Oregon Shepherd Natural Wool Insulation
Ten years ago when the wool market was depressed, Margaret Magruder decided to come up with an alternative use for wool to turn the market around. Magruder has been a sheep farmer at Magruder Farms the last 30 years in Clatskanie, Oregon, the farm she grew up on started by her grandfather in the early … { more }
Baumgardner Pickling Company
When Judie Jamison was a child, pickle making was a family tradition. She grew up eating her grandmother’s pickles, a recipe brought over from Germany by her great grandmother. Her father continued the tradition, and every year he would choose a couple of days for the whole family to get together to make a few … { more }
Sokol Blosser Winery
Twenty years to an “overnight success” By Misty Zakrzewski Alex Sokol-Blosser fondly remembers harvest season as an exciting time at the family winery as a kid. To help out his parents during this busy time he lent a hand after school by cleaning pumps, tanks, and hosing down the crush pad; summers he worked in … { more }
Olsen Honey Farms
By Misty Zakrzewski When Dirk Olsen was in high school he stumbled across a book on bees at the library called ABCXYZ of Bee Culture. After reading the book he became intrigued with the idea of beekeeping and decided to try it out for himself. “I’m kind of a weird guy,” he says. “Bees are … { more }
Willamette Valley Fruit Company
By Misty Zakrzewski Before the Willamette Valley Fruit Company retail store was built in Salem, their customers came knocking on the door of their business office to purchase a pie or request a tour of the facility. The community wanted to be able to buy pies straight from the source, and the Willamette Valley Fruit … { more }
Drewsey Field Ranch Company
Planning for the next generation. By Misty Zakrzewski For many family farms and ranches, the idea of succession planning is more daunting than writing a will. It can be a sensitive topic no one wants to discuss. To the Drewsey Field Ranch Company, succession planning is a vital part in continuing the family legacy. The … { more }
Hart’s Nursery of Jefferson
Here to stay By Misty Zakrzewski Hart’s Nursery of Jefferson has learned that beginning in 2011 they will lose their largest customer, Walmart, after doing business together for 20 years. The retail chain will begin streamlining their supply for all their Northwest stores from just one grower. Instead of panicking, Hart’s Nursery remained confident in … { more }
Yule Tree Farms
Protecting Oregon’s natural resources for future generations. By Misty Zakrzewski While most of us have yet to take down the Halloween decorations, Yule Tree Farms is in full swing, hard at work harvesting half a million Christmas trees that will adorn families’ homes this holiday season. Unfortunately, not everyone will buy a real Christmas tree this … { more }
Wilco
This diverse, farmer-owned cooperative moves into the twenty-first century as “One Wilco.” By Julie Pederson As a farmer-owned cooperative 3,000 members strong, with thousands of non-member patrons visiting the farm stores each year, Wilco serves a diverse clientele. Satisfying the needs of all these customers, from hobby farmer to production agriculturalist, is a challenge that … { more }
