, includ-ing Persian Spire™ (P. p. ‘JLColumnar’) and ‘Vanessa,’ are also good choices for use near utility lines. Heat and drought resistant, they are adaptable and produce impressive fall color.

Discovered by John Lewis of JLPN Nursery in Salem, Ore. and introduced in 2013, Persian Spire™ has a unique upright form, fine texture and excellent fall color.

‘Vanessa’ was named Urban Tree of the Year by the Society of Municipal Arborists in 2014. Nominated by city foresters in British Columbia, where it is a popular street tree, it is gaining accep-tance across the United States. With an upright, tight vase shape and greater density, it also boasts versatility, adapt-ability and low maintenance needs.

Look up, Virginia!The late Dr. Bonnie Appleton, a long-

time Virginia Tech woody crop and land-scape tree production specialist, pioneered the concept of utility trees, Buley said.

With power disruptions, safety hazards, increased utility costs and disfigured trees widespread prob-lems, Appleton sought to raise public awareness and promote the use of smaller trees beneath power lines.

With local partners, she estab-lished the first Utility Line Arboretum at the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach in 1995.

The local utility company erected poles and lines, and J. Frank Schmidt donated numerous trade-marked Utilitrees™ to the effort.

Since then, four additional util-ity line arboreta have been established across the state in Abingdon, Blacksburg, Charlottesville, and Lynchburg. All use the slogan “Look Up, Virginia!” and represent

Growing under the lines

Cinnamon Girl™ Maple PHOTO COURTESY OF

J. FRANK SCHMIDT & SON CO.

Snow Charm® Japanese SnowbellPHOTO COURTESY OF


Vanessa Persian IronwoodPHOTO COURTESY OF



lems when rootstock overtakes scions, and fruit set.

The trials started with branched bar-eroot liners planted directly in fields, and results are still being analyzed.

Wiseman said that preliminary results have raised concerns about fungal diseases in trees of the Rosaceae family, including crabapples and hawthorns.

A high incidence of suckering from rootstock might be resolved by normal practices in container/field grown produc-tion and needs more investigation, he said.

Wiseman is excited about several trees that have demonstrated the expected height/spread ratio and have performed exceptionally well. These include:

• City Sprite® Zelkova (Z. serrata ‘JFS-KW1), which rapidly overcomes transplant shock and has persistently

a consortium of arborists, horticulturists, urban foresters, urban forest scientists and utility service providers: www.utilityfriendlytrees.org.

Dr. Eric Wiseman, associate pro-fessor of urban forestry, established the utility line arboretum at the Hahn Horticulture Garden on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg and continues to evaluate which trees perform best.

In essence, the arboretum “not only raises awareness of the tree-utility conflict issue, but also gives people the opportu-nity to ‘test drive’ the trees before they plant them on their property or in their community,” Wiseman wrote.

All five arboreta are stocked with small stature trees that are “street tough and readily available in the industry,” Wiseman said. All have on-site signage

tags that identify the trees and allow access to detailed online information for each using QR codes.

Information about the five collections on the Plantsmap website includes the specific origins of individual plants, general details about the species, cultural characteristics and ornamental values: www.plantsmap.com/organizations/ 452/collections.

Starting in the spring of 2006, Wiseman began scientifically rigorous eval-uations of 25 varieties of UtiliTrees™ from J. Frank Schmidt. Five plants of five variet-ies were planted each year for five years and evaluated for five years to assess how quickly the trees grew, their growth dimen-sions and issues with pests or cultivation.

In particular, Wiseman tracked root suckering or sprouting, which creates prob-


Growing under the lines

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high quality foliage that “looks as good in October as when it emerges from bud in April.”

• Snow Charm® Styrax (S. japonicus ‘JFS-E’), which Wiseman said is “particularly dainty for really small spaces with durable foliage and an amazing floral display.”

• Prunus ‘Spire’ which has beau-tiful flowers and an upright habit that fits in tight horizontal spaces.

• Cornus ‘Venus’, which pro-duces gigantic flowers and doesn’t have disease problems.

• Malus ‘Red Barron’, a crabapple with interesting purple-green foliage that isn’t bothered by fungal diseases.

• Syringa ‘Ivory Silk’, a Japanese tree lilac that produces a beautiful flo-ral display much later in the season.

Wiseman and his colleague at the

Hampton Roads Horticulture Facility, Laurie Fox, are preparing a journal publication about the evaluations and an updated extension publica-tion that are both due in early 2018.

Plan before you plantIn the New England states of

Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire, a utility company called Eversource provides electric-ity to some 3.1 million customers.

In that heavily treed part of the coun-try, trees are the leading cause of power outages, according to Bob Allen, manager of vegetation management at Eversource.

Besides aggressive efforts to “remove outages waiting to happen” by searching for and pruning trees that threaten power lines, Eversource has undertaken efforts to educate its custom-

ers about “the right tree for the right place for electric service reliability.”

To that end, Eversource teamed with the the University of Massachusetts Stockbridge School of Agriculture on the Amherst campus to create a Utility Arboretum in which trees grow in relation to power lines.

Among arborists and green pro-fessionals with a close connection to UMass at Amherst, renowned hor-ticulturist, woody plant expert and author Dr. Michael Dirr earned his Ph.D. in plant physiology there.

A proponent of the right plant/right place concept, Dr. Dirr helped establish the partnership between the utility and UMass staff and continues to contribute to the project, Allen said.

The Utility Arboretum opened in 2017 using recycled poles and electrical

(Opposite page) Virginia Tech has been evaluating the growth and performance of small stature, utility line compatible cultivars over the last 10 years. Here research associate John Peterson measures the height growth of a City Sprite® Zelkova (Zelkova serrata ‘JFS-KW1’). PHOTO BY

ERIC WISEMAN/VIRGINIA TECH


equipment. Sections of de-energized pri-mary wires totally 1,000 feet of line were strung between seven poles, and 35 two to three-inch caliper trees were planted.

Allen reports good results from Acer triflorum, Acer pseudosieboldianum, Cornus kousa and Parrotia persica.

More trees on that site and two more arboreta are underway, with the goal of identifying “20 under 20”: 20 decorative, flowering tree species that are unlikely to need much pruning and are well suited to conditions in the area.

The second Utility Arboretum of 41 trees was planted in New Hampshire at a training field for linesmen last fall, and a third is slated to go in on the main campus of the University of Connecticut next spring.

In an effort to encourage diversity among tree choices, Dr. Dirr has sug-gested trying some mid-Atlantic species of trees, so crape myrtles are among those being tried at the Amherst site too.

Elizabeth Petersen writes for the garden industry and teaches SAT/ACT test prep at www.satpreppdx.com. She can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].


Maximizing your natural resources

Soil and water conservation districts are here to help landowners, not regulate them

BY AARON GUFFEY

WHAT IS AN SWCD — and what can it do for you?

Let’s start with the acronym. SWCD stands for “Soil and Water Conservation District.” The goal of conservation is to use resources effi-ciently, not prohibit their use. SWCDs help you make informed management decisions to ensure that soil and water will continue to be viable resources for the use of generations to come.

SWCDs are not environmental advocacy groups and certainly won’t tell you that agriculture is bad for the environment. They do not enforce regulations or issue permits. Working with them is always voluntary and they offer their services at no charge.

You decide to what extent you want to take advantage of the ser-vices offered. They exist solely to provide benefits to the public.

SWCDs work with a variety of agricultural landowners, including nurs-eries, to plan and design solutions and

help put those solutions into action. In the case of nurseries, this could include anything from converting to drip irri-gation to preventing soil erosion from fields. They even have access to fund-ing pools that help pay for projects.

For topics that are outside of their area of expertise, they work closely with partner organizations to find the information you need.

It’s worth noting that farmers aren’t the only ones who can benefit. Although they were traditionally established to provide services to rural farmers, SWCDs with city centers can provide similar services to urban residents.

For example, they may offer workshops on topics that apply to urban spaces, such as management of stormwater, rainwater catchment and low maintenance landscapes.

How do SWCDs help conserve water?

SWCDs can help nurseries save

water while saving money. For example, the conversion of sprinkler irrigation to drip irrigation uses less water by deliver-ing it only to the root zone of the crop. Drip irrigation discourages the growth of weeds between rows, as little water is delivered there. Additionally, less of the irrigation water is lost to evaporation.

In the end, the nursery saves on pumping and labor costs, while help-ing the SWCD in their mission to conserve water. Everybody wins!

Last year, the Clackamas SWCD and the East Multnomah SWCD partnered with J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. on a 75-acre site that spans the county line. The nursery wanted to convert the site to a drip irrigation system. In coordination with the nursery’s field staff, the SWCD staff assisted with the technical aspects of the irrigation system design, which included soil moisture monitoring equip-ment. Due to the significant water and energy savings, funding was secured to cover 65 percent of the project costs.


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How do SWCDs help conserve soil?Preventing soil erosion keeps farm-

land productive. Also, keeping soil out of waterways is important because fertilizers and pesticides bind to soil and can nega-tively impact nearby streams and rivers.

There are several methods to address soil erosion:

• Cover crops prevent erosion by intercepting rain, filtering runoff, and anchoring soil.

• Grassed waterways are a type of designed drainage ditch that ensures the conveyance of concentrated runoff in a non-erosive manner.

• Filter strips are bands of perennial grass that run perpendicular to the slope of a field to intercept and filter surface runoff.

• Improving dirt farm roads by grading them to a crown, laying a geotextile fabric, and capping them with gravel not only prevents erosion, but also ensures that roads are drivable in wet winter months.

If done correctly, these practices and others like them can be effective in keeping topsoil in the field where it belongs. SWCDs can help nurseries design and implement all of these solutions.

A number of years ago, Surface Nursery Inc. contacted the East Multnomah SWCD for recommenda-tions to control erosion. While they were on site, the nursery manager pointed out that they were unable to drive on a steep, dirt farm road in the winter to access their fields.

It turned out that the road was a significant part of the erosion prob-lem. SWCD staff surveyed the site and developed a design for the road that included vegetated ditches along each side. The nursery was able to do the roadwork with their crews and equip-ment, which counted as a contribution to the whole project, allowing the SWCD to fund a greater share of the materials.

Crowning the road helped to guide runoff into the vegetated ditches and prevented gullies forming in the road. The use of geotextile fabric under the

(Opposite page) This grassy strip along a waterway in Harford County, Maryland, helps prevent erosion, soil loss and pollution. PHOTO BY EDWIN REMSBERG. COURTESY OF USDA SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION.


Getting the most from your resources

gravel improved the road’s longevity. Ten years later the road is holding up well and the nursery is able to use it year round.

Beyond soil and waterMany SWCDs are involved in efforts

to remove invasive weeds. Some SWCDs help restore streamsides, wetlands, or rare habitats such as oak savannas. The promotion of natural areas increases the abundance of wildlife, which if managed properly adds resilience to a farm system. For example, predatory birds can help to keep populations of field mice and voles in check. Native pollinating insects are vital for the productivity of certain crops.

Some SWCDs also assist farmers in protecting the future of their land through agricultural easements and farm succession programs. By keeping land in production, they are working to pro-

tect our rich agricultural heritage.SWCDs rose out of the Dust Bowl

era. In the 1930s the combination of aggressive tillage practices and persistent droughts in the Great Plains left the soil susceptible to wind erosion. With no moisture or plant roots to hold the soil, it blew away in billowing clouds. This severely degraded farm land, leading to forced migrations of families who could no longer make a living off of the land.

In the wake of these events, President Franklin D. Roosevelt estab-lished the Soil Conservation Service to prevent such tragedies in the future. They quickly discovered that the best approach was to partner with the farm-ers themselves. As a result, SWCDs began forming on the local level, forg-ing working relationships with farmers to promote conservation farming.

It’s your callEach SWCD offers programs that

best fit the needs of the county in which they reside. So, how do you find out what your SWCD can do for you?

Most have websites that describe their services. All SWCDs welcome phone calls, emails, and visitors to their office. The best way to find out what your local SWCD can offer you is to contact them. They’ll be happy to hear from you. They’ll listen to your interests and concerns, and they’ll work with you to figure out how they can best be of service.

Aaron Guffey is a senior conservatio- nist with the East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District (www.emswcd.org). Contact him at 503-935-5362 or [email protected].

East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District was experiencing erosion along a roadway on its property due to runoff (left), until the district installed a grassed waterway. The result was a significant reduction in erosion (right).PHOTO BY EAST MULTNOMAH SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT


ARE YOU HIRING?To place an ad, call

Blair Thompson at 503-582-2012 or email [email protected].

www.oan.org/jobs.

EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT

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2. Determine general heading and subhead that ad runs under: • General: “Employment,” “Plant Material,”“Service/Supply,” “Real Estate.” • Subheads run under general headings. Create your own, but be general:

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4. Indicate any blind box for confidential replies. We assign number and mail any responses.

5. Compose ad. Designate headlines.

6. Email ad by deadline, December 10 for the January issue.

7. We bill after publication.

8. We reserve right to edit ads for content.

Classified Line Ad• $35/column inch for OAN members / $55 for nonmembers.• Regular, one-column, standard typeface, approximately 28–38 characters

per line, 7 lines per inch. Use headlines, bold, italics and special characters.• Corporate logo (black & white) $30 additional charge.

Classified Display Ad (plus production charges @ $69/hour)• $45/column inch for OAN members / $71 for nonmembers.• Use logos, display type, borders, screens or reverses.• Electronic ad files can be supplied. Call for production details.

Digger Classifieds29751 S.W. Town Center Loop W., Wilsonville, OR 97070Phone 503-682-5089 • Fax 503-682-5727 • Email: [email protected]

CLASSIFIEDS

CUSTOMER SERVICEBlue Heron Farm, a large wholesale nursery in Corvallis, OR, seeks a full-time customer service representative to add to our team. If you enjoy helping people with orders and shipping in a fast-paced environment, this is for you!

Attention to details, positive attitude, proactive, great communication and computer skills are required. Plant nursery experience is preferred but not required.

Hours are 7:30 - 4:00 M-F but generally increase during our busy season. Competitive wage and benefits.Please email cover letter andresume for consideration to [email protected].

MAINTENANCE WORKERBe par t o f a team in our progressive wholesale tree nursery in the Boring, Oregon area. Will work at our propagation farm performing maintenance for all facilities including repairs, limited construct ion for warehouses, greenhouses , coolers , off ice buildings, outbuildings, wells, and irrigation systems.

Requires working knowledge of light electrical, plumbing, and construction. Driver s license and insurable driving record required. The ideal candidate will have skills in farming activity and equipment operation with the willingness to contribute in all areas of nursery production especially during peak seasons of nursery activity.

Fu l l - t ime pos i t i on , Monday throughFriday with some weekend work and includes an excellent benefits package. Posit ion is available immediately and wages are DOE.

Mail, fax or email resume to:J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.

Attn: Human ResourcesPO Box 189Boring, OR 97009

Fax: (503) 512-2209Email: [email protected]

SPRAY APPLICATOR SUPERVISORJ. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. is looking for an individual to operate agricultural farm equipment and apply pesticides. Must be able to communicate in English and either have or obtain private pesticide applicators license within six months of hire. Will supervise and train workers in safe working practices around chemicals and equipment hazards.

Requires proficiency in the working maintenance and operation of all tractors, sprayers, and equipment used in pest management. Must be able to work independently without close supervision and observe all safety requirements. Horticultural plant knowledge and mechanical abilities a plus. Comprehensive employee benefit package. Salary commensurate with experience.

Mail, fax or email resume to:J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.



HELP WANTED

For jobs and key employees throughout California and the Northwest, call Florasearch, Inc. You know us. For more than three decades we have been bringing together key people and excellent companies in the nursery and greenhouse industries and allied trades. Check our references. Confidential. Employer pays fee.

Florasearch, Inc.1740 Lake Markham Rd.

Sanford, FL 32771Ph (407) 320-8177Fx (407) 320-8083

Website: www.florasearch.com Email: [email protected]

FARM/MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT

We are looking for a self-motivated, responsible, and trustworthy person to become part of our management team located at our Hood Acres Farm in Boring. Candidate must be bilingual (English/Spanish) and will support the Farm Manager in day-to-day activities as well as translate and assist in communications with our Spanish speaking employees.Good communications, computer, and organizational skills are necessary as well as previous experience in payroll and/or purchase ordering is a plus. Must have a valid driver s license and good driving record. We offer a comprehensive benefit package, wages DOE.

Please send resume to:J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.



GROWER POSITIONSatisfying, constantly challenging and professionally rewarding Grower position offered at Sidhu/Briggs Nursery in Elma, WA. Applicants need to have a strong interest in plants and a passion to produce a quality product. We produce ornamental trees and shrubs, small fruits, some perennials and grasses in plugs, 2" liners, quarts and larger containers which are shipped nationwide.

Good communication skills and computer skills are a must. Pesticide/IPM background is beneficial as is previous industry experience. Expertise in plant ID, irrigation, plant maintenance and scouting is beneficial.

Salary is DOQ.Please contact Janet Nelson at [email protected] or 360-482-6190, ext. 106 to obtain a complete job description or to submit a resume .

DECIDUOUS TREE GROWER IN MILTON-FREEWATER

Wholesale deciduous tree nursery located in Milton-Freewater, Oregon is seeking a full-time, experienced grower. Must be hands-on with direct experience in planting, growing, and harvesting deciduous trees.

Applicant must be fluent in Spanish and English, both reading and writing, and have proven supervisory/management skills.

Ideal candidate will be self-motivated and quality driven, be honest, a team player, trustworthy and possess a high work ethic standard.

Five plus years of horticultural education and/or work related experience is preferred. Valid driver s license required. Wage DOE with full company benefits.

Mail, fax or email resume to: J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.

Attn: Human Resources PO Box 189, Boring, OR 97009


WORKING NURSERY LEAD PERSON

Well-rounded individual with passion for growing and plant propagation knowledge needed for nursery in Hubbard, OR. Must be organized, responsible and a self-starter with a valid Oregon driver's license/clean safety records. Bilingual & pesticide license a plus. Salary depending on experience. Email resume to [email protected] or call 503-651-3535 to apply.


EMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT PLANT MATERIALEMPLOYMENT

We are always looking for career oriented skilled sta�. Our operations include wholesale growing, shipping, landscape contractor sales, and retail nursery. If you have the interest and skills needed to be a part of our team, please apply. We are growers of container and �eld grown ornamentals.

We are looking for people in the following areas:• Sales / Customer Service (Wholesale/Retail)• Production / Growers / Supervisors• Shipping & Receiving• Inventory / O�ce Mgmt & Admin / Purchasing• Pesticide / IPM Managers & Applicators• Irrigation Management / Skilled Laborers• Outside sales throughout U.S. & Canada• Controller / Accounting Manager• Horticultural Website Developer

Applicants with speci�c work experience or education in the nursery industry is desired. Computer skills, Spanish / English bilingual, plant ID knowledge and equipment operation skills also preferred.

Pay commensurate with experience. Bene�ts to include: Paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, medical and dental insurance. Respond with resume to [email protected] to the speci�c job for which you qualify.

For more information, please visit us online atwww.loennursery.com

Salem, Oregon 1-877-490-7844jlpnliners.com • [email protected]

Bareroot SeedlingsAcer, Amelanchier, Betula, Cercis, Malus,

Populus, Prunus, Pyrus, Zelkova

Rooted CuttingsAcer rubrum, Betula, Platanus, Prunus & Ulmus

Band Pot GrownAcer, Carpinus, Cornus, Fagus, Liquidambar,

Nyssa, Quercus, & Syringa

Over 175 Varieties

Bareroot & Container Grown Understock & Rooted Cuttings

Woody Liner Tool KitNobody has a wider selection of unique cultivars and root stock.

Salem, OR 97317503-585-9835 / Fax 503-371-9688

[email protected]

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

Skagit Horticulture in Mt. Vernon, Washington is a leading provider of exceptional plants and innovative horticultural solutions, cultivating our customers' success. This role acts as critical support to sales reps who are often on the road visiting customers. You will manage relationships and sales with customers, including everything from day-to-day inquiries to program planning and product presentations. You may be asked to professionally attend and assist at trade shows. Responsibilities also include clerical duties and data entry.

S u m m a r y o f D u t i e s a n d Responsibilities: Handle all aspects of customer inquiries - Serve as support for sales reps when traveling - Make routine outgoing sales calls - Receive and enter orders - Assist sales reps to increase sales with customers - Travel to trade shows and customer visits as required - Other duties as assigned to support sales department.

Required / Preferred Qualifications: Knowledge of annuals, perennials, plant uses and hardiness zones is helpful - Candidate should have strong people and problem-solving skills - Excellent verbal, math and writing skills - Collaborative team member at work as well as with customers - High integrity and respect for confidentiality requirements - Strong competency in Microsoft Office - Intermediate Excel knowledge including work with data, pivot tables and V-look up - Minimum two years of customer service or sales experience required - Willing to work long hours, weekends and holidays as needed. Safety: Maintain a zero-tolerance attitude for unsafe work practices.Benefits: Skagit offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401k, generous PTO and 8 paid holidays.To apply, please email your resume to [email protected].

NURSERY FIELD PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR

Qualified candidates will have 3 or more years of nursery experience with skills to effectively manage crews in all aspects of field production tasks: pruning, grading, shipping, field prep, irrigation, mechanical field harvest, etc. Private applicator's license is required. Bilingual (Spanish) desirable. Comprehensive benefits. Send resumes to [email protected]

STUPPY GREENHOUSE ACCOUNT SALES POSITION

Stuppy is expanding and looking for an additional account sales professional on the West Coast. This position requires the ability to be technical and work well with people. Learn more about Stuppy at www.stuppy.com.

We are looking for bright, outgoing people who can continually build and maintain strong relationships with clients. With national and international competition in the industry, an attitude of success and enthusiasm is necessary to compete for and win our customer's confidence.

S t u p p y c u s t o m e r s e x p e c t anunderstanding of their unique g row ing requ i rement s and conf idence in our technical recommendations. You will be required to manage multiple sales opportunities, communicate enthusiastically with customers, and generate quality results.

Ideal locations for candidate s homebase would be Oregon, Central California, or Arizona. Travel is a must expect to be out and about ten or more days a month. Most expenses are reimbursed and a vehicle is provided. In your first year, expect regular travel to the home office in Kansas City, Missouri.

Submit resumes to [email protected] with "Digger" in the subject line.

SUPPORT ANALYSTWe are a leading provider of exceptional plants and innovative horticultural solutions, cultivating our customers success. A career at Skagit Horticulture in Mt. Vernon, Washington is challenging, rewarding, and satisfying. We accomplish our goals when each individual performs to their full potential while contributing as a valuable team player with others in the organization.

S u m m a r y o f D u t i e s a n d Responsibilities: Manage ongoing store level sales activity, store level inventory levels and various weekly and monthly sales reports. Program and sales analysis by individual item is crucial to this position.

Dut ies and Respons ib i l i t i es : Responding to ad-hoc time sensitive query/report requests - Daily sales reports within ERP and third party analysis tools - Monitor and track daily sales and inventory by customer store location - Generate replenishment orders adhering to the customer s timelines and order guidelines - Research and create weekly action plans for quick resolution on inventory imbalances - Weekly production tracking against forecast - Monthly forecast creation with 12 and 24-month outlook - Perform data analysis for various departments as requested by account managers or company management.

Required / Preferred Qualifications: BS degree in Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics, Information Management, or Statistics - Proven background as an analyst in related industry - Retail sales knowledge of SKU s, UPC s, and EDI order process required. - Professional effective communication skills are required - Strong knowledge of retail sales and data management - Strong analytical skills to collect, organize, analyze and disseminate significant amounts of information with attention to detail and accuracy. - Candidate should have strong people and problem-solving skills - Successful background working in team environment - Basic competency in Microsoft Office�.

Benefits: Skagit offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401k, generous PTO and 8 paid holidays.

To apply, please email your resume to [email protected].

PLANT MATERIAL

SCHURTER NURSERY

Arborvitae - Emerald green Container-grown Boxwoods

Green Giants Otto Luyken • Skip Laurel

Various Sizes & Varieties 503-932-8006

CLEARWATER GROWERS

ROOTED CUTTINGS / PLUGS: Carex; Deschampsia caespitosa;

Juncus; Scirpus; Thuja o. - ‘Emerald Green’

LINERS: Arctostaphylos - ‘Mass’; Carex; Carex testacea;

Ceanothus g. ‘Pt Reyes’; Cornus s. ‘Kelseyi’;

Cotoneaster - ‘Lowfast‘/ ‘Coral Beauty’; Deschampsia caespitosa; Fragaria; Juncus; Leyland Cypress;

Liriope m. ‘Big Blue’; Liriope spicata; Mahonia; Pachysandra; Pennisetum;

Polystichum; Prunus – ‘Schipkaensis’; Rubus c. Sarcococca;

Thuja o. – ‘Emerald Green’; Vinca

1 gal availability Arctostaphylos - ‘Mass’; Calamagrostis; Carex;

Ceanothus; Cornus s. ‘Kelseyi’; Cotoneaster dammeri - ‘Coral

Beauty’ / ‘Lowfast’; Deschampsia; Festuca; Fragaria; Gaultheria shallon; Helictotrichon sempervirens; Juncus;

Liriope; Mahonia; Pennisetum; Polystichum munitum; Rubus;

Sarcococca; Vinca

Custom Propagation Available Ph: 503-359-7540 Fax: 503-357-2282 Forest Grove, OR

.


PLANT MATERIALPLANT MATERIAL PLANT MATERIAL PLANT MATERIAL

AAA Mercantile ........................... 31Anderson Die & Mfg. Co. Inc. ........ 2Biringer Nursery ........................... 17Cascade Trees .............................. 31Crop Production Services ............. 29D-Stake Mill Inc. .......................... 21Don Marjama Nursery Co. ........... 19Energy Trust of Oregon ................. 5F & L Lumber Inc. ......................... 19GK Machine ................................. 14Hostetler Farm Drainage .............. 31Kubota ........................................... 5Lane Forest Products ................... 11Leonard Adams Insurance ............ 6Marion Ag Service Inc. ................. 29Marr Bros. .................................... 17McPheeters Turf Inc. .................... 31Motz & Son Nursery .................... 31OBC Northwest ............................ 21Oregon Valley Greenhouses .......... 3Peterson Caterpillar ....................... 3Reardon Nursery .......................... 19Rickel’s Tree Farm ......................... 31Schurter Nursery .......................... 31Spring Meadow Nursery Inc. ....... 32T & R Company............................ 18Vitamin Institute / SUPERthrive ... 12Weeks Berry Nursery ................... 17Willamette Nurseries ................... 11

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Quality, Healthy, Ready-to-Sell Plants.

Phone: 503-632-4787 Fax: 503-632-5412CONTRACT GROWING

YEAR ROUND21200 S. Ferguson Rd. Beavercreek, OR 97004

www.beaverlakenursery.com

BEAVERLAKEBEAVERLAKEN U R S E R Y

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& Shade Trees

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Gaston, Oregon

CopenHaven Farms Nursery

HICKENLOOPER GARDENSWe have a lot to offer!

Specializing in: Hosta

Winter Jewels Hellebores Hardy Fuchsia

Heuchera Ferns

Contact us for an availability list.www.hickenlooper-gardens.com

Phone: 503-949-5723 Fax: 541-327-2011

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Ground Covers

PACIFIC CRESTGROUNDCOVERS, INC.

Kinnikinnick, Fragaria, Gaultheria, Mahonia,

Liriope, Vinca and more. 3.5” and #1’s.

Call or email for availability list: 503-784-4925 or

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Liners

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Acres of rhododendrons – instant privacy available.

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Hidden Acres Nursery 19615 SW Cappoen Rd. Sherwood, OR 97140

503-625-7390

www.hiddenacresnursery.net

Rootstock

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TRECO® Oregon Rootstock & Tree Co. Inc.

P.O. Box 98 Woodburn, OR 97071

www.treco.nu p: 1.800.871.5141 f: 503.634.2344

WILLAMETTE NURSERIES

YOUR SOURCE FOR ORNAMENTAL SEEDLINGS, FRUIT TREE ROOTSTOCK, CUTTING LINER VARIETIES

& MORE.

We specialize in understock for flowering, fruiting and shade.

www.willamettenurseries.com

Excellent quality. Outstanding service.

25571 S. Barlow Rd. Canby, OR 97013

503-263-6405

Toll-Free: 1-800-852-2018 E-Mail: [email protected]

SERVICE/SUPPLY

Containers

ROOT CONTROL GROW BAGS

from High Caliper Growing Systems Smart Pots - Any Size

Pot Pruners - Tree Collars

1-800-521-8089 www.treebag.com

3 WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE TO


Nursery Country IssueISSUE DATE: JANUARY 2018

Advertising deadline: December 5, 2017

Oregon is home to some of the finest wholesale nurseries in the United States. Each year we highlight some of them in the annual Nursery Country issue. This issue receives extra distribution at the MANTS show and other shows the OAN attends. Advertise your nursery or business in this special issue celebrating Oregon nurseries, the plants they grow, and the stories behind them.

Contact: Blair Thompson503-582-2012 or [email protected]/ads

Download the insertion order:

The Oregon Association of Nurseries recognizes the commitment of its sponsors to our industry. Thank you to the following partners for making the 2017 OAN

Convention possible:

OAN Greenhouse-

Retail Chapters

Alpha Nursery Inc.Al’s Garden & Home

Arrowhead Ornamentals LLCBrooks Tree Farm

Columbia BankDayton Bag & Burlap

Heritage Seedlings & LinersJ. Frank Schmidt & Son Co.

Kraemer’s Nursery Inc.LifeMap

OAN Central Oregon ChapterOAN Clackamas Chapter

OAN Emerald Empire ChapterOAN Mt. Hood ChapterOAN Sunset Chapter

OAN Willamette ChapterPark’s Nursery

The H C Companies, ProCal


An ongoing series provided by Oregon State University

in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture

and in partnership with the Oregon Association of Nurseries

GROWING KNOWLEDGESeries content is coordinated by Dr. Jay Pscheidt, professor of botany and plant pathology at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.

Fighting the resistanceWeeds can become herbicide-resistant, but there are strategies to counteract it

BY LLOYD L. NACKLEY AND MARCELO MORETTI

EVIDENTLY WE HATE WEEDS. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that

expenditures on herbicides consistently accounted for the largest portion of total world pesticide expenditures at approxi-mately 45 percent, followed by insecti-cides, fungicides, and other pesticides.

Amazingly, in 2012, U.S. expendi-tures accounted for 21 percent of world expenditures on herbicides. It’s not only costly, we use a lot too. U.S. pesticide usage totaled over 1.1 billion pounds annually in both 2011 and 2012, with herbicides accounting for nearly 50 per-cent and 60 percent of total U.S. pesticide usage in 2011 and 2012, respectively.

If you are interested in the details, the pesticide industry sales and usage report are publically available on the EPA website (www.epa.gov/pesticides).

Statistics would suggest that the high proportion of herbicide use is not an indication that there is greater con-trol of weeds. In fact, herbicide use has increased over time, suggesting that we have treated more acreage, and done so more frequently, every season.

It may be the result of labor short-ages in the agriculture industry. The current worldwide herbicide market is 50 percent greater than it was 15 years ago. As a result of this heavy reliance on herbicides as a weed management tool, the weeds have become more resistant.

La RésistanceWhen herbicides are applied to a

nursery, greenhouse, or home, the goal is

to eliminate susceptible weeds before they reproduce. The repeated use of the same herbicide — or even different herbicides with the same mode of action (MOA) — will favor the survival, reproduction and eventual dominance of resistant plants.

Resistance develops when rare individuals within a traditionally sus-ceptible population survive the applica-

tion and transmit the resistant traits to their offspring. The inherited traits allow resistant individuals to sur-vive and reproduce despite having received doses of chemicals that are normally lethal (Figure 2, next page).

In some cases, weeds are resistant due to the combination of target-site and non-target site resistance. To further

Figure 1: Reported cases of resistance are growing. The International Survey of Herbicide Resistant Weeds (www.weedscience.org), a collaborative effort between weed scientists in over 80 countries, reports that there are currently 482 unique cases (species x site of action) of herbicide resistant weeds globally, with 252 species (146 dicots and 106 monocots). Weeds have evolved resistance to 23 of the 26 known herbicide sites of action and to 163 different herbicides. Herbicide resistant weeds have been reported in 92 crops in 69 countries.

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Increase in Unique Resistant Weed Cases for the United States


Fighting the resistance

Figure 2: The genesis of resistance is classified in “target site” or “non-target site” mechanisms. Without getting lost in the weeds, target site resistance is endowed by gene mutations in target enzymes. Target site resistance occurs when the specific site (i.e., target) is altered, and the herbicide no longer binds to the site of action and is unable to exert its phytotoxic effect. Non-target site resistance occurs when mechanisms, such as reduced uptake or increased vacuole sequestration, diminish the herbicide concentration reaching the target site.

complicate the scenario, weeds can evolve resistance to several herbicides, which is called multiple resistance. One such example of multiple resistance is an Italian ryegrass population resistant to glypho-sate (Round-up, Glystar) and glufosinate (Rely 280, Reckon) that was documented in Oregon orchards, and verified with lab work by Dr. Carol Mallory-Smith.

Resisting resistanceAlthough weeds make the bulk

of expense and chemicals applied to production systems, there is rela-tively less information about their control compared with insect pests.

For example, a 2015 review of integrated pest management and weed management in the United States and Canada found that there were only five paragraphs specifically dedicated

to IPM and weeds in the foundational 120-page publication Integrated Pest Management (DOI: 10.1002/ps.3928).

It has been suggested that a chal-lenge for managing weeds, compared with insects, is the greater similari-ties between weeds and crops.

Weed science has been growing as a discipline over the years. At Oregon State University we have recently hired Dr. Marcelo Moretti.

Dr. Moretti previously studied glyphosate and paraquat resistance in orchard production systems in California. His research on resistance focused on the distribution, mechanism, and management of multiple herbicide resistant Conyza spp. At Oregon State University, Dr. Moretti is developing a program focused on developing strategies for the effective and economical management of weeds

for perennial horticultural crops, includ-ing ornamental plants. He is also a liai-son for minor crop registration program focused on herbicides and biopesticides.

How to manage resistanceIn 2012, the Weed Science of

America published a list of best man-agement practices for reducing the risks of herbicide resistance. (DOI: 10.1614/WS-D-11-00155.1).

1. Understand the biology of the weeds present.

2. Use a diversified approach toward weed management that is focused on preventing weed seed produc-tion and reducing the number of weed seeds in the soil seed bank.

3. Plant into weed-free fields and then keep those fields as weed free as possible.

4. Plant weed-free crop seed. 5. Scout fields routinely. 6. Use multiple herbicide mecha-

nisms of action (MOAs) that are effective against the most troublesome weeds or those most prone to herbicide resistance.

7. Apply the labeled herbicide rate at recommended weed sizes.

8. Emphasize cultural prac-tices that suppress weeds by using crop competitiveness.

9. Use mechanical and bio-logical management prac-tices where appropriate.

10. Prevent field-to-field and within-field movement of weed seed or vegetative propagules.

11. Manage weed seed at harvest and after harvest to prevent a buildup of the weed seed bank.

12. Prevent an influx of weeds into the field by managing field borders.

The BMPs emphasize that it is criti-cal to diversify weed management prac-tices and use multiple herbicide MOAs. Herbicide applicators may not realize that of new herbicide chemistries is rare, that the existing herbicide resource is exhaust-ible. Indiscriminate herbicide use is leading

Before herbicide application

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After herbicide application


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to rapid evolution of resistant weeds and could result in the loss of herbicide options.

Labor shortages one of the great-est threats to horticultural production systems. Chemical herbicides are first and foremost a laboring saving mecha-nism. Efficient, low-cost methods for weed control will remain relevant with-out an abundant supply of labor.

Popular science suggests that robot weeders may be the answer. Europe has seen success with robotic weeding of row crops, so there may be applicabil-ity for field nurseries. Perhaps more immediately, the USDA inter-regional research project no. 4, commonly known as IR-4, assists growers of specialty crops in obtaining safe and effective pest management tools to control weeds as well as other pests and pathogens com-monly found in commercial operations.

In the past two years alone, the IR-4 Ornamentals project has coordi-nated more than 450 herbicide trials by researchers across the country. Dr. Nackley is a research leader for the IR-4 Ornamentals program at Oregon State University. Data and information from greenhouse and field trials that are con-ducted at NWREC and around the country enable pesticide registrants to add certain ornamental crops to their commercial pesticide labels, providing growers with new and efficient management options. Research activates start with growers, landscape care professionals, researchers or extension agents identifying a need.

Suggestions from commercial growers who have identified an on-farm problem are always welcome and can be directed to Dr. Nackley or Dr. Moretti.

Dr. Lloyd L. Nackley is an assistant professor of nursery management in the Oregon State University Department of Horticulture. He can be reached at [email protected]. Dr. Marcelo Moretti is an assistant professor of weed science in the Oregon State University Department of Horticulture. He can be reached at [email protected].


Convention and the nursery family

DIRECTOR’S DESK

Jeff StoneOAN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Something special happened

at this year’s OAN Convention,

held in November at Salishan.

Anytime there’s a large gathering of our membership, I find myself reju-venated. The camaraderie is something to behold. You see titans of the industry interacting with up-and-comers and the future of the industry. They talk about trends, production and labor challenges as easily as they give updates on family.

Tom Fessler is a giant in our indus-try. He recalled handing his son Kyle, then just 10 days old, off to the Bigej family at convention. They watched Kyle while Tom attended the vari-ous business and social events.

At this past convention, Kyle was sworn in as the association’s new trea-surer. And once again, a new generation of Bigej offspring was there to help with child care. I’m sure some of the kids in attendance will one day become house-hold names in Oregon’s nursery industry.

Of course, we also had our adult ver-sion of day care — sort of. Friday night started with hospitality suites hosted by Leonard Adams Insurance, Crop Production Services and a past president room hosted by outgoing past presidents Mark Bigej and Leigh Geschwill. It’s a cliché to say “a great time was had by all,” but I’m pretty sure it was.

We also put the association on a sustainable path relating to governance. Our finances are in good order along with our programs and services.

Worker protection standard changesWe had expert panels on two issues

facing the industry. One was the chang-ing state and federal Worker Protection Standard (WPS) rules, and the other was succession planning. There were several big takeaways on the former.

1. Everyone has to comply with the new regulations. Many in agriculture believe that if you are not a restricted use pesticide applicator, you do not have to abide by the regulations. This is false.

2. There are significant require-ments for worker training, recordkeep-ing, placement of decontamination supplies and notification.

3. There is a 150-foot buffer for any pesticide application that requires a respirator and a 100-foot buffer for applications where the handler is required to use eye and glove protection. For operations that are near neighbors and roads, this will be a challenge.

4. We are actively working with Oregon State University and the Oregon Department of Agriculture to provide resources and training portals through www.pesticideresources.org. In Oregon, the OAN will do significant outreach to the membership. We will schedule meet-ings, webinars and have resources on the members-only page throughout 2018.

Many in agriculture, including the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, requested a delay in implementation of the WPS until train-ing and outreach is completed. In spite of such pleas, any delay was rejected by the Environmental Protection Agency and Oregon’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Ready or not, WPS goes live on January 2, 2018.

Planning for the next generationPassing the farm operation on to the

next generation is a growing challenge. To address that, we had an expert panel with Dave Buck (CPA from Aldrich); Brad Eriksen (attorney with Jordan Ramis) and Nellie McAdams (Farm Preservation Program) talk about steps owners can take now to keep a nursery industry opera-tion going into the next generation.

To properly transition to a new ownership, control and management structure requires legal and accounting expertise. Putting planning off does not spare the expense.

Estate taxes are a real thing — at least for now. Operations that plan ahead of time can ensure that operations do not have to sell part of the property to pay off the tax to state and federal governments. A decade ago, the OAN

secured passage of a bill that provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit up to $7.5 million per person. This is good enough to eliminate the state estate tax liability for 90 percent of the nursery operations in the state.

Over the next 20 years, 64 percent of Oregon’s agricultural lands will change hands. With the average farm owner being 60 years old and 84 percent of Oregon farms being sole proprietorships, the chal-lenges for succession planning are clear.

Several resources can help, includ-ing NW Farm Credit Service, Chemeketa Community College, trusted legal and accounting firms and your association.

A night of celebrationA highlight of the entire convention expe-

rience is giving thanks to our volunteer leaders and honoring those who have contributed to the association and industry over the years.

Two outstanding service award winners – Ken McVicker (Van Essen Nursery) and Kristin VanHoose (Amethyst Hill Nursery) were honored for their dedicated service to the betterment of the industry. The full comple-ment of deserving awardees are featured in this issue of Digger (see article on Page 9).

For me, the most special part of the evening was seeing the OAN Honorary Lifetime Membership Award given to two very deserving individuals and one couple. Teri Dillard Lund (William Dillard Nursery), Frank Schmidt III (J. Frank Schmidt & Son) and Dan and Diane Wells received this presti-gious honor. We heard great stories about all of them and the contributions they have made.

I am proud to be part of this association and honored to work for such a great indus-try. I am looking forward to a successful new year. Bring on 2018!


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Documents

Soil and water conservation districts - Digger magazine · including City Sprite® zelkova (Zelkova serrata ‘JFS-KW1’), shown planted along this roadway. ... [email protected]