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Salem Chamber Agricultural Tour

Friday, August 8th, 2008
 

Presented by:

August 8^th marked the second annual Salem Chamber Agricultural Tour, an event begun last year to give local businesspeople a chance to connect with the farms and processes at the roots of local agriculture. This year, participants were particularly impressed with the variety of local crops and the way that farmers are affected by other facets of the economy. Said Sarah Albertus, owner of Virtually Sold by Sarah, “Last year’s tour was good but this year was outstanding.”

The group began the day at Pearmine Farms, a multi-crop, family-operated farm north of Salem. The Pearmines produce cherries, filberts, broccoli and cauliflower among several other crops, and have recently begun a nursery startup. Larry Pearmine (pictured at left) introduced the group to a farmers-eye view of concerns including crop diversity, fuel prices, and adaptation to new markets.

Between stops, the group was treated to an overview of Marion County agricultural highlights, courtesy of OSU Extension’s Field Crop Specialist, Tom Silberstein.

At the morning’s second stop, the tour split into two smaller groups to alternate between two tour sites on Hazelgreen Road. Pressco, a straw-pressing and export operation operated by the Boshart family, processes straw into a feed crop for cattle in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. The company harvests straw that would otherwise be unused, compresses the bales and ships them to Asia year-round to feed the relatively new beef and dairy industries there.

The second site at this stop was Oregon Blueberry Farms and Nursery’s 100-acre operation next door. Tour participants gathered insight into the step-by-step investment required for one of the Willamette Valley’s most profitable crops. In addition to its berries for both fresh and processed sales, the farm supplies nursery stock for blueberry farms nationwide.

The tour broke for a barbecue lunch at E.Z. Orchards in northeast Salem. Along with the home-cooked meal, John Zielinski provided an overview of his family’s farm and their value-added market which sells pies, jams, and other local products.

(Pictured at right are Jason Brandt, Director of Public Affairs for the Salem Chamber and Bob Zell and Shellie Griffin of West Coast Bank).

After lunch, Sequential Biofuels on Turner Road was the next destination. The plant produces biodiesel from used cooking oils, and can also utilize locally-grown oilseed for feedstock. Sequential distributes its fuel locally and is developing its own network of fueling stations. Co-founder Tyson Keever explained the process and the industry’s potential for growth in the Willamette Valley. To wrap up the biofuel discussion, OSU crop sciences researcher Daryl Ehrensing gave the group a hands-on introduction to some of the oilseed crops that could potentially be made into biodiesel.

The afternoon ended with a tour of Willamette Valley Vineyard’s winery and a tasting of their wines. Located in Turner, Oregon, WVV is Oregon’s largest, and only publicly-owned, winery. After a walk-through of the vats (pictured at left) and barrel rooms, the group was treated to a sampling of the award-winning Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Riesling wines for which the winery is particularly known.

In the words of one tour guest, “See you next year!”

A special thanks to our three Presenting Sponsors: West Coast Bank, Marion/Clakamas Women for Agriculture, and the OSU Extension Service of Marion County.