Our summer meeting in Corvallis, Oregon was a success in every way—great weather, interesting tours and speakers, good food and, as always, excellent camaraderie! Our home base, the Courtyard Corvallis, was conveniently located right in the town center, which allowed for a number of walkable restaurant options for our annual “Dinner with Peers.” Situated in the heart of the fertile Willamette Valley and home to Oregon State University, Corvallis’s horticultural appeal made it an ideal choice for our 2024 meeting.

Our itinerary for the next two days included a presentation on plants for pollinators, a visit to a hazelnut plant, a walkabout of the OSU farm with Jim Myers, professor of plant breeding, a tour of a diverse seed producing operation, the annual evaluation of the HGSA seed trials, plus visits to Bauman Nursery and Cidery, Oregon Gardens and more!

The first order of business was connecting with friends and colleagues at the traditional evening welcome reception, sponsored by Applewood Seed and True Leaf Market. Learning about colleagues’ latest challenges and successes and meeting new members is a key value of the annual summer meeting, as it helps industry professionals stay connected. Seed company representatives from throughout the United States as well as Canada, the Netherlands, and other regions of Europe were in attendance.

Breakfast the next morning, sponsored by JBM Packaging, featured an entertaining speaker, Andony Melathopoulos, Oregon State University Pollinator Heath extension specialist. He got us thinking about the power of simple labeling when it comes to educating consumers about the importance of native pollinator plants. In his work, which centers around issues of pollinator health, he examines the bee plant network (i.e. which bees visit which plants), and organizes a state-wide native bee survey. One interesting point he made: the plants that are most attractive to consumers attract large numbers, but relatively few types, of pollinators—which represents a challenge for those trying to educate consumers about choosing the best pollinator plants for their gardens.

We loaded on the bus at 9am for our first stop of the day: Cascade Foods, one of the largest producers of hazelnuts in the US. Greg Riches, who bought the business in 2018, showed us the sorting, sizing, drying, and packing operation. Who knew that Oregon was third largest hazelnut producer in the world! There are about 100,000 acres of hazelnut orchards in the Willamette Valley, and the crop, one of Oregon’s most valuable agricultural products, is exported around the world.

Next stop: The trial garden plots at the Graffenberger farm, planted and beautifully maintained by Wild West Seed. The usual evaluations, taste testing, and note taking ensued, followed by a wonderful lunch in the farm’s majestic Douglas fir grove, courtesy of Wild West Seed. Levi, 6 th generation farmer, explained how his great uncle’s college project resulted in the mature hazelnut orchard we admired after lunch. The farm also produces peppermint for mint oil, and more than a dozen other crops for seed.

A short tour at Wild West Seed, our host company, followed.

Then it was on to the OSU (Oregon State University) farm in Corvallis where we took a brisk walk with Jim Myers, Professor of Vegetable Breeding and Genetics. We were introduced to “popping beans” in the lab, and various crops in the field, including new anthocyanin-rich indigo tomatoes, bicolor squash, and broccoli bred for mechanical harvesting.

We returned to the hotel where, after a brief respite, we walked to select Corvallis eateries for our annual “Dinners with Peers.” Always a crowd favorite, we split into groups with each group enjoying a different restaurant experience. This was possible thanks to seven generous sponsoring companies: American Meadows, Applewood Seed, JBM Packaging, Seeds by Design, True Leaf Market, Walters Seed, and Wild West Seed.

The following morning, after a breakfast sponsored by American Meadows, we traveled to Triangle Farms. Owners Kevin (pictured) and Lori Loe impressed us all with their knowledge and skilled management of this extremely diverse operation. Aside from growing hundreds of flower varieties, each of which requires a particular seed harvesting method, they grow Christmas trees, timber, and turf grass seed, graft walnut and cherry trees, and raise livestock. Daughter Angela has her own company, Oregon Wholesale Seed Company.

Our next stop was Bauman’s Farm and Garden, a family owned and operated business that has expanded over the years from a small farm stand to a large garden center, bakery, event space, and now, a popular cidery. We enjoyed lunch and a sample of their unique cider, followed by a round table discussion about how HGSA can be more valuable to members and, conversely, how the collective efforts of members can help the organization.

Oregon Garden, an 80 acre botanical garden that showcases the diverse botanical richness of the Pacific Northwest, was the final garden stop. We could have spent hours checking out features such as the wetlands and water garden that cool the city’s effluent water which, in turn, is used to irrigate the Garden. But, it was time to move on.

The evening meal at the home of John and Tamra Wahlert, was spectacular from start to finish. With the help and support of sponsors Walters Seed and Sakata Home Grown, the Wahlerts pulled out all the stops in creating a beautiful setting, and presenting a meal that began with a charcuterie table, after which came Twigg Creek brisket, and salads galore. Finally we got to sample Bauman’s scrumptious pies and other delicious desserts. The wine and conversation flowed freely. It was a fitting end to a wonderful couple of days!