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CapitalPress.com
September 21, 2018
People & Places
Making cider the ‘hard’ way
Jolie Devoto uses
heirloom varieties
of apples in her
Golden State Ciders
Western
Innovator
By JULIA HOLLISTER
For the Capital Press
Jolie Devoto has been
farming her entire life.
“I could say that I started
farming before I was born,
but I still have a lot to learn,”
Devoto said. “My parents
have been farming here since
1976.”
The Devotos started out
growing apples, flowers and
micro greens.
“While my mom, Susan,
learned to farm flowers and
micro greens, my dad, Stan,
learned to farm the trees that
existed on their newly pur-
chased property, prompting
him to plant more and more
over the years,” she said.
“Apples existed on the
property when my parents
purchased it in the mid ’70s,”
she said. “My dad fell in love
with them and started graft-
ing dozens of varieties. We
grow over 100 varieties.”
Contrary to public opin-
ion, apples are not hard to
grow, she said. However, or-
ganic, dry-farmed apples are.
“It’s difficult being an or-
ganic apple farmer in west
Sonoma County, Calif., as
Jolie Devoto
Hometown: Sebastopol,
Calif.
Occupation: Second-gen-
eration apple farmer and
co-founder of Golden State
Cider with her husband,
Hunter Wade
Years in business: Six
Golden State Cider
Jolie Devoto, co-founder of Golden State Cider, in Sonoma County, Calif.
mildew pressure from coast-
al fog is immense,” Devoto
said. The family farms 26
acres of apples.
“Back when we started
the cidery, Sonoma Coun-
ty apple farmers could not
make a sustainable living on
processing apples, and many
apples were left to rot on the
ground,” she said. “When
Hunter (her husband Hunt-
er Wade, co-founder of the
cidery) and I moved back to
my family’s apple farm in
2012, we were sick of seeing
centuries-old
Gravenstein
apple trees being torn down
and replaced with vineyards,
a higher value crop. We made
it our brand mission to ‘Save
the Gravenstein’ and raise
awareness of the variety by
introducing it to a whole new
group of people through hard
cider.”
She said they’re proud to
pay the farmers they work
with sustainable prices for
their apples, all in hopes of
keeping biodiversity and
more land planted in apples.
“Our plan is working and
we’re saving more apple
land every year,” she said.
Their ciders are increas-
ingly popular, she said.
“We’re trying to not only
tell the story of our own ter-
roir in Sonoma County, but
of apple land across the state
in different apple-growing
microclimates,” she said.
Their “California Farms”
series features single apple
varietals from farms across
the state. All the ciders will
be available at their Golden
State Cider taproom in Se-
bastopol’s Barlow Market
District. It’s slated to open
next year.
“The Devotos have been
a force for preserving Sebas-
topol’s tradition of heirloom
apple farming, putting sus-
tainability at the fore,” said
Brie Mazurek, communica-
tions director of the Center
for Urban Education about
Sustainable Agriculture in
San Francisco. “We’ve been
honored to work with them
at the Ferry Plaza Farmers’
Market for a quarter centu-
ry, and excited to see Jolie
branching off that family
legacy in innovative direc-
tions.”
“Our ciders are popular,
as they’re the real deal, with
quality being the forefront of
our focus,” Devoto said.
Capital Press
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EO Media Group
dba Capital Press
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published every Friday.
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News Staff
Oregon FFA Foundation seeks new director
Idaho
Carol Ryan Dumas .......... 208-860-3898
Kevin White left
position Aug. 31
Cent. Washington
Dan Wheat ........................ 509-699-9099
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
Kevin White was 20 years
old when he made it his goal to
raise $1 million for the National
FFA Organization.
Mission accomplished. And
then some.
In seven years as executive
director of the Oregon FFA
Foundation, White helped raise
more than $3 million for state
programs, enlisting several
dozen corporate sponsors to
throw their support behind ag-
riculture education.
White stepped down from
the position Aug. 31 after ac-
cepting a new job with De-
schutes County Title. Doug
Hoffman will serve as interim
executive director while the
foundation searches for a full-
time replacement.
The Oregon FFA Founda-
tion is the primary funding ve-
hicle for Oregon FFA, which
lost state funding in 2011.
Oregon FFA had received fi-
nancial support from the Ore-
Capital Press File
Kevin White has stepped down as executive director of the Oregon
FFA Foundation.
gon Department of Education,
though budget cuts at the state
level prompted FFA to become
independently funded, or risk
becoming the first state to lose
its program.
“When we lost that money,
the foundation had to step up
and figure out how we’re go-
ing to support Oregon FFA,”
White said.
The foundation hired
White as its first executive di-
rector. White is an FFA alum
from Anderson, Calif., who
served as national FFA sec-
retary in 1992-93. It was then
that he decided to put the $1
million target on his bucket
list.
“I had been able to get a
lot out of FFA in terms of my
own personal growth,” White
said. “FFA teaches a lot about
service. It’s something where
you feel compelled to give
back.”
White moved to Oregon in
1995 to attend Western Bap-
tist College — now Corban
University — in Salem. He
then moved to Terrebonne,
just north of Bend, where he
lives on a small ranch.
During White’s tenure,
the Oregon FFA Foundation
went from raising around
$6,000 per year to $600,000
per year.
“It changed dramatical-
ly,” White said. “Obviously,
I think we were able to ex-
ceed a lot of expectations.”
The FFA Foundation
funds a large portion of ba-
sically anything that isn’t
covered by student dues or
registration fees, including
staff, programs and the an-
nual state convention. The
strategy, White said, is in-
stead of asking for charity,
the foundation asks for busi-
ness sponsors to partner with
FFA. As a career-oriented
organization, he said the al-
liance makes sense on both
ends.
“Don’t underestimate the
potential that the agriculture
industry is willing to support
FFA,” White said.
Hoffman, who serves as
president of the foundation’s
board of directors, said he
appreciates White’s work
and looks forward to con-
tinuing the group’s mission
as interim executive director.
“We have a great team in
place, and we’re well-posi-
tioned to continue the im-
portant work of funding the
programs and activities that
benefit thousands of students
each year,” Hoffman said.
Kirk
Maag,
presi-
dent-elect of the foundation,
said they are fortunate to have
Hoffman step into the role on
a temporary basis. Hoffman
was CEO of the Wilco Co-op
for more than 20 years before
retiring in December 2017.
“Doug has decades of
leadership and management
experience,” Maag said. “It’s
important to have someone
with Doug’s experience at
the helm.”
The foundation intends to
start reviewing applications
Sept. 21, and Maag said they
hope to hire someone before
the end of the year.
“We’re looking for some-
body who is a self-starter,
and who has a vision of how
to best support the Oregon
FFA Organization,” he said.
For more information, or
to suggest candidates, contact
Maag at 541-881-9613 or Elin
Miller at 415-613-5251.
Calendar
To submit an event go to the
Community Events calendar on the
home page of our website at www.
capitalpress.com and click on “Sub-
mit an Event.” Calendar items can
also be mailed to Capital Press,
1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR
97301 or emailed to newsroom@
capitalpress.com. Include “Calen-
dar” in the subject line.
Through Sunday
Sept. 23
Washington State Fair. 110 Ninth
Ave. SW, Puyallup, Wash. Website:
www.thefair.com/
Saturday, Sept. 22
Goat Education Day — Get Yer
Goat. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. OSU South-
ern Oregon Research & Extension
Center Auditorium, 569 Hanley
Road, Central Point, Ore. A day of
education attended by beginner
and experienced goat owners. This
year, in addition to dairy goats, a
beginning class on meat goats will
be offered. A taco salad lunch is
included with the event fee (both
vegetarian and meat options). Read
more about Goat Day, the sched-
uled classes and the link to online
registration:https://extension.ore-
gonstate.edu/smallfarms/events.
Choose two classes in the morning
and two in the afternoon. Optional:
choose two classes in the morning
and goat cheesemaking in the af-
ternoon. Cost: Adults, $35; Youth,
$20; Cheesemaking $50 Website:
https://extension.oregonstate.edu/
smallfarms
Yamhill-Carlton FFA Alumni
Benefit Dinner and Auction. 5-9
p.m. Carlton American Legion
Hall, 158 East Main St., Carlton,
Ore. Social hour and silent auc-
tion are at 5 p.m., followed by the
dinner and live auction at 7 p.m.
All proceeds from this event di-
rectly benefit the Yamhill-Carlton
FFA Chapter through the funding
of scholarships, student leader-
ship training, travel to events, and
more. For more info, contact David
Van De Walle, alumni association
president, at 503-434-1810. Email:
ycffa.alumni@gmail.com
Hood River Hops Fest. Noon-
8 p.m. Columbia Lot, Fifth and
Columbia, Hood River, Ore. The
Hood River Hops Fest is an annual
celebration of beer’s bitter friend,
freshly harvested hops. Hood River
County is surrounded by world-re-
nowned hop-growing regions, and
since 2003 brewers have gathered
each September in downtown Hood
River to share their fresh-hop beer
creations. The family-friendly event
features more than 50 breweries
with more than 60 fresh-hop beers,
plus a variety of food vendors, live
music, and an awesome collectible
mug. Website: http://hoodriver.org/
hops-fest/
Tuesday, Sept. 25
CalCPA Education Foundation’s
annual Farmers Tax and Accounting
Conference. 8:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m.
2257 W. Shaw Ave., Fresno, Calif.
Water rights, the new 20 percent de-
duction for pass-through businesses
and an update on the status of the
new federal farm bill will be among
the topics discussed. The day-long
conference is also available via web-
cast Cost: $325 for members of the
California Society of CPAs; $425 for
non-members. Website: www.CalC-
PA.org/ag
Saturday, Sept. 29
Oregon Ag in the Classroom
Fall Harvest Dinner and Auction.
5-9 p.m. CH2M Hill Alumni Center,
Oregon State University. The silent
auction starts at 5 p.m., followed by
dinner featuring food produced by
Oregon farms and ranches. The oral
auction is at 7:45 p.m. All proceeds
from the dinner and auction will sup-
port the Oregon Ag in the Classroom
mission: to help students grow in
their knowledge of agriculture, the
environment, and natural resources.
Registration due by Sept. 14. Web-
site: https://oregonaitc.org/events/
fall-harvest-dinner-2/
Free Washington Hemp Info
Class. 1-3 p.m. Elk Plain Grange,
21817 Mountain Highway E,
Spanaway, Wash. Join the Industri-
al Hemp Association of Washington
and the Washington State Depart-
ment of Agriculture as we present
the in’s and out’s of the Washing-
ton IHRP program, Farm Act of
2018, basics of growing hemp and
current industry statutes. There will
be a question-and-answer session
and assistance available with ap-
plications after the class. Space
is limited to 75 people. RSVP for
classes at www.ihempawa.com.
Cost: Free.
Wednesday, Oct. 3
Third Annual Open Farm. 8:30
a.m.-1:30 p.m. UC Kearney Agricul-
tural Research and Extension Cen-
ter, 9240 S. Riverbend Ave., Parli-
er, Calif. Open Farm is a gathering
hosted each year by the farming
community to connect technology
vendors, academics and growers
to accelerate the digital transfor-
mation of the food and agriculture
sector. Registration is free for
growers and government employ-
ees, $20 for representatives of
power and water utilities and $40
for vendors. Website: https://bit.
ly/2N4zRBI
this is the Columbia River Gorge’s
biggest celebration of the region’s
incredible fall bounty. Website:
http://hoodriver.org/harvest-fest/
Thursday, Oct. 18
Oregon’s Bounty. 10 a.m.-2
p.m. Oregon State Capitol, 900
Court St. NE, Salem, Ore. This
event focuses on the importance
of agriculture in the state and
brings a little bit of the farm to the
front steps of the Capitol. Website:
https://bit.ly/2QmtO9m
Balancing Profitability and Ac-
cess in Local Food Systems. 8:30
a.m.-4 p.m. The Riverside Hotel,
2900 W. Chinden Blvd., Boise,
Idaho. In a state that comprises big
ag, small ag and highly motivated
food system stakeholders, how
can we bring more locally produced
foods into mainstream markets and
strengthen the economics of small-
to mid-sized farms? This one-day
conference will explore, through an
economic lens, ways to cultivate a
local food economy to create jobs,
invigorate small farms and busi-
nesses and keep precious dollars
in our Idaho communities. Hosted
by the University of Idaho Exten-
sion, the conference is made pos-
sible with a Western Sustainable
Agriculture Research & Education
(WSARE) grant. Cost: $45 Website:
https://idahofood2018.eventbrite.
com
Friday-Sunday
Oct. 12-14
Tuesday-Wednesday
Oct. 23-24
Wednesday-Thursday
Oct. 3-4
Oregon Water Resources Con-
gress Golf Tournament and Tech-
nical Seminar. Eagle Crest Resort,
1522 Cline Falls Road, Redmond,
Ore. The technical seminar will be
Oct. 4 and provide district staff,
board members and consultants
will innovative strategies, tools and
solutions to meet water manage-
ment challenges. The golf tourna-
ment is Oct. 3. Website: www.owrc.
org
Saturday, Oct. 6
Hood River Valley Harvest Fest.
1-6 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat-
urday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Hood
River Event Site, North of Exit 63 off
Interstate 84, Hood River, Ore. Cel-
ebrate Hood River’s harvest sea-
son. This old-fashioned fall festival
brings together more than 120 ven-
dors offering local produce and food
products, plus arts and crafts, wine,
cider and beer tastings. Held along
the scenic Hood River waterfront,
Nutrient Management Con-
ference. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Embassy
Suites, 1441 Canyon Del Rey, Sea-
side, Calif. The agenda will focus on
the latest FREP-funded research
results and practical applications of
fertilizing materials for agricultural
production in the state of Califor-
nia. Grower, CCA, and PCA credits
will be requested. Website: https://
www.cdfa.ca.gov/Is/ffldrs/frep/
FREPConference.html
Boise
Brad Carlson .................... 208-914-8264
W. Washington
Don Jenkins ...................... 360-722-6975
E Washington
Matthew Weaver .............. 509-688-9923
Oregon
George Plaven ................. 406-560-1655
Mateusz Perkowski .......... 800-882-6789
Graphic artist
Alan Kenaga ..................... 800-882-6789
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or ...................................... 503-370-4383
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Index
Dairy ...................................... 8
Markets ................................11
Opinion .................................. 6
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