September 2025 | Issue 9

The Organic Catkin

In this issue:

Summer Tour 2025 - Recap
Brand Refresh
Webinar Catch-up
Pistachio Grower Insights
TOPP Information
Membership Info

Summer Tour at Pratum Farm, Salem, OR

Oregon Organic Hazelnut 8th Annual Summer Tour

The 2025 Farm Tour was a full-day gathering of growers, researchers, stakeholders and policymakers, emphasizing collaboration and innovation in Oregon Organic Hazelnuts and sustainable agriculture.

Morning Presentations opened with a welcome from OOHC’s Sue Chen and an overview of Pratum Farm by owner Bruce Kaser. Presentations then turned toward science and soil, with Chris Lessey of OSU detailing how cover crops affect soil temperature and microbial life in hazelnut orchards. Gus Liszka from Clackamas County Soil & Water introduced attendees to local equipment rental options supporting small farms.

A key session led by Shannon Cappellazi and her team from OSU’s Soil Organic Management Program explored how cover crops can enhance soil health and resilience in sustainable orchard systems. After a short break, Jed White of Cascade Foods provided valuable insights into the current and future outlook of organic hazelnut pricing. Gary R. Smith followed with a presentation on holistic soil health and pest management strategies in pistachio cultivation. The morning concluded with Judy Hirigoyen, who not only shared strategies for building demand for Oregon organic hazelnuts but also officially launched the highly anticipated campaign to educate and inspire. Introduced at the Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective’s (OOHC) Summer Tour, the campaign spotlights the many advantages of organic hazelnuts—from sustainable farming and environmental integrity to exceptional health benefits. Central to the initiative is OrganicHazelnuts.org, a dynamic new online hub offering in-depth resources on organic hazelnut farming, including natural pest management, soil-enhancing practices, and integrated pest control—all achieved without toxic chemicals.

The campaign also celebrates the culinary creativity of chefs and businesses using organic hazelnuts in innovative ways, bringing their stories to life across digital platforms, news outlets, and the campaign’s website.

Afternoon Presentations featured a policy update from US Senator Jeff Merkley’s office, including Gustavo Guerrero and Hanna Sweet, with additional commentary from Brandon Jordan of Congresswoman Andrea Salinas’s office. They addressed current and upcoming agricultural legislation from Washington D.C.

The afternoon concluded with a Grower Panel featuring Joseph Evers (Our Nut Farm), Ben Larson (My Brothers Farm), and Dennis Carlson (Nature Farms), who discussed challenges and solutions facing organic growers today.

Finally, the group participated in a hands-on Farm Tour, where attendees experienced sustainable practices in action and saw the future of organic hazelnut farming firsthand.

A special thank you to the Summer Tour host - Bruce Kaser and Pratum Farms, all of the presenters and Northwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program. Photos by Jill Steenson and Brian Buxton

A Fresh Brand for Oregon’s Organic Hazelnuts (and West Coast Nut Took Notice!)

The West Coast Nut publication recently featured Oregon’s organic hazelnut growers and their bold new campaign to showcase one of the state’s most prized crops. The initiative debuted at the Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective’s Summer Tour on May 30 and includes the launch of OrganicHazelnuts.org, an educational hub filled with resources, grower stories, and smart branding aimed at sharing the value of sustainably grown, pesticide-free hazelnuts.

The article highlights growers’ commitment to soil health, integrated pest management, and regenerative practices like cover cropping. It also shines a light on the health benefits of hazelnuts, packed with antioxidants, fiber, and heart-healthy nutrients.

A standout feature of the campaign is its culinary edge, with award-winning chefs creating innovative savory and sweet recipes that put hazelnuts in the spotlight.

Read the full article in West Coast Nut: Link Here

Alongside the campaign, we’re excited to share our new logo, website, and social media, a refreshed look that celebrates our community and commitment to organic hazelnuts. Stay tuned for more updates and inspiration!

Catch Up on Past Webinars - including our latest: Exploring Sustainability, Regenerative Agriculture, and Organics with Experts from California’s Pistachio Industry

Find the event you are interested in learning more about on our 'events' page or just check out our YouTube Channel

Watch Here

A Holistic Approach to Improved Soil Health and

Pest Control in Pistachios

What nature taught me when I finally listened

We can learn from the pistachio industry. Gary Smith, Professional Ag Resources, Inc., worked for many years in that industry. At the 2025 OOHC Summer Tour he gave a great presentation with the above title. When challenged by his boss to eliminate synthetic pesticide use by 2030, he started to do some thinking, and searching. One of his key findings is that you need cover crops to keep your trees and orchard floor healthy and productive. Cover crops can do so much for you!

There are lots and lots of pests. It’s impossible to get rid of them all. Gary learned this from beavers. Think instead, of managing them. Monitor and measure pest levels over time. His group learned to recognize insects and know their lifecycles. They scouted through the orchard periodically to track insect activity. There are multiple management areas: tree canopy, orchard floor, soil and the surrounding area. Like us, pests are seeking food, shelter and reproduction. Help them find those things in your cover crops, not in your trees.

Commonly used in the wine industry, Brix is a measure of dissolved sugars. Gary learned to look at Brix from Tom Dykstra’s regenerative agriculture work out of Florida. Cover crops typically have a Brix around 5-9, whereas in tree leaves this number is in the upper teens. Insects (pests and beneficials) want a low Brix number so they prefer to hang out in the cover crop more than in your trees.

Each season Gary’s group planted a mixture of cover crop seeds – various types to mine nitrogen, provide habitat and build up the soil. No use of synthetic pesticides means that beneficial insects can thrive, which are then available to munch on your unwanted pests, within the cover crop. Healthy soil does wonders for your tree health. After 3-4 years of cover cropping they observed nitrogen and potassium levels increasing in the soil each year.

Some additional points noted by Gary – He fertilizes with a combination of composted chicken litter

and pistachio hulls. He measures soil health with a program called LandScan (landscan.ai) which

provides digital soil cores. His focus was to manage insects in order to reduce spray and chemical

costs. It had not been to obtain organic certification so they haven’t bothered to look at that. Gary Smith is a farm manager and consultant, and he can be reached at pargrs@gmail.com.

More Photos from the Summer Tour

Photos by Jill Steenson and Brian Buxton

Seeking Organic Certification?

TOPP (Transition to Organic Partnership Program) is offering free one-on-one assistance to help you develop your organic system plan and prepare for organic certification. Contact NW TOPP today to schedule a session with their certification specialists!

Learn more and apply for TOPP programs at www.organictransition.org or email directly at topp@tilth.org.

OOHC Membership

If you are not a member yet, please consider joining.

Membership Benefits*

Your organization listed on the OOHC website, with a link to your website
Invitation to annual OOHC members meeting (learn about members’ farms, seek solutions to challenges, help select annual OOHC priorities
Listing in Member Directory - and receive directory
Join us for exclusive member-only Zoom sharing sessions as they're scheduled
Free OOHC-branded hat
Be counted as a member of our collective, so we can better represent the organic hazelnut industry

* Opt out of any benefit(s) you don’t want

Cost: Just $50/year

($25 for students. Includes high school students as well as part-time or full-time trade school/college/university students.)

Become a Member

If you have any questions about the Advisory Committee or how to be involved let us know, or ask to join us for one of our monthly ZOOM meetings. (Contact: Lori Stole, loristole@outlook.com)

Upcoming Events

November 10, 5:00 PM - Member ZOOM Chat: Topic for the Evening-Organic Fertilization

January 2026, Date TBD - Webinar: Basic Cost Accounting for Hazelnut Growers

Oregon Organic Hazelnut Collective

Email Us: oregonorganichazelnuts@gmail.com

Visit Our Websit es: oregonorganichazelnuts.org & organichazelnuts.org

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