Many new acres of hazelnut trees are being planted in the Pacific Northwest, and growers may be wondering whether they should protect these young trees by painting the trunks or using trunk guards. Oregon State University Extension is currently conducting some research on the topic, as shared back at the Nut Growers Society Summer Tour. Watch this brief interview with Heather Andrews as she shares some of the pros and cons of using trunk guards vs. painting tree trunks.
Noticing some nutrient deficiencies in your newly planted hazelnut orchards? Check out this brief video interview with Aaron Heinrich from Oregon State University who shared some common nutrient deficiencies, and some ways to manage and even avoid it with some tips at planting. Read more about growing hazelnuts in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.
Dennis Glaser of Tangent was the recipient of the Nut Grower’s Society’s Grower of the Year Award for 2018 during its 104th Annual Meeting mid-January. The award is presented to a grower that has been a leader in the industry. Jason Perrott, NGS Vice President presented the award. He began with some history. Dennis’s roots are in farming. Before becoming a grass seed farmer his father, Frank, was the largest bee man in the state. He also raised silver foxes for fur. After the war both businesses were sold and the family venture in grass seed began. The family always had a big garden and his mom would get a hundred chicks each spring. The lucky ones survived the axe and lived another year as egg layers. Dennis learned valuable lessons about hard work and where our food comes from.
Growing up on the farm everything was done by hand. Unloading railcars of fertilizer, bagging and stacking sacks of grass seed, and loading the railcars back again with grass seed was all done without even a forklift until 1963. Needless to say there was plenty of motivation to find better ways of doing things.
Dennis went to OSU where he graduated in 1969 with a degree in Ag Engineering and Crop & Soil Science. He took over running the farm in 1972 after his father had a very serious accident. As the 70’s progressed, He started growing clovers and wheat to try to develop some rotation and break up the monoculture of grass seed. The grass seed industry was under pressure to move away from field burning and farm incomes were fluctuating up and mostly down. The farm would make good money two out of five years, broke even about two out of five years, and tried to not lose too much money on the fifth year. The quest was on to find a mix of crops to even out the income pattern.
Paul Willard, owner of Meeker Fertilizer, was a field man, mentor and good friend to Dennis. He offered encouragement in trying alternative crops on their heavy soils. In 1979 Dennis acquired a new farm and was able to grow pretty good wheat on it. With Paul’s influence and the help of mentor Wayne Chambers, he made the decision to try hazelnuts in the flat south valley ground. The ground was tiled, pH was addressed, a well was drilled, and ‘Barcelona’ trees were planted.
According to Dennis, “everyone thought I was crazier than a pet coon. And they were probably right.” This was the only orchard on wet ground in the area. Dennis was told that trees would never be successful on his ground so he was determined to make a go of it. But times were tough. Interest rates were around 20%. Prices were 65 cents when he planted but had dropped to 30-32 cents by the time of the first harvest. For the first ten years, Dennis wasn’t sure if this was such a good move. But perseverance paid off and the orchard has been a great success and an inspiration for many of the more recent hazelnut farms that have popped up around his orchard.
Dennis always thought he would plant more trees but EFB came along shortly after they established the original orchard. However, with OSU’s outstanding work with newer varieties, Dennis and family have expanded on the original 140 acres planting with an additional 260 acres of Jefferson’s.
Dennis has always farmed with an eye towards a better way. Dennis and his son Ryan have been at the forefront of the hazelnut industry in drainage, pruning and mulching, irrigation, and nutrient management. During the NGS Summer Tour last year Dennis reported on how he began chipping his prunings long before it was an accepted practice. Inviting 1,000 growers to ones farm for a tour is a pretty big commitment to the industry.
And of course Dennis’s service to the industry has been outstanding. He is very generous with his time and resources, is always helping out the neighbors, and is willing to share his experiences good and bad. He has given generously in time and resources to ag research projects at Central Linn High School, the FFA program, and Ag in the Classroom as well as numerous field tours, trials, and yield studies.
Glaser and his family were featured in the January 2018 issue of Pacific Nut Producer Magazine for “Growing Hazelnuts Where No Hazelnuts Had Grown Before.”
“My family has worked with Dennis and his family since 1975,” shared Jason Perrott. “We were a startup drainage business that Dennis played a key role in getting started. Job #1 was on Dennis’s ground. We have continued to work with Dennis over the years and he has become a mentor to us for our own hazelnut farm. I have great respect for Dennis. He is progressive thinking, always looking to the future, adventurous in his farming practices and a first class human being. Please welcome Grower of the Year Dennis Glaser.”
Prior to the international trade disputations, China already had a tariff on US hazelnuts, making trade very difficult for Pacific Northwest hazelnut companies. Although this year’s series of events has thrown many other agricultural commodities under the bus as well, this is a great opportunity for the U.S. hazelnut industry to band together with other agricultural groups impact by Chinese tariffs, and advocate the removal of all tariffs. Watch this brief interview with Larry George from George Packing Company sharing his perspective, and read Pacific Nut Producer Magazine to learn more. Don’t currently receive it? Subscribe for FREE today Here
Planting a new hazelnut orchard? Consider planting on berms. Check out this brief video interview with Aaron Heinrich from Oregon State University who shares some of the pros and cons of berms for hazelnut growers. Read more about growing hazelnuts in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine. Don’t currently receive the magazine? Don’t currently receive it? Subscribe for FREE today Here
With Eastern Filbert Blight taking a major toll on older hazelnut orchards in the Pacific Northwest, many growers are looking to replant their blocks with new blight resistant varieties. One of the newest of these varieties released by Oregon State University’s hazelnut breeding program is known as PollyO. Check out this brief interview with plant breeder Shawn Mehlenbacher to learn more about this new variety. Read more about growing hazelnuts in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine. Don’t currently receive it? Subscribe for FREE today Here
One of most exciting features of the Nut Growers Society’s Annual Winter Meeting is the announcement of the Hazelnut Grower of the Year award. This award goes to an individual in the industry who has not only demonstrated leadership and innovation, but a long-term commitment and love for the Oregon hazelnut industry. This year’s grower of the year went to none other than R. Verne Gingerich.
Based out of Canby, Oregon, Gingerich is very passionate about growing hazelnuts and has been in the industry for 35+ years. He has served on the Nut Growers Society board from 1988-1993, and as President in 1990. He has served on the Hazelnut Marketing Board, and at many other capacities in agriculture, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for Individual Contributions to the Agricultural Industry in 2013.
“With Verne being a hazelnut grower, running a receiving station, and also being a hazelnut processor — he fully understands all sides of the hazelnut industry,” Shared Lisa Pascoe from Northwest Hazelnut Co., presenter of this year’s award. “Verne has always been there for the hazelnut industry: encouraging and educating new growers, helping understand and developing markets, and providing true leadership when called upon. He is always a huge asset for those he helps.” Read more about Gingerich soon in Pacific Nut Producer Magazine.