Apr
05
Posted by
Heather Burson

Cook Family Farms: Sustainable Farming, Sustaining the Environment

Cook Family Farms is a story of transitions. Its evolution from a dairy farm at the start to a farm known for its sustainable practices today is just one of them. Cindy Cook herself is also part of that transition. “I grew up in Portland. I didn’t know the difference between beans and corn except […]

Sep
10
Posted by
Misty Zakrzewski

Meet Tom Pape and Scott Harer of Columbia Seeds Inc.

Name: Tom Pape and Scott Harer, Vice Presidents of Columbia Seeds What you do: We focus our resources on marketing and brand development of varieties, while facilitating the flow of seed from the producer to the marketplace.   How did you get into the seed business? We both grew up on the family farm and […]

Sep
29
Posted by
Julie Pederson

Doerfler Farms

Surviving tough times with an optimistic look toward the future. By Julie Pederson In the early 1970s, grass seed began to take hold as a predominant crop in the Willamette Valley. At the forefront of this movement was Bob Doerfler, a farmer who had learned the grass seed business from his father and was eager […]

Sep
29
Posted by
Julie Pederson

4 B Farms: A Mt. Angel farm embraces its roots.

By Julie Pederson 4 B Farms sits in the shadow of its past. On a hill overlooking the Butsch family’s fields, Mt. Angel Abbey serves as a constant reminder of their connection to the town of Mt. Angel, Ore., and their historical significance in this part of the state. In 1873, Mathius Butsch arrived in […]

Sep
29
Posted by
Julie Pederson

French Prairie Gardens: Sharing Farm Traditions Since 1987

By Julie Pederson In 1987, the Pohlschneider family opened a produce stand on their farm. This roadside attraction was a small added-value to a family farm already rich in tradition. Dating back to the 1920s, this grass seed operation was founded when Alwin Pohlschneider emigrated from Germany to the Willamette Valley to make a new […]