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2 CapitalPress.com Friday, February 12, 2021 People & Places Oregon farm couple takes on hazelnut confectionery venture EMPOWERING PRODUCERS OF FOOD & FIBER Established 1928 Capital Press Managers Joe Beach ..................... Editor & Publisher By MATEUSZ PERKOWSKI Capital Press Anne Long ................Advertising Manager Carl Sampson .................. Managing Editor Though they’re no strang- ers to direct-to-consumer farm sales, Ryan and Rachel Henderson have discovered a new set of challenges with their online hazelnut confec- tionery business. The Henderson family has been selling fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers straight to the public for four decades from their Thistledown Farm in Junction City, Ore. Ryan Henderson had worked in the family business since he was a small child but decided to start a side venture with his wife, Rachel, in 2016 when they bought the Hazel- nut Hill candy company. The new enterprise was a good fit with the over- all farming operation, which includes 400 acres of hazel- nut orchards, but the couple nonetheless endured a “trial by fire.” “There were a lot of tears that first year,” said Rachel. “There are a lot of things to find out and we learned them the hard way,” added Ryan. ‘Art and science’ Though the Hendersons had acquired the necessary equipment and recipes from Hazelnut Hill’s founders — Rob and Sally Hilles of Cor- vallis, Ore. — they still had to get a feel for the “art and science” of controlling such factors as temperature and humidity. The company produces a variety of candies, pancake mixes, hazelnut butter and other products, most of which require that hazelnuts first be roasted before they are further processed. “Once you roast them, the clock starts ticking on their shelf life,” Ryan said, noting that Hazelnut Hill roasts the hazelnuts to order. Aside from mastering the intricacies of processing, the couple also had to figure out which hazelnut varieties are Jessica Boone ............ Production Manager Samantha McLaren ....Circulation Manager Western Innovator RYAN AND RACHEL HENDERSON Occupation: Owners of the Hazelnut Hill confec- tionery company Hometown: Junction City, Ore. Ages: Ryan is 46, Rachel is 34 Mateusz Perkowski/Capital Press Ryan and Rachel Henderson run the Hazelnut Hill candy company in Junction City, Ore. best suited for particular pur- poses. Different cultivars have distinct flavor profiles and other unique character- istics, such as how easily they’re “blanched” from their skins. “We’re in love with the Sacajawea variety at the moment,” said Rachel, refer- ring to a cultivar resistant to Eastern Filbert Blight released in 2006 by Oregon State University. Scam warning Developing Hazelnut Hill’s website and implement- ing an e-commerce function for online sales took time, as did identifying and avoiding scammers. Unscrupulous buyers seem to have a sixth sense about targeting new online retail- ers, who they try to convince to ship large orders without pre-payment, Ryan said. “After year number four, we don’t see that level of manipulation,” he said. “I would put that out there as a warning to anyone starting an online business.” They don’t yet consider themselves experts but have now grown familiar enough with operating Hazelnut Hill to consider creating new product lines. Fine-tuning any new product requires a lot of tri- al-and-error, Rachel said. “We’ve got a lot of equipment so we’ll make it work.” Direct-to-consumer farm sales are complex but the Henderson family has deter- mined it’s financially worth- while to avoid middlemen for their crops. “When you’re growing a cannery crop, you’re kind of at the mercy of what they want to pay you,” Ryan said. Online focus For the same reason, Hazelnut Hill focuses pri- marily on its online sales, as well as farm stores and fes- tivals, rather than dealing with the price and placement constraints of mainstream retailers. “Because we’re farmers, I like to sell at different farm stands, not grocery stores,” Rachel said. Hazelnut Hill had devel- oped a recognized brand since its beginning in the late 1980s, which provided the Hender- sons with a built-in customer base when they bought the company. “They had a good follow- ing and a good name, and we knew that,” Ryan said. Rachel is active on social media expanding that fan base and the couple has experimenting with innova- tive marketing techniques, such as providing new cus- tomers with large plastic eggs filled with hazelnut products for Easter. “We went and hid them around their yards,” Rachel said. “It can be a bit risky, if you think about it,” Ryan said. Though the confectionery company uses only a fraction of the hazelnuts grown at the Henderson family’s farm, the couple sees Hazelnut Hill as a way to introduce more people to the staple Oregon crop. “I want to see more people eating hazelnuts. If you live in Oregon, you should at least know what they taste like,” Ryan said. “I don’t want to be Education: Rachel grad- uated from the University of Oregon in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in communication disor- ders and sciences, Ryan graduated from Oregon State University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in horticulture Entire contents copyright © 2021 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 2870 Broadway NE, Salem OR 97303. 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 ...........................800-781-3214 Email ........... Circulation@capitalpress.com Main line .............................503-364-4431 News Staff the nut supplier to the world, I just want to of a good job doing what we’re doing.” Carol Ryan Dumas ..............208-860-3898 Growing demand Brad Carlson .......................208-914-8264 Small hazelnut businesses play a crucial role in grow- ing the broader demand for hazelnuts, even if they serve a niche market, said Larry George, president of the George Packing Co., a major hazelnut processor. “They are the ones doing product development for the industry,” George said. “They do all kinds of things to put hazelnuts in innovative products.” Larger food manufacturers don’t want to compete directly in the market for high-end artisan goods, but such prod- ucts can inspire them to incor- porate the crop as an ingre- dient, he said. “It gives the R&D developers at these big companies ideas about how they can use hazelnuts.” Idaho Boise Western Washington Don Jenkins .........................360-722-6975 Eastern Washington Matthew Weaver ................509-688-9923 Oregon George Plaven ....................406-560-1655 Mateusz Perkowski .............800-882-6789 Sierra Dawn McClain ..........503-506-8011 Designer Randy Wrighthouse .............800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Telephone (toll free) ............800-882-6789 Online ...........CapitalPress.com/classifieds Subscriptions Mail rates paid in advance Easy Pay U.S. $4 /month (direct withdrawal from bank or credit card account) Ranchers improve fish habitat via 25-year partnership By STEVE STUEBNER For the Capital Press The Lemhi River mean- ders for 60 miles through a big valley in this quiet cor- ner of Eastern Idaho before it flows into the Salmon River. Here, local ranchers have been working closely with fish experts and conserva- tion professionals for more than 25 years to improve fish habitat for ESA-listed Snake River chinook salmon and steelhead, migrating fish that travel more than 800 miles from here to the Pacific Ocean. Even before the fish were protected under the Endan- gered Species Act in the early 1990s, Lemhi ranch- ers wanted to do their part to save the fish. “I used to go down to catch salmon all the time,” says Don Olson, a Lemhi rancher who’s been involved The Nature Conservancy Leadore, Idaho, rancher Merrill Beyeler, left, with Jeff Diluccia of Idaho Fish and Game, plan their next project. since the beginning. “It was a big deal when we was kids. We used to come down to this pool here, and the salmon would lodge in here, and man you’d ride ’em and chase ’em, and do all kinds of fun stuff.” Over the past 25 years, Lemhi ranchers have teamed up with state and federal agencies to create primo spawning and rearing habitat for the fish. Major milestones include: • 130 conservation proj- ects and counting. • Minimum stream flows for fish passage at L-6, the main Lemhi River diversion. CALENDAR Submit upcoming ag-related events on www.cap- italpress.com or by email to newsroom@capitalpress. com. MONDAY-THURSDAY FEB. 15-18 Society for Range Management Annual Meeting (virtual): There will be more than 250 oral and poster presentations, 16 symposia and 10 workshops on top- ics like rangeland restoration, monitoring and educa- tion, wildlife management, livestock management and new technologies for rangeland conservation. With the virtual platform, presentations will be recorded, made available within minutes and can be viewed any time after the session. Attendees can interact with present- ers during scheduled sessions or post questions for speakers after the presentation. Plus, those who regis- ter for the meeting will be able to revisit presentations years after the meeting is over. Website: http://annual- meeting2021.rangelands.org/ TUESDAY-THURSDAY FEB. 16-18 Northwest Agricultural Show (virtual): The 51st edition of the Northwest Ag Show will be a free digital event featuring a daily lineup of presentations, virtual exhibitor booths and more. The event features equip- ment demos, networking opportunities and a sched- ule of educational programming. Attendees have the opportunity to live-chat and direct message with rep- resentatives from participating companies and take advantage of show specials. For more information, go to https://northwestagshow.com/ THURSDAY, FEB. 18 Idaho Hay and Forage Association Annual Confer- ence (virtual): This is a chance for growers and others to get an update on the industry. http://www.idahohay.com THURSDAY-FRIDAY FEB. 18-19 USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum (virtual): The forum includes outlooks on production, prices, trade and trends. Website: https://www.usda.gov/oce/ ag-outlook-forum MONDAY-WEDNESDAY FEB. 22-24 Making & Maintaining Healthy Pasture (vir- tual): 6-9 p.m. Livestock nutritionist and forage special- ist Woody Lane will join Tualatin SWCD for a three-part, virtual workshop that will take a practical, scientific look at grazing and pasture management. This work- shop is appropriate for both new and experienced managers of all types of livestock. Details and registra- tion on the TSWCD website: https://bit.ly/3clXhOq TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY FEB. 23-24 Cattle Industry Convention Winter Reboot (online): National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Winter Reboot sessions include an update on issues in Wash- ington, D.C., and expectations with the new admin- istration. Ten educational programs will be offered covering topics such as sustainability, as well as a tech- nology tool introduction. A virtual marketplace will also be featured during the Winter Reboot to allow attendees interaction with leading agribusinesses. Website: https://convention.ncba.org/winter-reboot • Preserving working lands and open space for- ever — nearly 30,000 acres of prime spawning areas protected via conservation easements. • Over 50 miles of ripar- ian fencing. • Restoring water flows to 12 tributary streams, opening up 50-plus miles of spawning habitat for chi- nook salmon and 40-plus miles of spawning habitat for steelhead. • Installing 110-plus fish screens at irrigation diver- sions to keep juvenile fish in the river. • Brokering 50-plus water transactions that restored water to tributary streams and the main Lemhi River. • Dozens of water effi- ciency projects to save water for fish, increase crop yields and reduce labor. • Replacing 75-plus-year- old irrigation diversions with fish-friendly weirs. All this, while ensuring that working ranches remain working for the local tax base and economy. Major funding from the Bonneville Power Admin- istration, Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, Natural Resources Conser- vation Service, conserva- tion organizations, Bureau of Reclamation, Idaho Fish and Game and many others has been instrumental for the conservation investments. At least an estimated $75 million has been invested in conservation projects basin-wide. Steve Stuebner is the writer and producer of “Life on the Range,” a public education proj- ect sponsored by the Idaho Rangeland Resources Com- mission. To see the full story, go to http://idrange.org/ life-on-the-range. National Dairy Board offers college scholarship 1 year U.S. ...........................................$55 2 years U.S. ........................................$100 1 year Canada .....................................$275 1 year other countries ...........call for quote 1 year Internet only .........................$49.99 1 year 4-H, FFA students/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 information 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 CapitalPress.com FarmSeller.com MarketPlace.capitalpress.com facebook.com/CapitalPress Capital Press The National Dairy Board is accepting applications for 11 college scholarships worth $2,500 each, as well as a $3,500 James H. Loper Jr. Memorial Scholarship to one outstanding recipient. Applications are open to undergraduate students in their sophomore or senior year for the 2021-2022 aca- demic school year who are majoring in one of the fol- lowing fields are eligible: communications/public rela- tions, journalism, marketing, business, economics, nutri- tion, food science and agri- culture education. Scholarships are awarded based on academic achieve- ment, an interest in a career in a dairy-related discipline, and demonstrated leadership, initiative and integrity. Candidates must complete an application form, submit an official transcript of all college courses, and write a short statement describ- ing their career aspirations, dairy-related activities and work experiences. Applications can be found at www.usdairy.com/ about-us/dmi/scholarship Completed applications must be received no later than May 7 at 11:59 p.m. CST. Questions about the program can be submitted to ndbscholarships@dairy.org. facebook.com/FarmSeller twitter.com/CapitalPress youtube.com/CapitalPressvideo Index Markets ...................................................7 Opinion ...................................................8 Spokane Ag Show ...................................9 Water .............................................. 10-11 Correction policy Accuracy is important to Capital Press staff and to our readers. 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