The 2019 Farwest Show, August 21–23 in Portland, Oregon, will offer three tours from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20. Every year, Farwest tours explore the dynamic facilities of Portland’s thought leaders in the green industry. This year’s three tracks will look at retail garden centers, sustainable business processes and procedures, and wholesale nursery operations. The Farwest tours are sponsored by The Peters Company of Wilsonville, Oregon.
Participants may choose the particular tour that best suits their interests. The Farwest Show is the gateway to Nursery Country. The ever-popular tours give industry professionals a valuable opportunity to engage with the best in the industry, gain valuable knowledge and enhance their careers, all at the same time. The cost is $99 per person for those who register before July 31 and $119 per person for those who register August 1 or later, but space is limited, so early registration is best. The tours can only accommodate 50 people each, and they often sell out. Registered attendees will be transported by luxury motor coach and provided with lunch, beverages, and snacks. All tours will depart and return from the north entrance of the Oregon Convention Center (N.E. Holladay Street by the light rail line). Personal vehicles are not allowed.
Tour 1: Go-to Garden Centers (Retail Tour) — This tour will explore four of the Portland area’s premier retail garden centers with reputations for phenomenal customer feedback. Attendees will see the innovative merchandise displays, product designs and retail space layouts that make these businesses the highest-rated local independent garden centers on Google and Yelp. Stops will include Cornell Farm (Portland), Farmington Gardens (Beaverton), The Garden Corner (Tualatin), and Dennis’ 7 Dees Landscaping & Garden Centers (Lake Oswego).
Tour 2: Seeds for Tomorrow (Sustainability Tour) — This tour will shine a light on the sustainability efforts at three different green industry businesses, revealing what is alike and what is different. Participants will see how these operations invest time and money to reduce environmental impacts, improve energy efficiency and transform
company culture — and they will also see the returns on these investments firsthand. Stops include The Oregon Garden (Silverton), Little Prince of Oregon Nursery Inc. (Aurora), and Brentano’s Tree Farm LLC (St. Paul).
Tour 3: Growing Landscape Solutions (Wholesale Tour) — This tour will showcase the high-quality trees and shrubs grown in the fertile Willamette Valley south of Portland. Participants will see a range of plant selections across four sites, including growing operations for Japanese maples, grafted conifers, specimen plants, hedge-and-border solutions, azaleas and woody ornamentals. Stops will include Countryside Nursery (Aurora), InstantHedge (Canby), Highland Meadow Nursery Inc. (Molalla), and Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas Inc. (Woodburn).
Registration is required for all Farwest tours. Get your tickets online at: https://farwestshow.com/register/. Complete details on the 2019 Farwest Show, the biggest green industry trade show in the West, can be found at https://farwestshow.com. Visit the website for more information on the tours, as well as show events, daily schedules, speaker biographies, educational seminar descriptions and much more. Details on host hotels that are available at special show rates can also be found on the registration page. Book your stay soon, as hotel blocks are limited.
