Enterprise Magazine Winter 2021

Economic Development in Oregon’s Mid-Willamette Valley

A Region of Innovation

Winter 2021

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Winter 2021 Features 8 You are Now an Innovator

In this Issue

Bank of the Pacific............................................................21 Cascade Collections.........................................................16 Chemeketa College..........................................Back Cover Chemeketa Truck Driving...............................................15 Cherriots.............................................................................19 Citizens Bank ��������������������������������������������������������������������27

2

SEDCOR Board and Staff

City of Salem ���������������������������������������������������������������������23

3

Innovation Everywhere I Look

Coldwell Banker Commercial.........................................27

President’s Message by Erik Andersson

4

Quick Hits Crosby Hops • Ascentic Engineering LLC • Green Acres Landscape Indy Idea Hub • Freres Lumber

10 Waste Not­ How biochar sequestered carbon and helps growers and the planet

12 Interview Shannon Welsh of Fibrevolution

16 Insights from OMEP How Manufacturers Can Create a Self-Motivating Environment to Engage & Retain Talent

by Tami Trout

20 Insights from Technology Association of Oregon Innovation in Agriculture: The Farm of the Future

by Cara Turano

22 County News YAMHILL - Commissioner Casey Kulla POLK - Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst MARION - Comissioner Danielle Bethell

28 Region of Innovators Godspeed Hollow/Honeypie Pizza

Covanta Marion................................................................17 Datavision...........................................................................25 Dalke Construction Co. ��������������������������������������������������17 EnergyTrust of Oregon ����������������������������������������������������� 5 Freres Lumber....................................................................11 Grand Hotel of Salem......................................................21 Green Acres Landscape ��������������������������������������������������13 Huggins Insurance............................................................25 LS Networks.......................................................................26 MAPS Credit Union..........................................................18 Multi/Tech Engineering Services..................................14 Oregon Cascade Plumbing & Heating.........................15 Pfeifer Roofing..................................................................20 PNM Construction............................................................. 6 Powell Banz Valuation.....................................................19 Power Fleet Commercial Sales......................................15 Rich Duncan Construction ��������������������������������������������23 Salem Convention Center..................Inside Front Cover Santiam Hospital.................................. Inisde Back Cover Select Impressions �����������������������������������������������������������21 Sherman Sherman Johnnie & Hoyt, LLP ��������������������19 SVN Commercial Advisors..............................................22 SwiftCare Medical Clinic.................................................17 Thomas Kay Flooring & Interiors..................................23 White Oak Construction ������������������������������������������������27 Willamette Community Bank.......................................... 3

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Mt. Angel Publishing is proud to work with SEDCOR to produce Enterprise.

To advertise in the next issue, contact Jerry Stevens: 541-944-2820 SEDCOR@mtangelpub.com Enterprise Winter 2021 1

SEDCOR Staff Erik Andersson

Executive Council Chair Michael Fowler CEO, CabDoor

Vice-Chair Mike Keane

Shareholder and Managing Officer, Garrett Hemann Robertson

Treasurer Ryan Allbritton

SVP, Chief Banking Officer, Willamette Valley Bank

Past Chair Daryl Knox

Rich Duncan President, Rich Duncan Construction, Inc.

Mark Hoyt Steve Powers Kate Schwarzler

Owner, Indy Commons

Colm Willis

County Commissioner, Marion County Board of Commissioners

Jonathan Avery

Jennifer Larsen Morrow

Roxanne Beltz

City Councilor, City of Monmouth

Chuck Bennett

Mayor, City of Salem

Becky Berger

Owner and CEO, Berger International

Lindsay Berschauer

County Commissioner, Yamhill County

Alan Blood

General Manager, Garmin AT, Inc.

David Briggs

Trial Lawyer, Partner, Saalfeld Griggs PC

Patricia Callihan Bowman

Owner/Career Coach, Express Employment Professionals

Cathy Clark

Mayor, City of Keizer

Alan Costic

President, AC + Co Architecture | Community

Richard Day

Owner/Manager, Advantage holdings llc

Brent DeHart

President, Salem Aviation

Amy Doerfler

Secretary/Treasurer, Doerfler Farms, Inc.

Theresa Haskins

Senior Business Development Manager, Portland General Electric

Jessica Howard

President/CEO, Chemeketa Community College

George Jennings

Counsel to the President, Mountain West Investment Corporation

Director of Operations jkistler@sedcor.com

Diana Knous

President, Don Pancho Authentic Mexican Foods, Inc.

Jenni Kistler 503-588-6225

Curt Arthur

Ricardo Baez

eandersson@sedcor.com

City Manager, City of Salem

Board of Directors

Regional President, Legacy Silverton Medical Center

503-837-1800

Partner, Sherman Sherman Johnnie & Hoyt, LLP

CPA, Partner, Aldrich Group

Managing Director, SVN Commercial Advisors

President

Regional Business Manager, Pacific Power President, Creative Company, Inc.

Rod Lucas

Owner, Turner Lumber, Inc.

David Mercer

Store Manager, Umpqua Bank

Timothy Murphy

VP of Operations, DCI

Nick Harville Marion County Business Retention & Expansion Manager 503-837-1804 nharville@sedcor.com

Eric Nelson

Area Manager - Willamette Valley, BBSI

Kim Parker-Llerenas

Executive Director, Willamette Workforce Partnership

Alex Paraskevas

James Parr

Rural Innovation Catalyst

Chief Financial Officer, Salem Health

Jim Rasmussen

Polk County Business Retention & Expansion Manager

President/CEO, Modern Building Systems

503-837-1803

Mark Raum

alexp@sedcor.com

Craig Pope

County Commissioner, Polk County

VP, Commercial Banking Officer, Columbia Bank

Connor Reiten

Government Affairs, NW Natural

Rick Rogers

Mayor, City of Newberg

Tony Schacher

General Manager, Salem Electric

Scott Snyder

Abisha Stone Yamhill County Business Retention and Expansion Manager

General Manager, The Grand Hotel in Salem

503-507-4175

Jenna Steward

astone@sedcor.com

Brand Experience Specialist, Crosby Hops

Dave Takata

SVP, Commercial Team Lead, Willamette Community Bank

Kathy Tate

CEO, Online NW

Dan Ulven

President, The Ulven Companies

Jamie Johnk

Economic Development Director, City of Woodburn

Michael Miller Marketing and Communications Coordinator 503-588-6225 mmiller@sedcor.com

626 High Street NE, Suite 200 • Salem, OR 97301 503-588-6225 • info@sedcor.com • www.sedcor.com

2 Enterprise Winter 2021

A Region of Innovation

Innovation Everywhere I Look Some innovations can be obvious, and their benefits are almost immediately and plainly seen. For instance, products like bionic prosthetics and services like Lasik eye surgery help make the world a better place and give some of us the vision to see that future more clearly.

Other innovations are harder to spot. Their benefits are not so obvious. But the impacts of these elusive inventions will be enormous. In this issue of Enterprise, we are going to explore the innovative thinkers, builders, growers, and policymakers who are already transforming our local economy for the better.

We have forest product manufacturers building carbon-capture materials through biochar and helping local growers to restore their soil. You can also read about a local family farm finding new ways to bring great food to more people. Plus, a team of two trying to revitalize our region’s once-thriving flax fiber industry. And, of course, great reports from our partner organizations and county leaders.

The word “innovation” (much like “industry-led”) has become a buzzword amongst the SEDCOR team Erik Andersson this year. Of course, some of this is due to the launch of our Northwest Ag Innovation Hub in 2019 (How SEDCOR President do we bring new, exciting, and most importantly useful innovation to our region’s Ag Supply Chain?) and the successful creation of Oregon ERP (Can open-source software serve the needs of small-to-mid-sized ag and manufacturing operations?).

These projects are new but the spirit behind them is hardly novel to the work we’ve been doing for the last 40 years. (Did you know our 40th anniversary is coming up!?)

Most innovations occur when two seemingly unrelated ideas meet, like chocolate and peanut butter in a Reece’s Cup. (Sorry, I was stuck with a lot of extra Halloween candy this year.) If a Swiss engineer didn’t get plant burrs on his wool socks during a hike in the Alps, we might not have Velcro today. Or if a Japanese engineer wasn’t a birdwatcher, we might not have the aerodynamics of the bullet train inspired by the beak of a kingfisher.

The world is full of problems; apparently, this trend will continue into the foreseeable future. But thankfully, the world is also full of problem-solvers. It turns out many of them live right here in the Willamette Valley. They are creating new products, improving on old ones, reshoring and shoring up our supply chain through better technology and information sharing. And they are doing this all while running internationally competitive small businesses. Our region has a small army of people working tirelessly to make the products we consume everyday better, cheaper, and more readily available. As always, we are excited to introduce them to you!

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315 Commercial St SE Salem, OR 97301 503-468-5558 Enterprise Winter 2021 3

QUICK HITS

Crosby Hops Helps Brew Music Comeback Walk into any brewery and you’ll hear music, serving as a soundtrack to brew days and taproom revelry. And for its part, beer has influenced the creation and enjoyment of music, elevating the experience for artists and audiences. Rock On honors that connection with a brewing project to benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, which provides financial assistance to musicians and music industry workers struggling to make ends meet.

Crosby Hops, MxPx, and Silver City Brewery teamed up to create Rock On Crafted Lager™ to support Sweet Relief. Crosby Hops has invited breweries to join in and create their own rendition.

MxPx is providing the inspiration; Silver City is laying down the backbeat with the recipe for a light, crisp, and crushable lager; Crosby is providing the chords with a chorus of hops – Amarillo®, Centennial, Chinook, Idaho 7®, and Sterling.

Crosby Hops contributed 100% of the profits from Rock On hops purchased between May 10 and July 1 to Sweet Relief. In their own distinct ways, music and beer are the culmination of creativity and expression. Breweries can conjure up their ideal, concert-worthy lager.

Ascentec Engineering Opens a New Manufacturing Site in Dallas Ascentec Engineering LLC, a premier manufacturer of precision machined parts and assemblies for the semiconductor and aerospace industries, is pleased to announce the opening of its latest location in Dallas, Oregon.

The 131,000 square foot facility located at 1270 Monmouth Cutoff Road, formally home to Praegitzer/Tyco, will undergo a multi-million-dollar renovation and facility set-up that will take 2-3 years to fully complete, with initial repairs, modernization and site readiness work already underway. The facility that was once a highly productive and advanced PCB fabrication site will be transformed into a state-of-the-art modern CNC

manufacturing environment with a focus on automation and robotic manufacturing.

Through this expansion Ascentec will be investing over $10,000,000 in the acquisition, remodeling and set-up of the facility and ultimately put money back into the Dallas community.

Ascentec will be immediately hiring positions ranging from CNC machinists and CAD/CAM programmers to QA technicians and finishing/deburr technicians. The addition of Ascentec Engineering in Dallas will not only bring more career opportunities to residents in the area, but this addition will also bring innovation, collaboration, and fulfillment to the entire community.

Green Acres Raises Funds for Santiam Wildfire Memorial A Santiam Wildfire Memorial will be placed at the Oregon State Fairgrounds to honor and remember those who suffered, sacrificed, and served as volunteers during the wildfires in the canyon.

In September 2020, the Oregon State Fair opened its campus as an evacuation center for people and animals affected by the fires. Workers and volunteers with the American Red Cross and Marion County handed out food, drinks, toilet paper, diapers, and pet food.

Rich Kansky of Green Acres Landscape held a fundraiser for the memorial along with Trina Hart from DSP Connections.

Together they donated and raised over $5,000 for its construction and installation.

“We hope this memorial will serve as a reminder of everyone who lost their homes and livelihoods in the canyon. We want it to show how we can rebuild after a disaster when the community comes together.”

Kansky and his company are part of the Santiam Rebuild Coalition, which has brought Oregon contractors together to develop and construct a community building in Detroit for

4 Enterprise Winter 2021

canyon residents.

Throughout the 2021 state fair, attendees voted and selected an design created

by Anthony Glenn.

Funds are still being collected for the memorial and can be sent to The Oregon State Fair Foundation at oregonstatefairfoundation.org.

Contractors can find the volunteer/supply donation form on www.SantiamRebuildCoalition.org. To make cash or other contributions, visit www.DetroitLakeFoundation.org.

A Region of Innovation

QUICK HITS

Business Oregon Announces Recipients of Rural Entrepreneurship Funding Following a competitive application process, Business Oregon selected 20 Oregon communities to receive a total of approximately $1,609,200 in funding from the Rural Opportunity Initiative (ROI) program. ROI is Business Oregon’s strategic effort to empower rural communities to support entrepreneurs and small business growth.

Small businesses and entrepreneurs drive rural economies, and are a major source of economic opportunity as well as resiliency. ROI’s “whole community” approach helps entrepreneurs thrive in the good times and recover faster and stronger following disruptions. In lieu of a “one size fits all” approach, ROI reflects community priorities and acknowledges that the best people to determine the right approach for a community are the residents themselves.

Indy Idea Hub will partner with other rural Polk County communities to build a cohesive regional ecosystem and provide ongoing entrepreneurial support services, with a particular focus on food-based business recovery and resiliency.

Learn more about the Indy Idea Hub at www.indyideahub.org

Freres Lumber MPP Dazzles at PDX If you have taken a flight out of Portland in the last year, you have seen relatively small updates through the PDX Next project. But the biggest and most beautiful update The new roof at PDX made from Mass Plywood Product. will be coming soon and is sure to impress travelers from all over the world.

Nearly every aspect of Portland International Airport is getting a redo in the $2-billion PDX Next project that redevelops or expands two concourses, adds parking, updates operations and features a core terminal redevelopment.

But the megaproject’s pinnacle piece is an innovative, nine-acre, seismically isolated curved timber roof that uses locally sourced materials -- including (Mass Plywood Product (MPP) from Lyons wood products company, Freres Lumber.

“There is hardly a square or rectangular piece on this,” Tyler Freres says of the roof structure. According to ERN Northwest, PDX Next is the first major project for this new-to-market product, using 2-in.-thick panels, each with a bevel for interlocking the unique curvature.

The roof will weigh 18,000,000 pounds and be installed in early 2022.

www.sedcor.com

MARGINS WERE SLIM BEFORE THE CRISIS, SO REDUCING ENERGY EXPENSES IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER. People still need to eat. And we still need to feed them. So we were grateful that Energy Trust of Oregon had useful advice about how to reduce our energy costs. Because every little bit helps.

See how they can help your business at EnergyTrust.org/for-business.

Enterprise Winter 2021 5

QUOTES "Innovation is one of those words that is hard to define but is everywhere if you look.

Right now, innovation in the traded sector is primarily driven from two places. One is the immediate economic pressures businesses have to react to, like workforce. Since securing a workforce is such a challenge now, businesses are looking at investing in automation in their processes. Two is the long-term, outside-the-box thinking being done by some of our partners in the education and nonprofit spaces. Schools want to train students for the jobs that don't exist yet. Those in R&D and in economic development must be willing to think long-term and do some creative thinking about a very uncertain future. More than anything, I'd like people to understand that innovation is not always obvious (not every cool thing happening is a robot or a drone) but every single company I interact with is innovating all of the time in their business."

— Alex Paraskevas, SEDCOR “Right now, the region is experiencing a labor shortage. The shortage existed before the pandemic, COVID only exasperated the situation. More companies, in all industries, are turning to robotics to do human jobs. Companies are doing this to stay competitive. At the same time, companies like GK Machine, The Purlin Mill and others are using new technologies to create whole structures and machines they couldn't make before.”

— Nick Harville, SEDCOR "Sometimes innovative action requires looking back in the past for inspiration while incorporating new technologies and new methods. Case in point: the past year and a half has demonstrated how fragile our global supply chain can be. Overseas production has its advantages (lower labor costs, specialization), but it has some now-obvious vulnerabilities.

Our region's traded sector businesses are finding creative ways to shore up our local supply chain. In the short term, this may add some costs, but it could ultimately proove worthwhile if we can guarantee fewer big disruptions. Right now, it is time to ask big, interesting questions. Could automation not just replace workers, but actually add more high-skilled (that is, high-wage) jobs for our local workforce? Can a more efficient supply chain ultimately lower costs? What is the job of the future?"

— Abisha Stone, SEDCOR

SERVING SALEM SINCE 2007

Offices Medical Retail Restaurants

6 Enterprise Winter 2021

A Region of Innovation

ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT Photos Courtesy Kristi Reed

www.sedcor.com

Enterprise Winter 2021 7

You Are Now An Innovator The Three Principles of Innovative Thinking

Our region is full of innovative businesses and organization lead by innovative thinkers.

We got in their minds and had them pass that knowledge to you, our readers. By following these principles, everyone can incorporate innovation into everything they do.

By Michael Dallas Miller SEDCOR Marketing and Communication Coordinator

A

s Americans, we idolize our inventors. We love the risktakers, the adventurers, the people who are willing to head into the unknown to discover or create something totally new and radically different.

Lewis and Clark. Alexander Graham Bell. George Washington Carver. Emelia Earheart. Steve Jobs.

In our own lives, we all know a tinkerer possessed with an idea and consumed with a passion to bring it life.

For us at SEDCOR, we have the immense privilege of meeting those innovative thinkers on a near-daily basis. We get to meet the growers, the manufacturers, the technologists, the machinists, and the entrepreneurs who work tirelessly to run great businesses, update old methods, and create so many products that make all of our lives better.

We believe innovative thinkers are made, not born. And that everyone can incorporate innovation into the way they think, speak, and do business.

PRINCIPLE #1: KNOW YOUR PROBLEM Russ Monk and his team at WaterShed have been developing new products for over thirty years from their bright blue building in northeast Salem, many of which have been used and trusted by military and first responders for decades.

In the recent era of pandemics and wildfires, they have been working overtime. In 2019, Russ and his team rapidly invented a

8 Enterprise Winter 2021

new material to fill a gap in the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) market, supplying local hospitals with hundreds of thousands of gowns when few could be found. Then, after the devastating fires in the Santiam Canyon (and all over the West Coast), WaterShed developed and launched their Surge Kits, emergency-preparedness systems designed to be strategically positioned and easily moved wherever they are most needed.

More recently, as cities contend with rising homelessness, WaterShed was contracted to build small homes which they call Compact Livables.

All of these inventions coming from a company most known for rain jackets.

Monk says the first step in creating a new product is to have remarkable clarity on what he calls the “critical needs” of the project. Start, he says, by searching for solutions that already exist.

“If you identify those critical needs and you can pull something off the shelve to address those needs, go with that first. If the off-theshelf solution doesn’t tick all the boxes, you now have better context and a good starting point to work from.”

“When it is finally time to innovate,” says Monk, “keep it as simple as possible. Don’t invent things that already exists to solve problems you don’t have. Borrow from existing industries— materials, systems, technologies. Sometimes innovation comes simply from applying an existing solution to a novel situation.”

A Region of Innovation

PRINCIPLE #1 CHECKLIST:

base. One the flip side, make sure you listen to your gut and don’t let other people’s fears talk you out of pursuing a great idea.”

❏ Clearly articulate the problem you

PRINCIPLE THREE: AS YOU LAUNCH, BUILD TRUST AT ALL POINTS IN YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN

❏

Many times, innovators have to discover and create markets that barely exist if they exist at all. The path from raw material to processing to production to customer to end-user is rarely mapped out. For local hemp producers, there was no map at all and most in the industry (growers to retailers) were driving blind.

But for the team at Red Barn Hemp, they did enough things right to find success in an incredibly tumultuous market.

Giavanni Accurso, Red Barn’s Director of Research & Development, has witnessed a saturated market (in the early days, everyone was growing hemp with nowhere to process it) to the bottom of the market falling out during the pandemic. They focused on quality at every step of the production and built solid relationships with their white-label customers.

“Developing relationships with companies that have common goals is key,” says Accurso. “Making sure that we can support

❏ ❏ ❏

need to solve Write a list of critical needs—keep it as short as possible Find existing solutions When it is time to innovate, keep your solution as simple as possible Surround yourself with creative minds who are equally passionate about solving that problem

PRINCIPLE TWO: MAKE GOOD MISTAKES At Indy Commons in Independence, Kate Schwarzler helps passionate people transform their ideas into reality. This happens through their coworking space, regular events, and a new kitchen wherein food-centric entrepreneurs can make good mistakes (with expert guidance) to learn valuable lessons.

Schwarzler says each business idea is different, but every person with a concept should be willing to get messy and do some rapid iterations. “Perfection is not the goal in the beginning” says Schwarzler. “It’s best to approach it with an open mind and be prepared to make changes. Talk to as many people as you can about your product and get input on every stage, not just what you hope the end result will be.”

While developing a new idea, innovative thinkers have to get comfortable with a very messy process. To highlight this fact, Indy Commons has hosted annual Fail Fests, where people have gathered to celebrate the beautiful business of making mistakes.

Schwarlzer says, “Any mistake is good if you take the time to learn from it! Failure often puts people on the path to success.”

Too often, failure (or, more specifically, the fear of failure) has kept a great idea from ever reaching a market that could benefit from it. Schwarzler believes passion can override that fear and an innovative thinker must embrace fast failure as well as have the humility to receive feedback--both positive and negative—from as many sources as possible. “An idea is worth the time and energy it takes to develop it when you’re convinced that even if it fails, you’ll still be happy you pursued it.”

“Get honest feedback...positive feedback from friends and family is different than getting validation from an actual customer

PRINCIPLE #2 CHECKLIST:

❏ When it is time to develop,

experiment with rapid iterations ❏ Get feedback early and often from multiple sources ❏ Listen to the feedback, but trust your gut

Giavanna Accurso, Director of Research And Development, Iverson Family Farms and FSOil

a client through whatever dynamic changes may come to their industry or business develops trust. You can always provide a quality and reliable product, but at the end of the day if you aren’t on a journey to help people find solutions, your path to market may just be a one and done deal.”

Hemp still exists in regulation purgatory; it can be hard to build trust with the end-user when production and labeling are not uniform or universal. This is why Red Barn uses third-party verification and certification (they were one of the first hemp growers to be Global GAP certified) to build that trust.

“Making sure we stick to our ethos and foundation of quality always brings us back to our common goal. Third-party verified Continued on page 10

www.sedcor.com

Enterprise Winter 2021 9

INNOVATION continued from page 9 certifications are one way we offer transparency but making sure we are also doing our best to contribute to a higher quality of life for people and our planet drive our mission.”

To Accurso, trust cannot be earned just once. They rely on continual customer input and creative thinking to discover new methods and make an even better product. “We are a white label ingredient manufacturer,” says Accurso, “so a lot of product development is driven by our partnership and client needs. More importantly, we are fortunate to have a very passionate team that loves challenges. It is essential for us to make sure to give a lot of time to collaborative brainstorming and then to trust and support the team as they explore their curiosities. This has led to some really fun new extraction methods along with a variety of new botanical ingredients in the last year.”

PRINCIPLE #3 CHECKLIST:

❏ Take time to build relationship with ❏ ❏ ❏

potential customers Understand their short and longterm goals and visions Be humble and willing to listen Develop a strategic plan and timeline. “Every plan will go sideways, but intentional goals will keep you on track.”

Waste Not

How biochar sequestered carbon and helps growers and the planet Our region’s traded sector businesses have always looked for creative ways to use material once considered to be useless. As our own Alex Paraskevas once put it, “Innovative businesses in the Willamette Valley find ways to transform junk into money.” This could be as simple as using excess biomass from hemp production for surf wax or other organic materials for animal bedding.

For over a decade, Freres Lumber has been turning their biomass into electricity and thermal energy through their on-site boiler system. The boiler also produces noncombustible ash (dirt and sand that can be absorbed by trees during their lifecycle) and biochar, a material that, according to some, could radically improve agriculture and the planet.

What is biochar?

According to the International Biochar Initiative, biochar is a solid material obtained from the carbonization thermochemical conversion of biomass in an oxygen-limited environments. In more technical terms, biochar is produced by thermal decomposition of organic material (biomass such as wood, manure or leaves) under limited supply of oxygen, and at relatively low temperatures. Its primary application is use as a soil amendment with the intention to improve soil functions and to reduce emissions from biomass that would otherwise naturally degrade to greenhouse gases.

What are its benefits?

Sustainable biochar is a powerfully simple tool that can 1) fight global warming; 2) produce a soil enhancer that holds carbon and makes soil more fertile; 3) reduce agricultural waste; and 4) produce clean, renewable energy. In some biochar systems all four objectives can be met, while in others a combination of two or more objectives will be obtained.

Does biochar improve crop yields?

According Physics World, “farmers in the US can expect to see an increase in crop yield of between 4.7 and 6.4%, on average, if they apply biochar to their fields. A charcoal made from plant remains, biochar may recondition soils stripped of nutrients by hungry crops.”

10 Enterprise Winter 2021

“Adding biochar improves soil quality, helps the soil store both nutrients and water and makes the soil a better media for plant roots,” says David Laird of Iowa State University, US. How does biochar improve soil?

Biochar stimulates the activity of a variety of agriculturally important soil microorganisms, and can greatly affect the microbiological properties of soils. The pores in biochar provide a suitable habitat for many microorganisms by protecting them from predation and drying while providing many of their diverse carbon (C), energy and mineral nutrient needs.

Does adding biochar make economic sense for growers?

According to Jeff Freeman, Director of Sales and Marketing for Marion Ag Services, biochar shows some promise with particular agricultural products but not all growers experience the benefits for the cost of purchasing and applying. As the biochar markets grows and the cost continues to decrease, more growers may use it in the future.

A Region of Innovation

INDUSTRY LEADER

Freres Lumber, established in 1922 above the Santiam River, uses sustainable practices to provide high quality wood products. The family owned and operated company offers valuable job opportunities in the North Santiam Canyon.

We manufacture a range of products such as veneer, plywood, lumber, and now our own patented product, the Mass Ply Panel (MPP).

MPP is a massive veneer based panel up to 12’ wide and 48’ long and is designed to be an environmentally superior, sustainable alternative to concrete and steel in construction.

Visit frereslumber.com to learn more about products, services and job openings.

Subscribe to our blog at frereslumber.com/blog.

MAIL: OFFICE: PHONE:

P.O. Box 276, Lyons, OR 97358 141 14th Street, Lyons, OR 97358 503.859.2121 FAX: 503.859.2112

fl4

Freres mills and cogeneration facility are open for tours.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Interview

Shannon Welsh of Fibrevolution

Flax Is Back!

Interview with Shannon Welsh of Fibrevolution Shannon Welsh and her partner Angela Wartes-Kahl are the owners of Fibrevolution. They plan to launch Oregon’s first fiber flax mill in over 50 years. This, they believe, could be used as a model for regional scale fiber flax production all over the world. We sat down with Shannon Welsh to talk about flax and the fascinating, world-famous--but nearly lost--history of fiber production in the Willamette Valley and how innovative thinking will bring it back to life.

SEDCOR:

Give our readers the pitch for flax fibers.

Shannon Welsh: W e have been focused on bast fibers, which is fiber that is in the stem surrounding a woody core of a plant. So flax is one of those bast fibers. Hemp is one as well. We've been focused on flax for linen, and we've been mostly looking at the long- line fiber. This linen goes into apparel markets, home goods, and also composites SEDCOR: What is the history of flax fiber production in Oregon?

Welsh:

y partner and I have been researching M alongside all of the historical societies around Oregon and it turns out Oregon was one of the leaders in flax fiber and linen production up to the mid-forties. We had fourteen processing mills throughout the Willamette Valley. We were growing around 18,000 acres of fiber at the height. During WWII, the military was using tons of flax fiber for all kinds of things: parachutes, ropes, and more.

Then, after the war, nylon hit the market.

Everyone started replacing bast fibers like flax and hemp with nylon and other synthetics. This is also when washing machines were becoming more mainstream and everyone wanted something they could easily throw into the

12 Enterprise Winter 2021

Shannon Welsh and Angela Wartes-Kahl

Photo Credit: John Morgan of StereoEye Production

machine. So, in many ways, laundering changed the linen market in a big way.

This really started to make the linen industry crumble around the world.

SEDCOR:

So why bring back flax fiber linens?

And why now? And why here?

Welsh:

lax is an amazing crop to rotate in for organic F and regenerative agriculture. Plus, it grows really well here. Like insanely well. We still produce some of the best flax in the world. We have the right soil and the right climate for it.

Many smaller farms are trying to rotate it in because it can over-winter here. It can be springplanted as well, which means it can have two growing seasons. It’s an amazing plant. It's beautiful and it’s easy to grow.

SEDCOR:

hat challenges are you facing when it W comes to production?

A Region of Innovation

Interview

Shannon Welsh of Fibrevolution

Welsh: R ight now, we are working on getting it from field to first-stage processing. There have been groups in the past who tried to bring back fiber production to the Valley. There was a group in the 90’s working with Oregon State University trying to revive flax fiber. They grew a few hundred acres but they couldn’t get a scutch mill, which is the first stage of processing.

Then, another group around 2010 tried the same thing, but they couldn’t get to that first stage of processing. So processing, obviously, has been a big focus for us.

SEDCOR:

What does processing flax look like?

Welsh:

istorically, flax was pulled from the ground. There are machines that do H this, called a puller. They are specialized because flax is really the only crop that is pulled this way.

he crop is pulled and then laid out in rows in the field in a process called T retting.

etting allows the plant to break down so it can be pulled apart and R processed. After retting one side, the crop is turned by another piece of specialized machinery then bailed in round bales. After that, it is put through what is called a scutch line. And there is a series of machines that breaks down the woody core of the stem and separates the long and short fibers.

CAPTION

Each part of the plant is separated and goes to its own market.

I n the end, you get what is called scutched fiber; that is the long fiber which can then go right to the composites market or to fiber preparation (hackling) for spinners.

I t needs to move through this whole process so it can be shipped. You cannot ship bales of flax fiber. That’s too much weight and space, much of which is air. We imagine a series of regional and domestic mills to keep the shipping costs down.

SEDCOR:

How much of the processing infrastructure exists now?

Welsh: R ight now, there is nowhere to process long-line, flax fiber in the United States. There is some smaller machinery for trials, but nothing to bring it up to scale.

Our plan is to get the systems built. In reality, most of the equipment we’ll need hasn’t changed since the 1940’s. Thankfully, all of the machinery we need is mechanical and relatively low-tech. We had always planned to eventually work with local manufacturers, but the pandemic forced us to pursue that sooner.

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Enterprise Winter 2021 13

Interview

Shannon Welsh of Fibrevolution

The machinists we’ve found love the idea of building a supply chain internally inside the Valley. I feel like every time we've brought it up to people they're always interested.

lus, Oregon State has a lot of old machine P plans available for public access. So, when we finally build the machinery, we have a library of information available to us.

SEDCOR:

hat is the next big obstacle to overcome for W you guys to start having a proof of concept you can scale?

Welsh:

e need to get to first-stage processing. We W need a scutch mill. Right now, we can process it by hand, but it is definitely not the same as a machine. There's a group in Nova Scotia building really small scale processing machinery, and we've talked to them. Even that seems a little too small for what we're trying to do.

e're starting to be able to scale up the farming W side, but that has a limit if you can’t get the fiber to market. I don't see it scaling up until there's at least a research scale processing line in place.

SEDCOR:

I n your perfect world, what does the flax fiber industry look like?

Welsh:

lant fibers are in many ways being looked at to P transform the textile industry. Less use of plastics.

It is interesting because those synthetics originally knocked natural fibers out and now natural fibers are coming back to do the same thing.

egenerative agriculture is becoming a buzzword R now. And I don't know if people completely understand what regenerative means sometimes.

Flax is a zero -waste plant. If we set up the right processes and systems, I think flax could do wonderful things for our soil, because, like I said, it is a great rotational crop.

nd then if we can set up the regional processing A systems, we can add some very good jobs.

In manufacturing, in processing, in apparel manufacturing. But it goes even beyond that.

We’ve seen cars built with flax composites.

Even in WWII, they were building planes with it because they could be shot without worrying about ricochet.

lax has an important place in our state’s history.

F My partner and I visited a museum in Ireland and found old articles written about Oregon flax and displays about our flax stocks at the 1930’3 World’s Fair.

We had an enormous industry here.

SEDCOR:

hat else would you like folks to know about W your project?

Welsh:

Just the potential we could be tapping into.

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INSIGHTS FROM OMEP

How Manufacturers Can Create a Self-Motivating Environment to Engage & Retain Talent Most manufacturers are familiar with the widening ‘skills gap.’ This is a multifaceted issue that includes Baby Boomer and Gen X generations retiring, lack of focused professional development and sufficient on-the-job training, and lost opportunities to capture intellectual and institutional knowledge among other things.

Tami Trout OMEP has been hearing from manufacturers having trouble securing applicants for job openings, as well as those that hire new employees only to have the new hires be a no-show on their first day or leave shortly thereafter. We’re seeing unprecedented turnover across sectors and this situation prompts business leaders to ask important questions: • How can we best capture the knowledge of our retiring workforce before they leave?

• How can we transfer this information efficiently and effectively to ensure the development of knowledge and proficiency?

• What can we do differently to create a positive and selfmotivating environment to engage and retain talent?

Consider the following:

Take Time to Better Understand the Generation Entering the Workforce Gen Z is the most diverse generation in history, and they have an entirely unique perspective on careers and how success in life and work are defined. They are about evenly split on what’s more important – better pay or an interesting job. They want to work

for an employer that is a good global citizen that demonstrates a commitment to societal challenges such as sustainability, climate change, hunger and homelessness, and inequality.

Both groups are leery of anything that is not authentic. They do not want lip service. They like to see companies taking real action toward meaningful change. Manufacturers might explore benefits that align with interests in global citizenship such as time off to volunteer, matching funds for their donations, team building activities in support of a non-profit or societal cause, company initiatives that give back to the community and/or reduce waste, and activities that positively impact the environment among others.

If you are a leading-edge business working to address some of these issues, are you promoting your initiatives and values in your job descriptions, website and other materials?

Consider Your Brand and How it Appears to Job Seekers in a Job Search In today’s digital world, job seekers have easy access to information about your company. If you haven’t refreshed your LinkedIn or Facebook pages in a long time, consider an update. Serious job seekers often thoroughly research a business before applying. They want to ensure that a job is worth their time – that the business aligns with their values and is a good fit. The more information you can share about your culture, workplace, benefits and work style, the better.

Ensure your website offers current and accurate information.

Your website does not have to be flashy, but a simple design with relevant information is essential to making a good first impression.

If you are hiring, consider asking existing employees to create a blog post or page about why they enjoy working for your company.

Engage with your existing employees to help potential new employees better understand your culture. Continued on page 18

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INSIGHTS FROM OMEP

Continued from Page 16

Use free tools at your disposal, such as your Google Business profile and Glassdoor to showcase your business.

Review Job Descriptions and Prioritize Requirements

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Gen Z have experienced massive periods of economic stability and been told that obtaining a college degree was an insurance policy against poverty. However, more than half of Gen Z college graduates said their expensive college education didn’t make them careerready. While 72% of the roles today have lower requirements than just six months ago, 3 in 5 employers admit that they are favoring college graduates over qualified middle-skill candidates with relevant experience.

Review applicant resumes from a more open and broad perspective, looking for not only education and specific experience, but also for potential and transferrable skills and desired behavioral attributes. Identify more qualifications as ‘nice to have’ rather than ‘required’ and be explicit about what the company will train.

Create and Maintain Solid Onboarding, Training and Upskilling Solutions About 4 in 10 of the Gen Z generation are not following the traditional college route and are entering the workforce directly after leaving high school. And, 86% of non-college graduates expect a promotion or a transfer to a new job opportunity in less than a year from starting at entry-level.

Define development plans and career paths and communicate during and after the hiring process. Paint a picture for your incoming employees of the pathway they can take within your company to increase skills and, therefore, earning power. Limit compensation based on longevity with the company. Instead, base it on skills and knowledge earned. Be upfront about that pathway, allowing for some flexibility and articulate what’s in it for the job seeker/employee.

If promotions or new positions aren’t an option, companies can still strive to understand what motivates each employee and be ready to offer challenging or new projects and growth opportunities.

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Transparency of KPIs (key performance indicators) and participation from all employees is key to reaching goals. Engage employees by helping them to see how their job relates to the big picture. Create a reward and feedback system that welcomes new ideas. In doing so, you foster a sense of community and encourage employees to be part of the collaborative effort to grow and improve. Ultimately, psychology tells us that the pursuit of a lofty goal is closely tied with fulfillment and happiness (whether inside or outside of a job).

Capture Institutional Knowledge and Make it Readily Available OMEP has support available for those who would like to utilize technology to build and maintain work instructions, job training modules, and more. This ensures that you capture knowledge from employees and disseminate it in a tangible way so that it does more than sit on the shelf.

OMEP has been working with Novunex to modify and custom-build their application, and it is an operational excellence management system that has a Document Control (QMS) element. It also has a standard work instructions builder, a learning management system to deploy training (document, classroom, and on-the-job), a continuous improvement tracker (ideas, tasks, projects), and more. If you’re interested in learning more, reach out.

At the heart of the issue, employee retention is tied to employee engagement. Identifying and articulating your company values, and creating a positive work climate that empowers employees to live those values, will improve retention.

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Enterprise Winter 2021 19

INSIGHTS FROM THE TECHNOLOGY ASSOCIATION OF OREGON

Innovation in Agriculture: The Farm of the Future

by Cara Turano As a closet fan of science fiction, thinking about the farm of the future can be downright scary for me. Limited access to soil, water, or sunlight evokes images of room-sized mini fields tended by robots, with crops that provide sustenance while lacking flavor or cloned livestock raised in massive tanks without any actual animals involved in the process. Luckily, these visions are centered more in Isaac Asimov’s sci-fi series, Foundation, than in reality.

The reality is that the farms we know today must undergo a digital transformation to keep pace with the growing food needs of the planet. In fact, in October of 2020, McKinsey —the century-old global management consulting firm— highlighted agriculture as an industry poised for technology disruption where “disruption” means a “radical change to an existing industry due to technological innovation.”

So what could we see on the farm of the future? A host of innovations meant to increase yield, bolster sustainability and conservation efforts, alleviate labor shortages, and provide a reliable and livable income for farmers.

Some of these innovative solutions are in the concept stage, such as a gig-economy farm labor app that the NW Ag Innovation Hub would like to see developed. For people familiar with Uber or Lyft, this marketplace would connect a job seeker skilled as a machinist with a farmer who needs a piece of farm equipment repaired. The app would enable local short-term contracts for skilled labor and be a win/win for both a farmer and a prospective employer.

Several innovative solutions exist today, such as Farmmee Services, another marketplace that connects farmers who want to capitalize on an equipment investment with a person who needs that equipment in real-time. This mutually beneficial solution allows the equipment-less farmer to potentially diversify crops without substantial initial capital investment while permitting the equipped farmer to generate revenue on an existing asset, all while building community.

Agricultural technology that borders on science fiction is available today, but access to it is limited by connectivity and

20 Enterprise Winter 2021

financial resources. On connected or smart farms, sensors are used for crop and livestock monitoring, drone farming, or preventative maintenance on farm equipment. For instance, in a field with connected sensors tracking soil moisture conditions, a summer heatwave would trigger automatic sprinklers to ensure consistent watering and avoid heat-damaged crops. Or sensors in a

Cara Turano

drone-monitored field could alert a farmer of an intervention needed to protect a crop from pests or provide additional nutrients. Perhaps a computer chip embedded in a tractor connected to predictive-maintenance systems could decrease repair costs and extend machinery and equipment life.

While prices on many of these technologies are dropping to become viable options for farmers, the connectivity challenges in rural areas will have to be addressed. If 80% of rural America can connect to the wide variety of currently available connectivity technologies by 2030, the U.S. will see an almost 10% increase in GDP related to agriculture from today’s farms. This increase would be with minimal capital investment by farmers while tackling many of today’s challenges associated with a changing climate and labor shortages.

This is the farm of the future —a connected, data-driven and technologically savvy business that can be managed from a mobile phone for more efficiency, productivity and profitability.

Technological advancements in agriculture do not mean the farmer of the future is a robot, nor would anyone want robots taking over the farm. We want our farmers to continue being astute business leaders, environmentalists, agronomists, machinists, innovators, and entrepreneurs supported by the digital technologies of the 21st century. The robot farmers can stay in science fiction.

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Enterprise Winter 2021 21

COUNTY NEWS

Innovation Beyond Business

by Commissioner Casey Kulla

It is not just businesses that innovate.

From January of 2019 until April of 2020, Yamhill County residents asked me, “when are we going to get a livestream (or at least audio) of your commissioner meetings? It is hard to get to the basement of the courthouse at 10am on a Thursday, but we want to watch.” In other words, customers were demanding a product.

In March of 2020, the pandemic reached us. And two weeks later, we banished guests from commissioner meetings and had a streaming camera and a YouTube channel. In other words, it took customers demanding a product *and* a viral pandemic to get us to act.

In 2018, leaders in the City of Willamina recognized a problem: residents valued younger generations being able to stay in town and buy a home, and they valued older generations being able to afford aging in place, in town. But, the cost of homes was growing faster than anyone could keep up. Customers were demanding a product.

So, the city applied for and received a grant from the county to update their residential building codes (details like smaller or zero setbacks, tiny lots, smaller homes, easier in-fill with existing homes, more paths) to reduce the cost of homes and encourage generations to share spaces. In other words, it took a housing crisis for a community to reflect on their values and find a solution.

I hope it doesn’t take a pandemic or a housing crisis for you to innovate.

22 Enterprise Winter 2021

But, maybe it takes being offered an opportunity and feeling stuck. Take Prineville, for example. The city has access to low-cost hydroelectric power and weather perfect for data centers, but they had a water issue; they needed a new, expensive sewage treatment plant and a stable water supply in order to attract and retain both the people and the construction up on the rimrock.

So, they looked at all their options, listened to diverse voices, and they got to work. The results are spectacular: (1) they built a wetland for their sewage facility that doubles as a park instead of a technology-based footprint, (2) they discovered a constrained aquifer into which they could pump winter river water for summer needs, and (3) they used that wetland-filtered water to cool the data centers. The end result is a lively city that can afford the parks and trails that improve the lives of their residents.

If cities and counties can meet the demands of their community and innovate, so can your business. And so, an exercise: What are you hearing from your customers?

Can you meet their demands?

What holds you back?

What barriers have you encountered?

How can we, your local governments and SEDCOR, help you innovate?

I am eager to hear: kullac@co.yamhill.or.us and 971-241-1794.

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Enterprise Winter 2021 23

COUNTY NEWS

Fire Recovery/ County and Local Efforts Danielle Bethell, Marion County Commissioner While for many it seems like only yesterday, it has now been 15 months year since the 2020 Labor Day Wildfires wreaked havoc in the Santiam Canyon.

newsletters and is actively

Recovery began almost immediately with neighbors helping neighbors and communities rallying together to form non-profits and a Long-Term Recovery Group.

OPPORTUNITIES ANALYSIS:

Everyday survivors are making strides in recovery and the spirit of the Santiam Canyon is alive and well. That spirit of recovery is assisted organizations and governments with a focus on recovery. The Long-Term Recovery Group, the Santiam Service Integration Team, County and City Governments and the State have worked collaboratively with one goal, helping survivors.

engaging in multiple social media platforms and providing promotional materials.

ECONOMIC IMPACT AND This developed a comprehensive picture of current canyon economy and documenting fire impacts and in the process of moving toward recommendations to assist with economic recovery TEMP HOUSING: The due diligence process is underway at the Gates location for Septic and Land use requirements. The due diligence for N. Santiam will begin in December or early January.

HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT: The OSU team received good

Long-Term Recover Group (LTRG): The Long-Term Recover Group recently fired Kevin Dial as their Recovery Manager.

Kevin is a retired Colonel and has decades of experience in setting program up all over the world and specific expertise in emergency response and disaster recovery. Kevin leads teams of dedicated volunteers over many committees with an emphasis on helping the survivors with everything from gas cards, construction, emotional and spiritual support and housing.

participation on a survey to assess individual health impacts and

Santiam Service Integration Team (SIT): Melissa Baurer and her team of disaster case managers work every day to meet the survivors where they are at any stage in the recovery process.

The SIT collaborates with the LTRG, the local cities, the counties, the state and non-profits to help find resources for primary homeowners in the Santiam Canyon.

Wildfire Committee passed legislation to provide tax relief to

County and City Governments: Marion and Linn County elected official and staff work tirelessly with City elected official and staff as well as the various State agencies in the support of survivors.

Cities and counties are processing permits on a record pace.

To-date 55% of the homes have submitted septic permits and 42% of the homes have submitted building permits. The counties have partnered with state agencies to assist in the clean-up process.

To-date 67.5% or 330 of 489 homes sites have been cleaned up and more than 18,000 of the 24,00 hazard trees have been removed.

Marion County has worked at looking at recovery from multiple perspectives to really understand the full impact and needs for the Santiam Canyon.

FINANCIAL NEEDS ANALYSIS: Focusing efforts on data input for Gates’ new financial software/utility billing system COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH: The www.santiamrecovery.org website has been updated and launched. The Long- Term Recovery Group has produced two

24 Enterprise Winter 2021

held focus groups to solicit input COMMUNITY VISIONING AND STRATEGIC PLANS: Public meetings were held to test draft findings and the consultant is developing final findings and reports.

State Agencies: There are many state agencies that have been involved in the recovery process. The 2021 Legislature and survivors, created some building allowances and provided necessary funding for the recovery effort. These efforts by the 2021 Legislature and Wildfire Committee have really allowed the other state agencies to engage in a way to really focus on recovery.

• The 2021 Legislature & Wildfire Committee • Mid-Valley Regional Solutions • Oregon Housing and Community Services – OHCS • Department of Environmental Quality – DEQ • Oregon Parks and Recreation Department - OPRD • Oregon Department of Transportation - ODOT • Department of Land Conservation and Development – DLCD • Oregon Corrections Enterprises – OCE Rural Industrial Improvement Exemption success At the November 10, 2021 Marion County Board of Commissioner Meeting, the board approved a request from DKFAB, Inc for a rural industrial property tax exemption under Marion County Code 3.35.020 for the 2022-2023 tax year. Marion County Code 3.35.020 was developed pursuant to Senate Bull 1565 from 2016 which encouraged industrial improvements and employment in rural areas of Marion County.

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Enterprise Winter 2021 25

COUNTY NEWS

Q&A with Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst Commissioner Lyle Mordhorst was appointed to the Polk County Board of Commissioners January 2019. He graduated from Grangeville Idaho High School in 1975. Grangeville is where he met the love of his life Belinda, who he married in 1981 and they raised two amazing sons.

more money or a bigger bonus at the end of the year and still demand 60-plus hours a week with no flexibility.

And technology can definitely enable the benefit of flexibility.

What is happening at the county level to continue to adopt new tech?

After working several jobs, Lyle started a career in 1983 with Les Schwab Tires in Ontario, Oregon. With the promotions in his career, he lived in four different communities and his final promotion brought him to West Salem in 1998, as the manager of the new location. He has enjoyed being a part of this community for the last 21 years. Lyle retired from Les Schwab in January 2019 after serving 35 years.

Within our own staff, we are

We sat down with Commissioner Mordhorst to talk about changing times, innovative thinking, and his optimistic outlook on the future.

people have found ways to be available for their families and

When you think about innovation, what comes to mind?

offer great value. For instance, we meet with commissioners

When I think about innovation, I think about businesses and organization tackling new challenges with new and better solutions. Obviously, what comes to mind for most of us has been COVID and all of the downstream impacts of lockdowns and mandates.

from all over Oregon. Now, we can still connect without people

For instance, workforce. Businesses in all industries (main street and traded sector) are having trouble attracting and keeping quality workers. I know businesses are having to rethink what their people value and offer different kinds of benefits. Workers want to be with their families, to go to baseball games, to see recitals. Gone are the days when a business could simply offer

Building A Connected Salem

recognizing the importance of flexibility. Childcare is vital.

So, we found ways to offer laptops and give our people the flexibility to work from home. Yes, there are times when folks need to be available for calls and emails, but for the most part, available to accomplish their work.

And as much as we all are starting to hate Zoom calls, they do

needing to drive hours and hour here and back.

Are you optimistic about the future? Why? I can’t help but be optimistic. It is just who I am. But, more specifically, I’m optimistic about how active citizens are becoming because they have access to so much information.

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I think citizens who are more informed are better citizens. They keep elected officials accountable at all levels of government.

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A Region of Innovation

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FROM CONCEPT TO COMPLETION Enterprise Winter 2021 27

REGION OF INNOVATORS

Going Back to Move Forward How a small farm outside Newberg is trying to change the way food is grown, processed, and enjoyed.

Godspeed Hollow is a small patch of land about ten minutes east of Newberg, Oregon. On this small farm, a tight-knit family is working to reimagine and restore their community’s relationship to food.

Sarah King has a strawberry blonde hair and a welcoming smile.

On this rainy day, she wears sandals and welcomes us into her home, a single-story building on top of their property. Inside, her son is baking cookies, which he calls "today's science experiment".

Just inside the front door, a sizable whiteboard adorns the wall and is filled with multi-colored markings of schedules, chemical read-outs, and feeding rotations. Sarah’s husband, Bubba, walks up from the barn. Bubba has a serious but friendly face; his smile

Bubba and Sarah King

breaks through under his brown beard like the sun through the dark clouds.

“More than anything else, we farm dirt,” says Sarah. After purchasing the land five years ago, Sarah and Bubba have been working on restoring their soil in order to feed their small herd of cows with natural, nutritionally rich food, free of pesticides, herbicides, and filler foods like corn, sugars, and soy. “Soil doesn’t bounce back quickly from years of chemical-heavy farming,” says Bubba as we walk past their impressive compost pile. “We have to be very intentional with the way we feed our animals.”

Sarah works full-time in supply chain logistics for Nike. As Bubba says with a wink, “Sarah knows the numbers. She builds the plans. I just get it done.” Sarah explains how their land is split into 36 small plots, known as paddocks. Their herd (comprised of four adult cows and one calf, all of which are named after Disney princesses) will feed on each paddock before being rotated to the next. They won’t return to that paddock until it has time to recover. “This way,” says Sarah, “we can maintain a continual supply of food for our cows without—hopefully--having to supplement with hay. In the end, this makes for a better product.”

And what is their product? Godspeed Hollow sells raw milk, a substance that is in many ways more heavily regulated than products like marijuana.

Great innovations come as a result of pressures, either through

and some get their milk from as far as Portland. Their waiting list is dozens of names long and Sarah says she sees no signs of it shrinking any time soon.

The goal for this small farm is simple: provide locally grown and minimally processed food (meat, vegetables, milks, cheeses, etc.) to everyone who wants it. The path to get there will take some creativity.

The Kings are very clear-eyed about the economics of their vision. Bubba discusses it over pizza and a beer at Honeypie Pizza, their hidden-gem pizzeria in downtown Newberg. Honeypie is where the Kings attempt to make their farm-to-table vision pencil out. “If every single element of our pizzas were 100% local—as local as we would like it to eventually be—we might be selling $40 pizzas. We get it; not everyone wants to pay that much for a night out of pizza and a beer, even one with incredible local ingredients.

But we wonder if we can start with vegetables, with tomato sauce, with some specialty meats. We understand we have to bed incremental with our approach.”

Even if they wanted use their own cheese from the cows at Godspeed at Honeypie, current regulations would make it impossible at worst and unfathomably expensive at best. “Right now, we are just giving people a taste of what’s possible,” says

self-imposed values (like the importance of regenerative farming)

Bubba. “We are telling a story and showing people how incredible

or through outside influences, like markets, consumer preferences,

food can taste, what food could be.”

and regulations. Godspeed Hollow faces all of these pressures and

Before taking our last sip of beer and heading back into the

finds creative ways to get high-quality products to the people who

rain, we ask Bubba about the name of his farm. “In WWI, Prince

want them.

Edward wrote letters to troops and instead of saying good luck,

Sarah and Bubba show off a small refrigerator filled with

he wrote godspeed. The phrase was eventually said to astronauts

half-gallon glass bottles of not-quite-legal unpasteurized milk.

before NASA missions. As a family, we started saying it all the time

Through a small carve-out in the current law, they are allowed to

to each other. When we bought our farm, it definitely felt like a big

sell “herd shares” of a limited herd (currently capped at four cows)

journey, the kind that warranted a godspeed.”

of milk-producing cattle. Members of the herd share live locally

28 Enterprise Winter 2021

Bubba pauses and smiles. “It still does.”

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