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2 CapitalPress.com February 20, 2015 People & Places Nursery owner gets hooked on agriculture Angela Bailey fills her mother’s shoes, and finds they fit By ERIC MORTENSON Capital Press GRESHAM, ORE. — It was the phone call no one wants to get. Angela Bailey’s mother, Verna Jean Hale, had suffered a heart attack, para- medics were on scene and things didn’t look good. By the time Bailey and her hus- band could drive the 45 miles east across the Portland metro area to the nursery her mother owned outside of Gresham, Bailey’s mom had died. Bailey and her husband, Larry, were stunned. Her mother was only 70 and there was no succession plan. Bai- ley’s father, a music teacher, had died when she was 14, and she was an only child. She’d grown up on the nurs- ery, knew how to graft trees and had a basic understand- ing of how things worked, but knew nothing of her mom’s day-to-day operations. It wasn’t until customers began calling that the Baileys real- ized there were orders of or- namental trees that needed to be shipped. The Baileys asked them- selves whether they should continue the business — con- tinue growing and selling Ver- na Jean’s Japanese maples, beeches, dogwoods and mon- key puzzle trees — or move on. Larry was a chemical engineer with a Ph.D. from Stanford University and good job at Intel, the giant comput- er chip company in Hillsboro. Angela had a communications degree from Seattle Pacific University, a toddler to care for and another baby on the way. If her mom had expected her to continue in the nursery business, she’d done a good job of hiding it. But legacy can be a com- forting cloak, one that feels Eric Mortenson/Capital Press Angela Bailey, the Oregon Farm Bureau’s second vice president and winner of its Outstanding Woman award, encourages producers to speak up on agricultural issues. Western Innovator Angela Bailey Notable: Second-generation co-owner of Verna Jean Nursery outside Gresham, Ore. The nursery specializes in ornamental trees, primarily Japanese maples, beeches, dogwoods and monkey puzzle trees. Elected second vice president of the Oregon Farm Bureau and presented the Outstanding Farm Bureau Wom- an award during state convention in December 2014. Personal: Age 41, two daughters, Katie and Abbigayle; holds a communications degree from Seattle Pacific University. Married to nursery co-owner Larry Bailey, a chemical engineer who works as a patent agent in Portland. Background: Grew up in the Gresham area, spending a great deal of time on the tree nursery started by her late mother, Verna Jean Hale, but originally had no intention of following her mom into the business. Her late father, George Hale, was a music and band teacher. Make-do methods: Farmers are known for their ingenuity and the Baileys are no exception. Seeds for the nursery’s monkey puzzle trees come from a pair of towering specimens Angela Bailey’s parents planted on the property perhaps 50 years ago. Their seed gathering method? A few well-placed kicks with their daughters’ soccer balls brings a shower of seeds for collection. right when draped over your shoulders. “We didn’t want to move on,” Bailey says. That was 10 years ago this spring. Today, Verna Jean Nursery retains its modest niche in Oregon’s nursery in- dustry, which by production value is the leading sector of the state’s agricultural econ- omy. And Bailey — “Angi” to her many friends — has be- come one of the Oregon Farm Bureau’s rising leaders and clearest voices. She’s made lobbying trips to Washington, D.C., tracks national legisla- tion, cajoles elected officials and encourages producers to speak up and tell their stories. She’s a graduate of the Amer- ican Farm Bureau’s commu- nications “boot camp,” which trains producers to become public advocates for farming. The nursery has no genetical- ly engineered plants, but when Jackson County was debating a ban on GMO crops, Bailey traveled there to hear the argu- ments and absorb information. At the Oregon Farm Bu- reau’s annual convention in December, Bailey was elect- ed second vice president and gained a spot on the board of directors. She also won the Outstanding Farm Bureau Woman award, given for ex- ceptional contributions in fur- thering the Oregon Farm Bu- reau’s goals at the local, state and national level. Bailey was flabbergasted. “I’m honored by the award, I can’t believe it,” she said. “I don’t do what I do for the recognition, I do it so I can keep farming.” Bailey’s Farm Bureau in- volvement began with the Multnomah County branch. Attending her first Oregon Farm Bureau annual conven- tion as a county representative sealed the deal, as Bailey was struck by the manner in which members hashed out issues. “I loved the grass roots policy process,” she says. “I hadn’t seen anything like that before. I was hooked.” Bailey has since become one of the Farm Bureau’s leading advocates for recon- necting with a public that’s now three generations re- moved from the farm, doesn’t understand agriculture and is swayed by anti-farming activ- ists. Bailey says she heard a conference speaker put it this way: “In the absence of your voice, issues are being decid- ed by people who don’t know us and don’t like us.” She credits her husband, Larry, for setting the fami- ly on the course that’s led to her leadership position. The family was bouncing back and forth between Hillsboro and Gresham when Larry pro- posed that he leave Intel and they move to the rural nursery to make a go of it. He took the lead the first few years as An- gela cared for their children. “He just dove in, he read books, he built greenhouses,” Bailey says. “Even when we didn’t know what to do, we just did something. You learn as you go along. “Larry, to me, is the un- sung hero of this whole sto- ry,” Bailey says. “He’s the one who said, ‘Let’s do this.’” Larry Bailey has since tak- en a position that allows him to use his engineering train- ing; he’s a patent agent with a Portland law firm and Angela Bailey has assumed primary responsibility for the nursery. In that sense, Bailey be- lieves she’s carrying on for her mom. “She loved trees, loved the ag industry and loved her customers very, very much.” Capital Press 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. California Tim Hearden .................... 530-605-3072 E Idaho John O’Connell ................. 208-421-4347 Idaho Carol Ryan Dumas .......... 208-860-3898 Boise Sean Ellis .......................... 208-914-8264 Central Washington Dan Wheat ........................ 509-699-9099 E Washington Matthew Weaver .............. 509-688-9923 Oregon Eric Mortenson ................ 503-412-8846 Mateusz Perkowski .......... 800-882-6789 Graphic artist Alan Kenaga ..................... 800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Ad fax .............................. 503-364-2692 or ...................................... 503-370-4383 Telephone (toll free) .......... 866-435-2965 Online ......www.capitalpress.com/classifieds Subscriptions Barred owl attacks joggers in Salem, Ore., park Mail rates paid in advance SALEM, Ore. (AP) — MSNBC host Rachel Mad- dow inspired Oregon’s cap- ital to post new warning signs in a park where four runners reported attacks from an angry owl likely defending its nest against perceived threats. One jogger, a surgeon, said the owl hit him twice in Bush’s Pasture Park in Salem, and so hard he thought he was having a stroke or an aneurysm. An- other said the bird swiped his longtime running cap and nicked his scalp. Maddow suggested on air last week that the city should post a vivid yel- low warning sign using the iconic pedestrian stick fig- ure bent forward at a run. Above, claws extended, is a raptor. 1 year U.S. ...................................$49.49 Salem officials liked the idea. Mark Becktel, parks and transportation services manager, said the city se- cured rights to reproduce the sign and is posting 20 of them. “It’s just making peo- ple aware that there’s an owl there that for whatever reason swoops down and goes after people’s hats,” he said. Officials previously put up handbills with printed warnings that Maddow said weren’t strong enough. Birders say the assailant is a barred owl, an aggres- sive bird that’s especially so during the current mating season. Barred owls are also known to attack spotted owls, which are protected Danielle Peterson/AP Photo/Statesman-Journal John Kleeman, Parks Operations Supervisor for Salem, Ore., installs signs at Bush’s Pasture Park on Feb. 12 warning visitors of the recent owl attacks. MSNBC host Rachel Maddow suggested the signs when she recently featured a story about an angry owl that has attacked four runners at the park. under the federal Endan- gered Species Act. Much of the angry owl’s play in the press was in fun. The local paper, the States- man Journal, had an online naming contest. “Owlca- pone” got 238 votes, lead- ing among 11 suggestions. Coming in third, at 188 votes, was “Rachel Mad- dowl.” The MSNBC host suggested the sign design during a 14-minute segment Feb. 5 about wackiness in Oregon. Among her topics were a Republican leader who col- lects urine samples for sci- entific research and allega- tions that former Gov. John Kitzhaber’s fiancee used his office to win contracts for her consulting business. Politically, “Oregon is nuts,” Maddow said. But what amused her most was the threat “loom- ing over the state of Oregon right now, looming silently and occasionally swoop- ing down and terrifying the state — and sometimes drawing a little blood.” Easy Pay U.S. $3.75/month (direct with- drawal from bank or credit card account) 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. Letters to the Editor: Send your comments on agriculture-related public issues to opinions@capitalpress.com, or mail your letter to “Opinion,” c/o Capital Press. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Deadline: Noon Monday. Capital Press ag media Giant African snails seized at Houston airport HOUSTON (AP) — U.S. Customs and Border protec- tion inspectors in Houston seized six live giant Afri- can snails that are a pop- ular delicacy across West Africa. The snails were found af- ter a passenger from Nigeria declared the animals during a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the giant African snail is fast becoming an invasive species. The six snails, seized Feb. 2 at George Bush Inter- continental Airport, are pro- hibited in the U.S. and have the ability to reproduce very quickly. Customs and Border Protection Port Director Charles Perez says there is no penalty when inter- national travelers make a truthful declaration. On an average day in 2014, CBP agriculture spe- cialists around the nation discovered 425 pests at U.S. ports of entry, and 4,447 materials for quarantine. Calendar FEBRUARY NATIONAL Feb. 23-26 — Potato D.C. Fly- In, sponsored by the National Potato Council, Mayflower Renaissance Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C., www.nationalpo- tatocouncil.org ter, Corvallis, http://smallfarms.ore- gonstate.edu/sfc OREGON Through Feb. 21 — Oregon Logging Conference, Lane Coun- ty Fairgrounds and Convention Center, Eugene, 541-686-9191, www.oregonloggingconference. com Feb. 24-25 — Oregon Dairy Farmers Annual Convention, Sa- lem Conference Center, www. dairyfarmersor.com/101-conven- tion-general Feb. 28 — Oregon Small Farms Conference, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Oregon State University LaSalle Sells Cen- IDAHO Feb. 26-27 — Idaho Hay and Forage Conference, Best Western Burley Inn, www.idahohay.com, 208-888-0988 or cindy@amgidaho. com Feb. 27 — Drones for Forestry workshop, 1:15-4:30 p.m., University of Idaho Extension, 1808 N. Third Ave., Coeur d’Alene, $15, 208-446-1680 CALIFORNIA Feb. 25 — Sutter-Yuba-Colu- sa-Yolo-Solano-Sacramento Walnut Day, Veterans Hall, Yuba City, 530- 822-7515, http://cesutter.ucanr.edu 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 20-23 — Oregon FFA State Convention, Silverton, www. oregonffa.com 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 APRIL OREGON April 18 — Oregon Women for Agriculture Auction and Dinner, Linn County Fair and Expo Center, Al- bany, 503-243-FARM (3276), http:// owaonline.org/ CALIFORNIA April 18-21 — California State FFA Conference, Selland Arena, Fresno, www.calaged.org/statecon- vention IDAHO April 8-11 — State FFA Leader- ship Conference, College of South- ern Idaho, Twin Falls, www.idffafoun- dation.org/ MAY WASHINGTON May 14-16 — Washington FFA Convention, Washington State Uni- versity, Pullman, www.washingtonf- fa.org/convention 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.capitalpress.com www.FarmSeller.com www.AgDirectoryWest.com www.OnlyAg.com www.facebook.com/capitalpress www.facebook.com/farmseller www.facebook.com/onlyAGdotcom twitter.com/capitalpress www.youtube.com/capitalpressvideo www.blogriculture.com Index California ................................ 9 Dairy .................................... 14 Idaho .................................... 10 Livestock ........................ 14,15 Opinion .................................. 6 Oregon .................................. 8 Washington ..........................11 Correction policy Accuracy is important to Capital Press staff and to our readers. If you see a misstatement, omission or factual error in a headline, story or photo caption, please call the Capital Press news department at 503-364-4431, or send email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. We want to publish corrections to set the record straight.