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2 CapitalPress.com January 23, 2015 People & Places Producer finds symbiosis with nurseries Jeff Gustin’s ‘Garden Time’ show resonates with plant producers By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Media producer Jeff Gus- tin heard opportunity knock- ing when a television station canceled his gardening show a decade ago. Gustin turned down a job offer with the company’s news team and decided to launch a venture making cor- porate videos. However, it didn’t take long before he returned to filming various plants, soil amendments and backyard tools. “Within a month, I got cli- ents saying, ‘You need a gar- dening show,’” Gustin said. While local network affili- ates have generally phased out home and garden programs in favor of news, nurseries and other companies still want a way to reach the public, he said. Advertisers who previ- ously worked with Gustin convinced him to create the weekly “Garden Time” pro- gram, which will begin airing its 10th season this spring. Instead of working as an employee, Gustin now writes, films and edits the show and then pays local TV stations in Oregon to broadcast it. The show has a symbiot- ic relationship with nurseries because its viewers tend to be dedicated gardeners, said Jack Bigej, owner of the Al’s Gar- den Center chain of nurseries. “Because they are hitting our exact audience, we use them all the time,” Bigej said. Nurseries face a difficult advertising landscape in tele- vision — primetime slots are dominated by large national companies that drive up pric- Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press Jeff Gustin, creator of the “Garden Time” television show, connects dedicated gardeners with nurseries and other companies in Oregon. Western Innovator Jeff Gustin Occupation: President of the Gustin Creative Group, which produces the “Garden Time” television show Hometown: Lake Oswego, Ore. Age: 54 Family: Wife, Therese, and two grown daughters Education: Bachelor’s degree in broadcast media from Oregon State University in 1983 es, he said. It’s also likely that viewers will simply skip past such ads with their digital recording de- vices, Bigej said. “Garden Time” doesn’t ap- pear to have that problem, as viewers seem to pay attention to the ads and then ask for spe- cific products or plant cultivars featured on the show, he said. “We get pretty good results out of it,” Bigej said. Gustin said he has grown to prefer gardening over the subjects that typically interest local news programmers. “It was much better than working news, where you’re covering accidents and house fires,” he said. “You get burned out after a while.” The arrangement is also agreeable for TV stations, which have been dealing with tighter budgets in recent years, Gustin said. “They don’t have to put any manpower to it, they just sell a lump of time,” he said. Though “Garden Time” is technically paid program- ming, Gustin avoids the type of sales pitch that prompts viewers to change channels when they encounter “info- mercials” about kitchen gad- gets or exercise equipment. Rather than push viewers to spend money, Gustin focus- es on content that gardeners find educational. Companies can promote whatever they want during their ads, but Gustin said he doesn’t want the show to sound like a commercial. “In the back of my head, I can hear the clicking of peo- ple shutting down their TVs,” he said. This content-driven strat- egy keeps viewers engaged and eager to take advantage of the show’s advice, said Bri- an Bauman, general manager of Bauman Farms, a nursery and diversified farm operation near Gervais, Ore. The farm routinely has peo- ple call or stop in asking about topics or products discussed on “Garden Time” as soon as the morning show ends. “It’s community-based,” Bauman said. “It’s all about things that are local and plac- es that people can identify with.” For this reason, Gustin has resisted airing the show in markets outside Oregon. “Garden Time” is meant to provide viewers with conve- nient shopping locations and guidance that’s appropriate to the local climate. The show also relies on re- tired Oregon State University extension agents to give peo- ple “research-based gardening tips” that are more effective than unsubstantiated backyard folklore. “There are a lot of myths about gardening and we try to use OSU to dispel them,” Gustin said. At the same time, he doesn’t want the show to be overly academic. Each show consists of nu- merous short segments that keep viewers’ attention spans from wandering. When a certain subject requires a more detailed ex- planation, Gustin will break it down into components that air over several weeks. For example, proper planting procedures for certain shrubs or trees may be featured sep- arately from a segment on pruning techniques. Gustin also directs viewers to companies and experts who can answer more complex questions. “There have been books written on soil, so you can’t cover everything that has been written on soil,” he said. The show tries to find a balance in its advice, in light of the differing sensibilities among gardeners regarding pesticides and fertilizers. Some insist on organic products or methods while others are fine with conven- tional chemicals. “We try to give them a range of solutions,” Gustin said. “We don’t try to tell the gardener what to do, but we try to give them enough infor- mation to make an informed decision.” Timber payments shrink after expiration of subsidy Established 1928 Board of directors Mike Forrester ..........................President Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Sid Freeman .................. Outside director Mike Omeg .................... Outside director Corporate officer John Perry Chief operating officer Capital Press Managers Mike O’Brien .............................Publisher Joe Beach ..................................... Editor Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor Barbara Nipp ......... Production Manager Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager Hannah Brause ...Audience Development Entire contents copyright © 2015 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem OR 97301. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. To Reach Us Toll free ............................. 800-882-6789 Main line ........................... 503-364-4431 Fax ................................... 503-370-4383 Advertising Fax ................ 503-364-2692 News Staff N. 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(AP) — The Obama admin- istration is telling governors in 41 states how much money they are losing after Congress ended subsidies paid the past 20 years to counties that con- tain national forest land. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Thursday that the U.S. Forest Service is sending more than $50 million to 746 timber counties in February, with Oregon and other West- ern states the biggest recipi- ents. That compares to about $300 million paid out last fis- cal year under the Secure Ru- ral Schools subsidy program. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell sent letters to gover- nors detailing how their pay- ments would be cut. Since 1908, the Forest Service has paid a quarter of its logging revenues to coun- ties to be used for roads and schools. That law was enacted to win support for the newly Capital Press AP Photo/Jeff Barnard This March 18, 2011, file photo shows dense forest on a steep slope on U.S. Bureau of Land Manage- ment land outside Ruch, Ore.The U.S. Forest Service has told governors that timber payments to rural counties will shrink dramatically this year. created national forest system. When logging was cut by 90 percent on federal forests in the Northwest to protect the spotted owl and salmon, Congress started approving the subsidies. As logging cutbacks spread around the country to protect fish, wildlife and clean water, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., sponsored the Secure Rural Schools bill, which ex- panded the subsidies. They include payments to counties in western Oregon with U.S. Bureau of Land Management timberlands, which are at a higher rate, and used largely for sheriff’s pa- trols and jails. The president’s budget in- cluded a five-year renewal of the program, but it died in the last days of Congress. Wyden could not get it at- tached to a must-pass appro- priation in the Senate. The House attached a one-year extension to a bill ramping up logging on national forests, but that bill had no traction in the Senate and a veto threat from the White House. The subsidy issue is expect- ed to come up again this year. Timber states in the West are seeing the biggest drop. Forest Service payments to Oregon counties drop from $67.9 million to $5.9 million; California, from $35.6 mil- lion to $8.7 million; Idaho, from $28.3 million to $2 mil- lion; Washington, from $21.5 million to $2.1 million; and Montana, from $21.3 million to $2 million. Expiration of Secure Ru- ral Schools also dries up money for search and res- cue operations and conser- vation projects on national forests. In Oregon, some cash-strapped counties got permission to use road funds for law enforcement. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., has said he has a commitment from House speaker John Boehner to try to renew Secure Rural Schools for one year some- time in the first quarter of this year. But Republicans also are expected to try again to boost logging on national forests. drawal from bank or credit card account) 1 year U.S. ...................................$49.49 2 years U.S. .................................$89.89 1 year Canada .................................$275 1 year other countries ......... call for quote 1 year Internet only ............................$49 1 year 4-H, FFA students and teachers ....$30 9 months 4-H, FFA students & teachers .....$25 Visa and Mastercard accepted To get information published Mailing address: Capital Press P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048 News: Contact the main office or news staff member closest to you, send the in- formation to newsroom@capitalpress.com or mail it to “Newsroom,” c/o Capital Press. Include a contact telephone number. 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Capital Press ag media www.capitalpress.com www.FarmSeller.com www.AgDirectoryWest.com www.OnlyAg.com Calendar To submit items to the calendar, send an email with information to calendar@capitalpress.com JANUARY NATIONAL Jan. 28-31 — American Sheep Industry Association annual meet- ing, Nugget Resort and Casino, Sparks, Nev., www.sheepusa.org/ About_Events_Convention REGIONAL Jan. 26-29 — Washington-Ore- gon Potato Conference, Three Riv- ers Convention Center and Toyota Center, Kennewick, Wash., www. potatoconference.com OREGON Jan. 26 — Agricultural Safety and Pesticide Accreditation Workshop, sponsored by the Central Oregon Safe- ty and Health Association, Deschutes Farm Bureau and Helena Chemical Co., 1-5 p.m. Bend, $45 ($20 for Farm Bureau members), www.cosha.org Jan. 26-27 — Mid-Oregon Con- struction Safety Summit, The River- house, Bend, www.cosha.org Jan. 27 — Oregon Blueberry Conference, 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m., Jant- zen Beach Red Lion Hotel, Portland, oregonblueberry.com/conference www.facebook.com/capitalpress Jan. 27-29 — Northwest Agricul- tural Show, Portland Expo Center, http://www.nwagshow.com/ Jan. 29 — Cattlemen’s Work- shop, 9 a.m.-4:15 p.m., Blue Moun- tain Conference Center, 404 12th St., La Grande, 541-562-5129 WASHINGTON Jan. 26-29 — Washington-Ore- gon Potato Conference, Three Riv- ers Convention Center and Toyota Center, Kennewick, Wash., www. potatoconference.com IDAHO Jan. 21-23 — Idaho Horticulture Expo, Boise Centre on the Grove, inlagrow.org Jan. 30 — Organic conference on the use of cover crops to enhance soil fertility, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Herrett Center, College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls, sponsored by Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, University of Idaho and Oregon State University, preregistra- tion required by Jan. 26, www.pesti- cide.org or 503-312-1415 FEBRUARY NATIONAL Feb. 1-3 — American Sugarbeet Growers Association annual conven- tion, Long Beach, Calif., www.ameri- cansugarbeet.org Feb. 19-20 — Family Farm Alli- ance annual meeting, Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, 707- 998-9487 or ffameeting@aol.com OREGON Feb. 3 — Focus on Weed Man- agement pesticide applicator’s short course, 7:45 a.m.-5:30 p.m., $80, Building 19, Lane Community Col- lege, Eugene, 541-463-6103 Feb. 7 — Oregon Pork Produc- ers Annual Meeting and Educational Workshops, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Oregon State University, Corvallis, 541-737- 1906, matthew.kennedy@oregon- state.edu Feb. 19-21 — Oregon Logging Conference, Lane County Fair- grounds and Convention Center, Eugene, 541-686-9191, www.ore- gonloggingconference.com Feb. 24-25 — Oregon Dairy Farmers Annual Convention, Salem Conference Center, www.dairyfarm- ersor.com/101-convention-general CALIFORNIA Feb. 5-7 — Sierra Cascade Logging Conference, Shasta District Fairgrounds, Anderson, sierracas- cadeexpo.com/ Feb. 6 — Tehama Walnut Day, 8 a.m.-noon, Elks Lodge, Red Bluff, 530-822-7515, http://cesutter.ucanr. edu/ Feb. 6 — Glenn-Butte Walnut Day, 1-5 p.m., Silver Dollar Fair- grounds, Chico, 530-822-7515, http://cesutter.ucanr.edu/ Feb. 10-12 — World Ag Expo, International Agri-Center, Tulare, http://www.worldagexpo.com/ Feb. 25 — Sutter-Yuba-Colu- sa-Yolo-Solano-Sacramento Wal- nut Day, Veterans Hall, Yuba City, 530-822-7515, http://cesutter. ucanr.edu WASHINGTON Feb. 3-5 — Spokane Ag Expo and Pacific Northwest Farm Forum, Spokane Convention Center, http://www.agshow. org/ag-expo-home.html MARCH OREGON March 16-17 — Oregon State University Blueberry School, LaSells Stewart Center and CH2M Hill Alum- ni Center, OSU campus, Corvallis, http://osublueberryschool.org/ March 20-22 — Northwest Horse Fair & Expo, Linn County Fair and Expo Center, Albany, www. equinepromotions.net CALIFORNIA March 3 — Walnut (7-year-olds) No Pruning-Pruning Comparison Field Meeting, morning, Nickels Soil Lab, Arbuckle, 530-822-7515, http:// cesutter.ucanr.edu March 3 — Walnut (2-year-olds) No Pruning-Pruning Comparison Field Meeting, afternoon, Nickels Soil Lab, Arbuckle, 530-822-7515, http://cesutter.ucanr.edu March 17-18 — Fruit Ripening & Retail Handling Workshop, Uni- versity of California-Davis, http:// postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Education/ fruitripening/ March 22-24 — California Fresh Fruit Association Annual Meeting, The Grand Del Mar , San Diego, www.CAFreshFruit.com MAY CALIFORNIA May 1-2 — Forest Landowners of California annual meeting, Holiday Inn, Auburn, www.forestlandowners.org/ JUNE CALIFORNIA June 15-26 — Postharvest Technology Short Course, University of California-Davis, http://posthar- vest.ucdavis.edu/Education/PTS- hortCourse/ www.facebook.com/farmseller www.facebook.com/onlyAGdotcom twitter.com/capitalpress www.youtube.com/capitalpressvideo www.blogriculture.com Index California .............................. 10 Idaho ...................................... 9 Markets ............................... 15 Opinion .................................. 6 Oregon .................................11 Washington ........................... 8 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