Friday, March 26, 2021
CapitalPress.com 5
Oregon FFA offi cers refl ect on chaotic tenure
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
Under normal circumstances,
the 2020-21 Oregon FFA state offi -
cer team would have traveled thou-
sands of miles around the state last
fall, leading workshops and meet-
ing with fellow “blue jackets” at
more than 100 local chapters.
But 2020 was far from a normal
year.
The coronavirus pandemic
forced high schools to adopt
remote learning, thwarting in-per-
son gatherings. For FFA offi cers
like Grace Adams and Jenna Wal-
lace, that meant fi nding new ways
to connect with their peers.
“I think it was hard at fi rst,”
Adams said. “We came to the real-
ization that our team was going
to have a unique experience that
nobody else could relate to.”
Adams, of Dayton, was elected
Oregon FFA president during last
year’s virtual state convention in
March, and Wal-
lace, of Hermiston,
was elected vice
president. Nobody
could have pre-
dicted then just
how long the crisis
Vice
would last, or how
President
disruptive it would
Jenna
be.
Wallace
As the fi rst day
of the 2021 con-
vention began Tuesday — it was
streamed online — Adams and
Wallace refl ected on their team’s
unprecedented tenure, how they
were able to adapt and ultimately
prevail through diffi cult times.
“Instead, we thought more of
how can we make this better?
What can we do to move onward?”
Adams said. “I think we’ve grown
the most, because we faced a lot of
struggles.”
Rather than hitting the road
for their regular leadership tour,
the six-member Oregon FFA state
offi cer team was
forced to hunker
down for three
months, living in
the dorms at Ore-
gon State Uni-
versity in Cor-
Oregon FFA vallis. Every day,
President
they would arrive
Grace
at Strand Agricul-
Adams
ture Hall on cam-
pus to facilitate
workshops with students online
via Zoom.
The challenge, Adams said, was
fi guring out how to make the pre-
sentations engaging and interac-
tive over a computer screen. They
made use of video clips, chat fea-
tures and breakout rooms, encour-
aging members who might already
feel burned out with online classes
to participate.
“Traditionally, in order to get
them engaged, you’d do something
hands-on or turn to a partner. We
couldn’t really do that,” Adams said.
Adams joked the team has now
perfected the art of the “awkward
Zoom conversation.” In addition
to daily workshops, the team also
held four virtual leadership camps
for chapter offi cers, with several
hundred students registered for
each.
While online meetings can be
tedious, both Adams and Wallace
said they were able to connect with
more students than ever before.
“It was tough, to say the least,”
Adams said. “Every day for three
months, we got up and it was the
same thing. It was 100% the stu-
dents who made me feel like it was
worth it.”
Wallace said the team was able
to hone a new skill set that will
only become more valuable in the
future.
“I feel like we’ve just added a
whole bunch more tools to our tool
belt this year,” she said.
The 2020-21 Oregon FFA state
offi cer team also included Raimey
Brown, of Baker, as secretary; Cel-
ilo Brun, of Hood River Valley,
as treasurer; Alivia Robbins, of
Burns, as reporter; and Colby
Fairbairn, of Roseburg, as sen-
tinel. They handed over the
reins to a new team of officers
that were elected at this year’s
convention.
Adams has received a schol-
arship to attend Oklahoma State
University, where she plans to pur-
sue a degree in agriculture busi-
ness and communications.
Wallace said she is waiting to
hear back from the colleges where
she’s applied, and will study polit-
ical science.
Wallace said she was initially
worried about her year as an FFA
state offi cer, but the challenges
helped them to grow as leaders.
“I think that a really awesome
part of our year is that new family
we now have,” she said. “The con-
nections we’ve built is something I
really value.”
Liberty Orchards, maker of Aplets &
Cotlets candy, to close after 101 years
By SIERRA DAWN McCLAIN
Capital Press
ODA
Elise Higley owns and operates Oshala Farm near Grants Pass, Ore., with her hus-
band, Jeff . Higley was one of 20 women accepted in the fi rst Women’s Farm2Food
business accelerator, established by the National Association of State Departments
of Agriculture Foundation.
Business accelerator will help women
farmers in Oregon and Washington
By GEORGE PLAVEN
Capital Press
Women farmers in Oregon and Wash-
ington will receive training and expertise
in delivering their products to market as
part of a new business accelerator estab-
lished by the National Association of State
Departments of Agriculture Foundation.
The Women’s Farm2Food Accelerator
began earlier this month in partnership with
the Oregon Department of Agriculture,
Washington State Department of Agricul-
ture, Oregon State University Food Inno-
vation Center and Union Kitchen, a food
and beverage business incubator based in
Washington, D.C.
Twenty women — 10 from Oregon, 10
from Washington — were accepted into the
program. Courses began March 3, span-
ning four main sessions including product
launch, marketing, lab testing and develop-
ment, and pricing and pitching to buyers.
In its fi rst year, the accelerator is focused
on women who grow specialty crops for
value-added ingredients. It is designed
to support small farms with less than
$500,000 in annual gross sales and fewer
than 20 employees.
“The women chosen come from all over
the state, producing everything from herbal
teas, liquors and pot pies,” said Alexis Tay-
lor, ODA director. “I think this is an excit-
ing opportunity where we as a state depart-
ment of agriculture can help a group of
Oregon women make their farm businesses
more profi table and succeed.”
The year-long accelerator aims to con-
nect women with other farmers and local
experts, along with hands-on experience
in researching and one-on-one marketing
assistance.
Applicants accepted into the 2020 pro-
gram include:
• Alicia Leonhardt, Rochester, Wash.
• Angela Cordiano, Kitsap Farms, Hans-
ville, Wash.
• Aurora Ashkar, Pleasant Valley Organ-
ics, Gresham, Ore.
• Caroline Barnes, La Grande, Ore.
• Cammille Layton, Friday Harbor,
Wash.
• Diane Fish, Poulsbo, Wash.
• Elise Higley, Oshala Farm, Grants
Pass-Applegate, Ore.
• Elizabeth Miller, Minto Island Tea Co.,
Salem, Ore.
• Gabrielle Hall, North Star Farm, Lopez
Island, Wash.
• Jennifer Skouras, Elysian Acres Fam-
ily Farm, Jeff erson, Ore.
• Kate Tossey, Kate’s Herbs, Olympia,
Wash.
• Kristen Lyon, Jeff erson Farm Kitchen,
Jacksonville, Ore.
• Margaux Muller, Margalaxy, Portland.
• Maria Rice, Chow This!, Milwaukie,
Ore.
• Meg Depew, Sequim Bee Farm, Port
Angeles, Wash.
• Minid Miller, Corvallis, Ore.
• Monica Burnison, Twinkle Toes farm,
Enumclaw, Wash.
• Reeba Daniel, Portland.
• Rose Smith, Stratton Brothers Cider,
La Center, Wash.
• Shaelee Evans, Goodness Tea, Sequim,
Wash.
CASHMERE, Wash. —
After more than 100 years in
business, Liberty Orchards
Co., the Washington state
maker of Aplets & Cotlets
fruit candies, has announced
it will permanently close
June 1.
Company president Greg
Taylor, 72, grandson of Lib-
erty Orchards co-founder
Armen Tertsagian, said the
family business has been
Capital Press File
seeking a buyer for several
years with no luck. Tay- Greg Taylor, president of Liberty Orchards of Cashmere,
lor, who’s run the company Wash. He has announced the company’s closure.
43 years, said he’s “very,
very ready” to retire and the
The closure will mean continues the tradition,”
younger generations of the people can no longer buy said one comment.
Liberty Orchards was
family are not interested in Aplets & Cotlets candies
founded in 1920 by two
keeping the operation going. after this June.
immigrants,
“It’s bittersweet, but defi -
When the company Armenian
nitely more sweet than bit- released news of its impend- Mark Balaban and Armen
ter. Obviously, we’re disap- ing closure, the community Tertsagian.
The two started their
pointed it can’t continue, but of Cashmere, Wash., near
venture by buying a small
it’s time for us all to move Wenatchee, was shaken.
on,” Taylor told the Cap-
“Liberty Orchards is orchard, but times were
ital Press Friday. “We’re part of Cashmere’s iden- tough, and they searched
so appreciative of all those tity,” Cashmere’s mayor, for ways to make use of
who have supported our Jim Fletcher, told Eater surplus fruit. After research
company.”
Seattle, a food publication. and development, they
Liberty Orchards will
In a statement, the launched their fi rst candy
continue to seek a buyer for Cashmere Chamber of line, an apple and wal-
its assets.
Commerce said that Lib- nut confection based on
Through the decades, erty Orchards has made the famous Near Eastern
the company has bought Cashmere “a traveler candy known as Turkish
Delight.
ingredients — concentrates, destination.”
This they called Aplets,
purees and freeze-dried fruit
On Aplets & Cotlets’
— from processors world- Facebook announcement the “confection of the
wide. Apple concentrates about closing, hundreds of fairies.”
A few years later, they
were mainly sourced from people commented, many
Washington state apples.
calling the upcoming clo- created a second product,
The company’s closure sure “heartbreaking” and Cotlets, made with apricots
will impact around 55 full- “sad.” Many shared mem- and walnuts.
Over the decades, the
time employees.
ories about touring the
company expanded its
“We’re proud to have factory.
provided employment for
“I have been enjoying product line to include Fruit
thousands of families over Aplets & Cotlets for over Delights, Dessert Delights,
the past more than 100 50 years. I truly hope some- Fruitlets, Orchard Bars and
years,” said Taylor.
one buys the business and other off erings.
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workshop. To learn more and to
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beav.es/farm-stress
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Family and friends
Veterinarians
Ag lenders
Service providers/vendors
April 6 – 12 to 1:30 p.m.
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June 3 – 4 to 5:30 p.m.
OSU Extension Service prohibits discrimination in
all its programs, services, activities and materials.
Accommodation requests related to a disability
should be made by one week prior to the scheduled
event date to Cassie Bouska, 541-572-5263, and
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S236164-1