Meet Randy Kiyokawa Owner of Kiyokawa Family Orchards
What you do: We grow apples, pears, cherries, peaches, strawberries, plums and a few other crops here in the beautiful Hood River Valley. We sell our apples, peaches, plums and strawberries through our fruit stand, farmers markets, small stores and directly to restaurants. We market most of our pears and cherries through Diamond Fruit Growers, … { more }
Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas: Running a Family Business with Family Values
With a single 25 x 96-foot greenhouse, Bob and Jeanne Fessler started Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas in 1967. Today, the multi-generational operation includes 400 acres of nursery production, including 100 acres dedicated to greenhouse production. Along the way they’ve had their share of successes and growing pains that led the operation to focus on efficiency. … { more }
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 }
