Digger magazine

Serving the Northwest Nursery Industry for Over 50 Years

You are here: Home / Archives for Jeff Stone

Strength and wisdom

By — Posted

An adage says ‘behind every great man is a great woman,’ but it seems archaic to bring up these days with the budding ascension of so many women as national leaders. My two politically-active and college-aged daughters have watched Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris of California become a viable national force in real […]

One industry, one voice

By — Posted

Welcome to the Advocacy Issue of Digger. We have devoted most of this issue to showing you how the Oregon Association of Nurseries gets involved in policymaking and advocacy on behalf of the members. We wanted to take you “inside” and show you our mindset as well as the process and methods we follow. We […]

Reflections on Farwest

By — Posted

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the world’s social and economic norms with shelter-in-place orders and social distancing. Unfortunately, it has also turned the business of large events upside down — including the Farwest Show. That’s why you’re holding a Farwest Edition of Digger without a show to attend this year. Oregon growers define the show The […]

America needs our vote

By — Posted

At a time of national challenge, we can either look at what divides us or what unites us. Our nursery community is a critical ingredient in the great American experiment. We are a blessed and privileged few. America is only as strong as her citizens. Our nation is a cauldron of different perspectives, ideologies and […]

Becoming a Zoom Jedi master

By — Posted

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced me to work at home, isolated in what I have started calling “the 64th Avenue Bunker.” As a result, my family has gained a deeper understanding of my severe technological deficits. They commonly hear me uttering phrases like, “I just want it to work!” I am not quite to the […]

Director’s Desk: We have your back

By — Posted

Gardening is not canceled. Oregon’s nursery, greenhouse, retail and supply chains are open for business. Our state and governor could have mandated full closures and declared our businesses non-essential. The fact they didn’t do this is a credit to the OAN’s leadership and its advocacy team. They were the perfect picture of vision, pure effort […]

Rationality is our friend

By — Posted

The COVID-19 virus will most certainly impact families, friends and businesses. It is already causing tremendous disruption in the economy, not to mention knocking our daily lives off auto-pilot. In mid-March, I communicated with our membership the need to embrace that fear is not our friend — rationality is. We provided reliable resources people can […]

Sticking together on big pest issues

By — Posted

Nursery and greenhouse operators face an ever-increasing set of opportunities and challenges. Few are more daunting, or more of a game changer, than pest and disease issues. Oregon has a stellar reputation of producing quality plant material, which is shipped throughout the Pacific Northwest, the nation and internationally. Faced with uncertainty regarding the spread of […]

Success is the sum of many parts

By — Posted

The nursery and greenhouse industry is chock full of successful operations — companies that have grown with the industry over time. To achieve that kind of lasting success requires a strong vision, as well as an ability to build a sound team to execute it. I’ve been fortunate to participate in successful teams multiple times […]