NEWS
Wallowa County Chieftain
A18
High-altitude, drought-resistant trees a specialty
Wallowa
Community
Yard Sale
celebrates 10th
anniversary
Dianna Troyer
For the Capital Press
Teton Trees, a fl ourishing 300-acre whole-
sale nursery near Rupert in southeastern
Idaho, traces its roots to a couple of what-if
and why-not questions.
About 20 years ago, farming partners Rod
Jentzsch and Joe Kearl brainstormed.
What if potted trees were purchased,
watered in a pivot corner where row crops
could not be grown, then sold for a profi t after
they had matured in the fall?
Impressed with their profi t, the sugar beet
and potato farmers brainstormed again. Why
not start a nursery to diversify their agricul-
tural investments?
In 2006, they established Teton Trees,
named for the Teton Range in Wyoming, the
source of irrigation water along southeastern
Idaho’s Snake River Plain.
Today, the wholesale nursery has grown
considerably, from a brainstorm into a vast
and complex enterprise that raises higher-el-
evation, drought-resistant trees, shrubs and
perennials for many landscapers, re-whole-
sale nurseries and garden centers throughout
the Intermountain West.
“We’re a fi nish grower, producing trees
known for their hardiness,” said Scott Blauer,
general manager. “Our trees grow well wher-
ever they’re planted because they’ve survived
plenty of wind, cold winters, and hot sum-
mers here. Our biggest sellers are ornamental
pears, crabapples, maples, pines, spruce, pop-
lars, honey locust and oaks.”
He estimates the nursery sells about 60,000
trees a year and replenishes the stock every
season. Teton Trees encompasses three loca-
tions in Minidoka County: 200 acres of fi eld
trees northwest of Paul that will be placed in
burlap to protect the root ball when harvested;
about 80 acres of trees, shrubs and perennials
grown in pots that are placed inside perma-
nent sockets in the ground at Acequia north-
east of Rupert; and 20 acres of potted trees
just north of Acequia.
Their trees range in sizes from slender
unbranched trees called whips to 5- to 10-gal-
lon pots and 15- to 25-gallon pots with trees
up to 12- to 18-feet-tall with an average of a
2-inch caliper.
Their business model has been so produc-
tive that they expanded and have similar busi-
nesses that also produce and use the grown
plants in Boise and Kimberly, Idaho; Boring,
Ore.; Pleasant Grove and Kaysville, Utah;
and Parker, Colo.
“It’s a labor-intensive business, so we have
to be innovative with use of space, equip-
ment, water and energy,” Blauer said. The
Rupert nursery has 25 full-time and 60 sea-
sonal employees.
“To maximize effi ciency, we imported
and use specialized equipment developed in
Megan Futter
For Wallowa County Chieftain
The Wallowa Community Yard
Sale has been going for over ten years.
This year 37 sales were listed on the
yard sale fl yer. Bargain hunters could
fi nd anything, including the kitchen
sink.
The most popular sale in this year’s
line up was Ron Van Grunsven’s
estate sale on Upper Diamond Lane,
despite his sale not even being on the
map. Van Grusven said he was hold-
ing the sale to thin things out, he plans
on moving and doesn’t want the bur-
den of hauling so many things. There
wasn’t a dull moment. According
to Van Grunsven, the most popular
items at this sale were reloading sup-
plies and equipment. He also sold a lot
of big farm equipment, driving har-
nesses and cast iron. This sale also
advertised a big ticket item — a ban-
ner on the barn read “10 acre farm for
sale”. Van Grunsven said “There has
already been 8 or 10 people inter-
ested, before they even heard a price.”
Next to the farm, a carriage for a large
(actually, HUGE) horse was one of the
more unusual items. “Most horses are
smaller and won’t fi t.” said seller Ron
Van Grunsven.
The Friends of the Library book
sale was also well attended. Volunteers
stayed open an extra hour on Friday
because customers just kept coming,
according to a Friends member. The
Friends of the Library hold their book
sales to raise money for their summer
reading program, to purchase books
and for anything else the budget falls
short on. The majority of books for
sale are donated or have been weeded
from the library’s collection due to
poor circulation.
Wallowa’s yard-salers were out
for a variety of reasons, to stock up
on clothes and other items for their
children. Some were in search of that
special rare antique they hope can be
resold for profi t. Others were looking
for specifi c items to add to their col-
lection. Those just looking for a bar-
gain were often the luckiest –and hap-
piest — of all.
www.main-street-motors.com
311 West Main St. • Enterprise
00
$10,5
Old Fashioned
Values Sales &
Service
0
$8,90
99
$17,4
2010 Audi
1978 BUICK
2011 BUICK
2004 CHAPARRAL
A4 PREMIUM PLUS
ELECTRA 2DR
LANDAU
LUCERNE CXL
204SSI V-PLANE
SKI BOAT
Stock # 10774
AWD, A/C, PS, PW, PWR Locks
Stock # 10690 • 60,882MI.
RWD, A/C, PB, PS, PW
00
$15,9
0
$7,50
1999
DIAHATSU 4X4
HI-JET 4 DOOR VAN
Stock # 10738 • 31,555 MI.
Stock # 10757A • 65,681MI.
FWD, A/C, PS, PW, PWR Locks
Affordable full size luxury sedan
0
$8,90
Stock # 10748 • 280 MI.
Loaded with options and extras
85
$20,8
Andy Crow
208-816-8349
0
$6,90
1995
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO K2500
Extended
Stock # 10753A
4WD, AM/FM A/C, PS, PW, PWR Locks
99
$23,9
2006 DODGE
1990 FORD
2018 FORD
2015 FORD
RAM 2500 LARAMIE
CUMMINS
BRONCO U100
ECOSPORT SE
EXPLORER LIMITED
Stock # 10749 • 90,961 MI.
4WD, A/C, PS, PW, PWR Locks
Stock # 10758
4WD, A/C, PS, PW, PWR Locks
Stock # 10685A • 65,872 MI.
4WD, A/C, ABS, CD, A/C, GPS
PB, PS, PW, Leather, Leather,
Pwr Locks, PWR Mirrors
Stock # 10763
4WD, A/C, ABS, CD, PB, PS, PWR Locks
SOLD
99
$38,9
00
$10,9
9
$2,99
97
$10,8
85
$24,8
1964 FORD
1941 FORD
1998 FORD
2007 FORD
2011 FORD
F-100 SHORTBOX
F100 REG CAB
F150 SUPERCAB
F150 SUPERCREW
F150 SUPERCREW
Stock # 10730 • 29,279
RWD
Great start to a project
Stock # 10752 • 25,968 MI.
CLASSIC
Stock # 10740B
RWD, AM/FM A/C, ABS, PB,
PS, PW, Pwr Locks, PWR
Mirrors
Stock # 10655A
4WD, A/C, ABS, CD, PB, PS,
PW, Leather, PWR Locks,
Pwr Mirrors, One Owner, Clean
Stock # 10686 • 79,147 MI.
4WD, AM/FM A/C, PS, PW,
PWR Locks, Clean
85
$14,8
Call 4
Price
0
$5,90
9
$8,99
2006 FORD
2015 FORD
2006 FORD
1985 GMC
F250 SUPER DUTY
F250 SUPER DUTY
FREESTYLE LIMITED
CABALLERO PICKUP
Stock # 10746 • 87,099 MI.
4WD, AM/FM A/C, ABS, CD,
PB, PS, PW, Leather, PWR
Locks, PWR Mirrors
Stock # 10773 • 64,324 MI.
4WD, AM/FM A/C, PS, PW,
PWR Locks
Stock # 10641A
AWD, A/C, ABS, CD, PB, PS,
PW, Leather, Leather, PWR
Locks, PWR Mirrors
Stock # 10727A • 45,846 MI.
RWD, AM/FM A/C, CD, PB, PS,
PW, PWR Locks, PWR Mirrors
00
$14,9
00
$13,9
1947 KURTIS
KRAFT
2015 NISSAN
MIDGET RACE CAR
Stock # 10766 • 49,020 MI.
FWD, A/C, PS, PW, PWR Locks
Beautiful Condition!
Stock # 10568 • 1 MI.
Being sold with a bill of sale
only. Over $22,500.00 in parts.
ALTIMA 2.5
0
9
$4,25
$5,99
2014 POLARIS
2000 SUZUKI
SPORTSMAN ACE ATV CARRY MINI PICKUP
Stock # 10765 • 838 MI.
4X4, 500 pound winch, brush
guard, canvas top, low miles!
Stock # 10447 • 67,910 MI.
4WD, 2 Door
Not legal out on Oregon
highways
85
$24,9
2013 GMC
SIERRA 1500 SLT
Stock # 10772 • 75,009 MI.
4WD, A/C, PS, PW, PWR Locks
9
$4,99
2003 UNIQUE
CUSTOM CHOPPER
Stock # 10370 • 1MI.
At this price we will include a
near new bike work ramp!
Just ask us to show you
Welcome Chief Joseph Days Rodeo Fans
Dianna Troyer/For the Capital Press
Scott Blauer, general manager, checks on drip irrigation at Teton Trees, a nursery near Rupert
in southeastern Idaho.
Dianna Troyer/For the Capital Press
After trees are potted, they are placed on a
trailer bed that was built with a conveyer belt.
Europe,” he said.
A mobile platform with adjustable height
can be driven down rows, allowing work-
ers to prune branches and pound tall slender
Fiberglass stakes next to trees to help them
withstand the wind.
Another machine enables 5,000 shrubs to
be planted in a day. An over-the-top pruner
trims groups of shrubs quickly.
“We also had three custom trailer beds
built, each with a conveyor belt, so trees
planted in pots at the planting shed can be
quickly moved to the fi eld.”
Their customized potting soil blends
shredded bark, peat moss and nutrients.
“We’re still tweaking ratios with that to
maximize growth,” he said.
To conserve energy, LED lights were
installed in offi ces and sheds. Variable speed
frequency drives pump water from wells
and canals, and trees are watered with drip
irrigation.
“We can control irrigation from a com-
puter in the offi ce,” Blauer said.
To maximize use of space, instead of plant-
ing a fi eld full of trees that will mature in four
years, the middle rows are dedicated to trees
that will be harvested at two years.
“When the two-year-olds are ready to
go, it makes room for the four-year trees to
mature,” Blauer said.
Last year, a 20-acre fi eld was converted
from row crops to a nursery for trees in 15-
and 25-gallon pots.
“The soil didn’t drain well and had a lot
of rocks, so the land there is more produc-
tive being used for trees,” he said. “Wher-
ever our fi elds are, we’re proud our rows are
weed-free.”
As Teton Trees expanded, in 2019 a man-
agement company called TreeSource Sys-
tems, was developed to provide oversight and
systematize all of the entities associated with
Teton Trees. The management team, based in
Acequia, developed customized software to
handle customers’ orders, logistics for grow-
ing, sales and marketing, and delivery.
Will Teton Trees convert more fi elds from
row crops to trees?
“We’ll see what the market tells us to do,”
Blauer said.
The Wallowa County Chieftain,
an aggressive weekly in the incredible
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has an opening for a reporter equally
at home covering hard news, sports and
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outdoor recreational opportunities and
boasts a thriving arts community, cattle
ranches, farms, a major tourism industry
and traditional small-town life where
there are no traffic lights.
Journalism degree and two years of
experience reporting in the Northwest
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Full time position offering insurances,
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REPORTER
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541-426-2100
9
$8,99
Wednesday, July 24, 2019