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CapitalPress.com
September 30, 2016
People & Places
Nursery grower ventures into hemp
Barry Cook launches
Boring Hemp Co. to
test exciting market
for new crop
Western
Innovator
By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI
Capital Press
Barry Cook doesn’t want
passersby to get too excited
about the new crop he’s got
growing at his nursery in Bor-
ing, Ore.
The distinctive palm-like,
serrated leaves that iden-
tify the plants as cannabis
are bound to attract some
unwanted attention, which
is why Cook has posted his
ields with signs that identi-
fy them as industrial hemp,
marijuana’s non-psychoactive
relative.
The signs clarify that hemp
contains zero THC, the psy-
choactive compound, and will
produce no mind-altering ef-
fects if smoked, so stealing the
plants is “not worth the head-
ache.”
“If we get robbed, we’ll
probably only get robbed
once,” Cook said.
The name of Cook’s new
venture — Boring Hemp Co.
— is a double entendre refer-
ring to its physical location
and the crop’s lack of psycho-
active properties.
While the legalization
of marijuana in Oregon has
spawned a multitude of new
businesses seeking to capital-
ize on the crop, Cook believes
hemp also presents big oppor-
tunities with fewer risks.
“I don’t have the same se-
curity concerns as medical and
recreational growers have,” he
said.
For now, the Boring Hemp
Co. is focusing on producing
hemp seeds, which have been
in short supply as the nascent
Barry Cook
Occupation: Business
owner, nursery producer,
hemp grower
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Hometown: Boring, Ore.
Age: 58
Education: Attended the
University of Montana
Family: Wife, Lee Ann, and
three grown sons, Bo, Sam
and Ty
Photos by Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press
Barry Cook, left, speaks with his son, Bo, in a ield of hemp growing at his nursery in Boring, Ore.
Cook, his wife and three sons are growing hemp on fallow land as a way of diversifying the company.
industry inds its legs in the
state.
Next year, Cook plans to
begin segregating male plants,
allowing the females to pro-
duce seedless lowers from
which one can extract canna-
bidiol, or CBD, a medicinal
compound used to treat pain,
seizures and inlammation.
The stems and stalks of the
plant will be dried and stored
until Oregon’s hemp industry
becomes more mature, in the
hopes that processing facili-
ties will be built to turn these
byproducts into textiles, paper,
rope, building materials or oth-
er goods.
“The plant has multiple
income opportunities,” said
Cook.
At this point, Cook is tak-
ing a conservative approach by
growing hemp on land that’s
resting fallow between rota-
tions of nursery stock.
This strategy will allow
Boring Hemp Co. to get a
sense of how much money can
be earned from the crop and
whether it’s worth expanding.
“We’re not quitting the
nursery industry, but here is an
annual crop that has a potential
up side not only inancially but
environmentally,” he said.
Research has shown that
hemp’s deep roots are valuable
for soil structure and reduce
the presence of undesirable
nematodes and fungi. They’re
also used in “phytoremedia-
tion” of land by drawing heavy
metals from the soil.
Hemp is already grown on
a large scale in Canada for oil-
seed and iber, but Cook thinks
Oregon growers can establish
a niche industry on a smaller
scale because the plant’s low-
ers are the primary product.
“We’re doing it for differ-
ent reasons,” he said.
Boring Hemp Co. is start-
ing as a family affair, with
Cook’s wife, Lee Ann, and
three grown sons, Bo, Sam
and Ty, involved in different
aspects of the operation.
Bo is in charge of growing
the plants, Sam will be devel-
oping a business plan and Ty
will work with vendors and
customers.
“They all communicate
really well with each other,”
Cook said.
Venturing into hemp isn’t
the irst time Cook has rein-
vented his agricultural enter-
prise.
In the early 1980s, upon
buying his property, Cook
raised raspberries, strawber-
ries and blackberries but even-
tually grew tired of insuficient
labor and weather luctuations
that damaged the crops.
In 1996, he switched to
growing various types of or-
namental nursery stock while
operating a hydro-seeding
and erosion control company,
Northwest Hydro-Mulchers,
that continues to be the fami-
ly’s primary business.
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The Boring Hemp Co.’s display
at the recent Farwest Show in
Portland, Ore. Barry Cook, the
company’s owner, posts such
signs at his nursery in Boring,
Ore., to discourage theft of the
plants.
Now, he’s aiming to put his
plant knowledge to use while
exploring new territory by
breeding hemp to maximize
CBD while minimizing THC.
“We’re hoping we can be-
come more reined and accu-
rate,” Cook said.
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SALEM — If a downtown
pumpkin patch doesn’t draw
a crowd, a 30-foot salmon on
the Capitol steps ought to reel
people in.
The Oregon Capitol Foun-
dation hosts “Oregon’s Boun-
ty: A Celebration of the Har-
vest” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 8, at the Capi-
tol in Salem.
The event will raise aware-
ness of agriculture and fa-
miliarize the public with the
workings of the Capitol.
In the festival’s second
year, the number of partners
has doubled to two dozen ag-
riculture-related businesses,
agencies and groups.
All of the partners provide
displays and hands-on activ-
ities that teach people about
raising fruit, vegetables, dairy
cows and other livestock and
informs about natural resourc-
es and educational programs,
including FFA.
Among the attractions in-
side the Capitol and around
the Capitol Mall will be
baby animals, a free pump-
kin patch, antique tractors,
live music and dancing, face
painting and Claudia the Chi-
nook Salmon.
“We hope to double last
year’s 600 to 800 visitors,”
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Capital Press File
The Oregon State Capitol will be the site of the Oct. 8 Oregon’s
Bounty Festival, which will feature the state’s agriculture.
Stacy Nalley of the Oregon
State Capitol said. “We have
Claudia the Chinook Salmon
from Polk Soil & Water Con-
servation District. At 25 to 30
feet long and probably 9 feet
tall, she should be a real draw
to people driving by.”
Steve Johnson, Early Day
Gas Engine Tractor Associa-
tion president, is modifying
the selection of antique trac-
tors he’s bringing this year.
“Last year I had a couple of
really unique tractors,” John-
son said. “The kids didn’t care
about that. … I had a couple
little ones there that I didn’t
care if they climbed on and
that’s all they wanted to do.”
This and other Saturday
events, including Cherry
Blossom Day in March, seek
to bring the public into the
Capitol.
“All of these have come
about because of the Capitol
History Gateway Project,”
Nalley said. “When they
come through those doors
we want them to know that
this is the people’s building
and they are welcome here.
During our building tours we
try to deliver the message that
they’re able to participate in
everything that happens in the
chambers and hearing rooms
— and if they’re not able to
be here it’s all streamed on the
internet.”
In the House, a giant
Douglas ir tree is woven into
the carpet’s design; the Senate
carpet incorporates a chinook
salmon and wheat.
Dylan Wells of Autumn Harvest in Aurora, Ore., lines up pumpkins
for donation to the Oregon’s Bounty event Oct. 8 at the Capitol.
Kids can take home a free pumpkin while supplies last.
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Oregon’s Bounty:
A Celebration of the Harvest
Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 8
Place: Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St. NE, Salem
Parking: Free
Rain or shine.
Schedule
All day: Booths, activities, tractor display, Claudia the Chinook
Salmon display
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
10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Face painting
10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Roundhouse Band
11-11:30 a.m.: Cherry City Cloggers
1-1:30 p.m.: Independence Wagon Wheelers Square Dancers
11:30 a.m. & 1:30 pm: Capitol building tours
11 a.m., noon & 1 p.m.: Tower tours (weather permitting; 50-guest
limit)
More info: www.oregoncapitol.com; Oregon State Capitol Visitor
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Index
Calendar
Sponsored by:
To submit an event go to the
Community Events calendar on the
home page of our website at www.
capitalpress.com and click on “Submit
an Event.” .
Sunday, Oct. 2
17th Annual Salt Spring Island Ap-
ple Festival, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Over 450
varieties of apples are grown. Fulford
Hall, Salt Spring Island, B.C., Canada.
http://bit.ly/2d89dTq
Tuesday-Saturday
Oct. 4-8
World Dairy Expo, Alliant En-
ergy Center, Madison, Wis. world-
dairyexpo.com
Friday, Oct. 7
Perrydale Corn Feed. 4:30-8
p.m. Perrydale High School, 7445
Perrydale Road, Amity, Ore. The
Perrydale FFA corn feed is a fun
family community event, a good
meal, and a football game. Cost:
$25 for a family, $12 couple, $7.50
individual.
Friday-Sunday
Oct. 7-9
Schafer Meadows Fiber Arts
Festival, noon-5 p.m. Friday, 10
a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-4
p.m. Sunday. Grays Harbor Coun-
ty Fairgrounds Rabbit and Poultry
Barn, Elma, Wash. The Alpaca
Ranchers of the Northwest will take
part.
Monday, Oct. 10
Why Save Farmland Discus-
sion. 6 p.m. Boise State Uni-
versity Jordan Ballroom, 1700
GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE
www.oxarc.com
University Drive, Boise. The
Treasure Valley Food Coalition is
launching this initiative with a
series of questions: Why is the
time right for preserving farm-
land in the Treasure Valley?
What is the value of farmland
preservation in the Treasure
Valley (economic, cultural, en-
vironmental)? Who is already
working on farmland preser-
vation in the TV? How can we
work together moving forward?
www.treasurevalleyfoodcoali-
tion.org
Tuesday, Oct. 11
Why Save Farmland Dis-
cussion. 6 p.m. College of Ida-
ho’s Langroise Auditorium, 2112
Cleveland Blvd., Caldwell, Idaho.
This is the second forum.
20 Northwest Locations
Saturday-Sunday
Oct. 15-16
All About Fruit Show, 10 a.m.-4
p.m. Clackamas County Fairplex,
Canby, Ore. An opportunity to
taste hundreds of pears, apples,
kiwis and grapes and order a cus-
tom-grafted tree. Speakers will an-
swer questions and an ID Team will
identify “mystery” apples. http://bit.
ly/2dq5lN6
Gorge Fruit and Craft Fair. 10
a.m.-5 p.m. Hood River Coun-
ty Fairgrounds, 3020 Wy’east
Road, Odell, Ore. www.hoodriv-
erfair.org
Wednesday-Saturday
Oct. 19-22
2016 National FFA Convention
and Expo. Bankers Life Field House
1-800-765-9055
and Indiana Convention Center, In-
dianapolis, Indiana. www.ffa.org
Friday-Saturday
Oct. 21-22
Montana Farmers Union Con-
vention, Best Western Heritage Inn,
Great Falls, Montana. montana-
farmersunion.com
Saturday, Oct. 22
Oregon Agriculture in the
Classroom 16th Annual Fall Har-
vest Dinner and Fundraiser, 5
p.m. CH2M Hill Alumni Center,
Oregon State University, 725 SW
26th St., Corvallis. The social
hour and silent auction start at 5
p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30
and the oral auction at 7:45. or-
egonaitc.org/
California ................................ 9
Dairy .................................... 14
Idaho ...................................... 8
Livestock ............................. 14
Markets ............................... 13
Opinion .................................. 6
Oregon .................................11
Washington ......................... 10
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