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2 CapitalPress.com September 28, 2018 People & Places Grower succeeds despite counselor’s advice Kathy LeCompte bursts through gender gap in agriculture Western Innovator By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press As a university horticul- ture student, Kathy LeCompte once got some bad advice from a guidance counselor about her plan to commercially grow and sell plants. “I was told early in my career there was no room for women in the nursery indus- try,” she said. After successfully running the Brooks Tree Farm for the better part of four decades with her husband, Dave, LeCompte likes to think she and other women have helped change the negative gender stereotype espoused by her counselor. “It turns out he was wrong,” LeCompte said. Since starting on a 30-acre parcel in 1980, the company has grown to seven sites with 255 acres and annually sells up to 6 million plants of roughly 50 varieties. The nursery produces coni- fer seedlings for multiple mar- kets — reforestation, Christ- mas trees and ornamental stock — as well as native plants for habitat restoration projects. Much of the company’s plants are field-grown, but it’s also invested in greenhous- es in which they’re grown in “plugs,” or tiny containers that contain the roots, rendering them less vulnerable to drying out. “They tend to be a lot more uniform,” LeCompte said. Selling plants with more than one purpose has tradition- ally broadened the company’s base of customers, helping to insulate it from shocks to any one market. Kathy LeCompte Owner: Brooks Tree Farm with husband, Dave LeCompte Headquarters: Brooks, Ore. Employees: 30 year-round, up to 75 during peak harvest season. Founded: 1980 Property: Seven locations totaling 255 acres. Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press Kathy LeCompte, co-owner of Brooks Tree Farm, examines one of the conifer plugs growing in a greenhouse at her company’s original location in Brooks, Ore. “It helps even out produc- tion,” LeCompte said. Brooks Tree Farm was usually far enough back in the supply chain to cushion it from economic disruptions, but the most recent “Great Recession” proved an exception to that rule. With the severe downturn in housing, loggers weren’t cutting trees for new homes and didn’t need seedlings for replanting. At the same time, housing developers and home- owners stopped investing in landscaping, drying up de- mand for plants. “It hit our nursery on both sides. We weren’t supplying the timber or the ornamental nursery trade,” LeCompte said. To make matters worse, severe overproduction in the Christmas tree industry de- stroyed demand for seedlings in that sector as well. Between 2008 and 2015, the company dumped 3 mil- lion Noble fir seedlings, for example, because they were getting too big to effectively harvest and ship. “It’s not like other busi- nesses where you can leave product on a shelf until things are better,” she said. Fortunately, the fourth pillar of the company’s busi- ness, native plant sales, was a major factor in why the nurs- ery survived. Environmental restoration projects are often funded by the federal govern- ment, which spent heavily to stimulate the economy during the recession. The native plant market is inherently risky because there are relatively few buyers who can order tremendous numbers of plants. Contrary to conventional wisdom, native species are of- ten finicky to germinate and cultivate even though they’re grown in their natural climate. “They just take a lot of ba- by-sitting,” LeCompte said. Seeds from the cottonwood and willow spoil quickly, for example, and the seedlings that do emerge can grow very unevenly. Meanwhile, their irri- gation needs are disparate: Wil- lows desperately need water, whereas over watering cotton- woods would quickly produce enormous, unsaleable trees. Though native plants pose particular challenges, antici- pating demand years or even decades out is a conundrum facing each of the market seg- ments served by Brooks Tree Farm. Knowing how many Christ- mas trees consumers will want, for instance, is highly specula- tive, LeCompte said. “We’re guessing what the market is go- ing to need 12 to 15 years out. That’s tough.” Now that the glut of Christmas trees has ended and housing starts have improved, there’s enough need for seed- lings that a shortage has de- veloped. Markets served: Christmas trees, reforestation, orna- mental nursery stock, native habitat restoration. Sales territory: Primarily the Pacific Northwest, but also throughout the U.S. and occasionally international. “Those trees were pushed out and now there’s an under supply,” LeCompte said. One product that’s not as exposed to long-term trends in other industries are tiny coniferous trees that are used as gifts at weddings and fu- nerals. The traditional use for these trees was as “grafters” that serve as the base for oth- er varieties, but Brooks Tree Farm also sells them in dec- orative boxes or champagne flutes, serving as inexpensive and flexible party favors. Such diversification is helpful in an industry filled with uncertainties about fu- ture demand. “Those are questions none of us knows the answers to,” LeCompte said. DEQ honors Clif Bar for pollution prevention Capital Press Clif Bar has been recog- nized as a Pollution Preven- tion Champion by the Idaho Department of Environmen- tal Quality for its successful efforts to reduce waste and improve sustainability at its Twin Falls manufacturing fa- cility. “Clif Bar is setting a gold standard for not only internal waste reduction, but for em- ployee and community en- gagement on environmental sustainability,” Ben Jarvis, DEQ’s pollution prevention coordinator, said in a press release. Pollution prevention is any technique used to reduce or eliminate pollution generated, Clif Bar & Co. Clif Bar & Co.’s bakery in Twin Falls. The Idaho Department of Environmental Quality says Clif Bar is at the forefront of innovation. seeking to eliminate or mini- mize the amount of toxicity of wastes and pollutants before they are generated, according to DEQ. To qualify as a candidate for pollution prevention rec- ognition, Clif Bar submit- ted an application to DEQ demonstrating how it incor- porated pollution prevention into daily operations by re- ducing raw materials or toxic materials purchased; hazard- ous or solid waste generated; water, energy, or fuel used; or air pollutants emitted. “This award is a small to- ken of appreciation for the un- wavering dedication that Clif Bar has shown for protecting the environment,” Jarvis said. “We have learned so much about their employee and community engagement efforts, and it truly appears that Clif Bar has left no stone unturned. From building en- velope efficiency to supply chain management to renew- able energy sourcing, Clif Bar is at the forefront of innova- tion,” he said. Among its achievements, Clif Bar has a substantially more efficient building and bakery due to the use of hy- brid cooling towers that re- duce water use by over 30 per- cent, LED light fixtures and a reflective roof that reduce energy use by 20 percent, and process equipment that result in emission reductions of over 40 percent. The facility is also on track to achieve a zero-waste certi- fication, which it anticipates completing by the year 2020. Efforts currently underway to achieve zero-waste certifi- cation include heavy invest- ment in recycling of wood, cardboard and plastic and supplying more 2,000 tons of feed to local dairy farmers. for a free workshop about managing mud, manure and pastures along with winter health care for horses. Website: https://www.swcd.net/event/ preparing-winter-horse-properties/ a.m.-3:30 p.m. Keizer Communi- ty Center, 930 Chemawa Road NE, Keizer, Ore. This seminar will address water rights, title issues, transfers and other related issues. Sponsored by the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District. Cost: $25 Website: https;//www.marion- swcd.net/ 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 “Submit 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. 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 Washington IHRP program, Farm Act of 2018, basics of growing hemp and cur- rent industry statutes. There will be a question-and-answer session and assistance available with applica- tions 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 Center, 9240 S. Riverbend Ave., Parlier, Ca- lif. Open Farm is a gathering hosted each year by the farming community to connect technology vendors, aca- demics and growers to accelerate the digital transformation 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 ven- dors. Website: https://bit.ly/2N4zRBI Wednesday-Thursday Oct. 3-4 Oregon Water Resources Con- gress Golf Tournament and Technical Seminar. Eagle Crest Resort, 1522 Cline Falls Road, Redmond, Ore. The technical seminar will be Oct. 4 and pro- vide district staff, board members and consultants will innovative strategies, tools and solutions to meet water man- agement challenges. The golf tourna- ment is Oct. 3. Website: www.owrc.org Saturday, Oct. 6 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. Web- site: https://bit.ly/2QmtO9m Friday-Sunday Oct. 12-14 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 season. This old-fashioned fall festival brings together more than 120 vendors offer- ing local produce and food products, plus arts and crafts, wine, cider and beer tastings. Held along the scenic Hood River waterfront, this is the Columbia River Gorge’s biggest cel- ebration of the region’s incredible fall bounty. Website: http://hoodriver.org/ harvest-fest/ Thursday, Oct. 18 Balancing Profitability and Access 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 sys- tem 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 econ- omy to create jobs, invigorate small farms and businesses and keep pre- cious dollars in our Idaho communi- ties. Hosted by the University of Idaho Extension, the conference is made possible with a Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (WSARE) grant. Cost: $45 Website: https://idahofood2018.eventbrite.com Saturday, Oct. 20 Preparing for Winter on Horse Properties Workshop. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tualatin Soil and Water Conservation District, 7175 NE Evergreen Parkway No. 400, Hillsboro, Ore. Join the Tu- alatin Soil and Water Conservation District and Horses for Clean Water Tuesday-Wednesday Oct. 23-24 Nutrient Management Confer- ence. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Embassy Suites, 1441 Canyon Del Rey, Seaside, 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 California. Grower, CCA, and PCA credits will be requested. Website: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/Is/ ffldrs/frep/FREPConference.html Wednesday-Saturday Oct. 24-27 91st National FFA Convention and Expo. Indianapolis, Ind. This is the culmination of the year’s work for FFA members from around the nation. Website: https://convention. ffa.org/schedule/ Monday-Wednesday Nov. 5-7 2018 Advances in Walnut Pro- duction Short Course. Activities and Recreation Center Ballroom, University of California-Davis. This course is designed for new and experienced growers as well as other industry members interested in commercial walnut production. Website: http://ucanr.edu/sites/wal- nutshortcourse/ Tuesday, Nov. 6 Water Rights Boot Camp. 10 Wednesday-Friday Nov. 7-9 Weed Conference. Wenatchee Convention Center, 121 N. Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee, Wash. The 68th conference pro- vides information on all aspects of weed control and management. It covers crops of all kinds, turf and ornamental, vegetation manage- ment and aquatic. Website: www. weedconference.orgFriday-Sunday Friday-Sunday Nov. 9-11 Tilth Conference. Davenport Grand Hotel, 333 Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, Wash. Tilth Con- ference brings together hundreds of farmers, producers, researchers and food system professionals for a weekend of learning, building rela- tionships and sharing best practices for growing a healthy food system The speakers will include Mai Nguy- en, who grows heirloom, ethnic grains in Sonoma, Calif., and is the California Organizer for the National Young Farmers Coalition, and Audra Mulkern, the founder of “The Female Farmer Project,” a documentary project chronicling the rise of wom- en working in agriculture. Website: www.tilthalliance.org Capital Press Established 1928 Board of Directors Mike Forrester Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Susan Rana Harrison Forrester Mike Omeg Cory Bollinger Jeff Rogers Corporate Officers Heidi Wright Chief Operating Officer Rick Hansen Chief Financial Officer Capital Press Managers Joe Beach ..................Editor & Publisher Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor Jessica Boone ........ Production Manager Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager Entire contents copyright © 2018 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 Circulation ......................... 800-882-6789 Email ........ 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