OOHC Summer Tour 2023 - The Mighty 1%

By Sue Chen

The 2023 OOHC Summer Tour was the best one yet!  We hosted over 100 organic hazelnut enthusiasts from all over the state and even outside the U.S. to learn about the opportunities and mission of Oregon Organic Hazelnuts.  

Carter Clark Farms hosted our morning tour and shared the challenges, practices, collaborations, and innovations they use to optimize soil and tree health, support organic and regenerative farming… while also making the farm profitable and prosperous for his family.  An exciting highlight of the morning was the over-the-row Litau harvester!  We were able to watch this state-of-the-art equipment harvest hazelnuts from the trees while keeping the tree and newly formed catkins safe and intact.  

We continued the Summer Tour at Cascade Foods with an afternoon filled with new, exciting, and educational sessions.  But first, kicked off with THE One-Minute Pitch of why Oregon Organic Hazelnuts are America’s Best Nut.  Almonds got nothing on Hazelnuts!  Our gracious host and CEO of Cascades Foods, Greg Riches, started the afternoon sessions with a talk with Q & A on the current and future market opportunities of Oregon Organic Hazelnuts.  

The following sessions included; Know Your Costs to Grow from Tanya Murray with Oregon Tilth, Getting Past the Fears and Challenges of Going Organic from Nik Wiman with OSU, Soil Health and Management for Optimal Growing and Ecosysten Health from Bill Riddle and Vik Sakhalkar with Bio Ag, NW Transition to Organic Partnership Program from Hanna Deacon, and finally a great panel session with organic hazelnuts farmers - Raina Wickstrom/Steenson Hazelnut Orchards, David Stehman/Meridian Orchards, Bruce Kaser/Pratum Farm.

For most people, the 1% doesn’t matter.  It’s too small, too insignificant, too hopeless.  However, when that 1% feels 100% right, 100% feels better and 100% hopeful… that is when 1% is powerful.  And, that is what we experienced at this Summer Tour - a small, but mighty group of people who believe that a thoughtful and regenerative relationship with our entire ecosystem should steer how we farm and consume food.  From the energy and excitement of the 2023 Summer Tour, we know the 1% of Organically farmed hazelnuts will expand quickly.  

We are already planning and gearing up for Summer Tour 2024!  Stay tuned for the date and details in the Spring. See you there!